About
Brendon Grunewald is a Managing Director at Praefidi and serves as an independent board advisor, non-executive director, and investment committee advisor. He has experience building and operating a venture capital fund, advising US and EU-based venture and private equity funds including a $1.2bn fund of funds, and serving on public and private company boards. Grunewald advises on strategy, capital allocation, risk assessment, and valuation in technology, AI, space, and data sovereignty sectors, typically engaging in short-term or ongoing mandates with chairs, partners, and CEOs navigating complex decisions.
Experience
- PraefidiManaging Directorcurrent2016 — presentMalta
- Akash SystemsManaging Directorcurrent2026 — present
- AngelwiseAdvisorcurrent2026 — presentBelgium
- Forbes Business CouncilThought Leader2023 — 2026
- Critical Minerals Institute (CMI)Executive Director2025Canada
- MoovlyDirector2012 — 2025Canada
- Antwerp Management SchoolExecutive Professor2015 — 2019Antwerp Area, Belgium
- InstruxionExecutive Director2007 — 2013Brussels Area, Belgium
- E6 VenturesHead of E6 Ventures2008 — 2011Luxembourg
- LumitrendBoard Member2005 — 2006San Francisco Bay Area
- BAM! EntertainmentBoard Member2004 — 2005San Francisco Bay Area
- TelenetVice President2003 — 2004Mechelen, Belgium
- SinfiloChief Executive Officer2002 — 2003
- SiemensVP Business Development1995 — 2000Munich Area, Germany
- Space Physics Research InstituteAntarctic Researcher1992 — 1995Antarctica
Education
- Harvard Business SchoolPrivate Equity & Venture Capital
- The Open UniversityMBA, Business Administration and Management
- Rhodes UniversityBSc Hons, Physics & Electronics
- Rhodes UniversityBSc, Physics
Skills & more
Data SovereigntySpace SystemsDisruptive Technologies1Innovation Management2Lithium Batteries1Battery Management Systems1Electrical DesignMarine ElectronicsElectrical WiringElectrical TroubleshootingNavigation SystemsProblem Solving
+12 more
Strategic LeadershipSupply Chain ManagementNASDAQBoard LevelStrategic Partnershipsinvestment strategyStart-up LeadershipProfessional MentoringDeal SourcingEarly-Stage StartupsSaaSStrategy DevelopmentLanguages Dutch · English · French · German
- Certified Marine Electrical & Electronics Technician — MECO Training
- Yachtmaster Ocean — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- Professional Practices and Responsibilities (PPR) — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- CEVNI — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- Advanced Offshore Weather — C-MASTERS RYA Training Centre
- Diesel — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- Radar — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- GMDSS-SRC / VHF — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- First Aid — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
- Yachtmaster Offshore — Royal Yachting Association (RYA)
From Brendon's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Harvard Business School1,777
Brad GerstnerFounder & CEO of Altimeter CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalTim DraperFounder of Draper AssociatesMike Maples JrCo-founding Partner at FloodgateMamoon HamidPartner at Kleiner Perkins
+ 1,771 more
Also attended The Open University32
Hubertus ThonhauserPartner - Chairman at Ghaf Capital PartnersRoz TurnerOperations & Support at Aera VCMalgorzata RogalskaAssociate at Ysios CapitalKate NussrainerExecutive Assistant to CEO at Founders FactoryRichard WeisfeldManaging Partner (Venionaire Capital Advisory Services) at Venionaire CapitalMartin RigbyManaging Director at ETCapital
+ 26 more
Also attended Rhodes University10
Tom NicholsonSenior Analyst at PeakBridge VCByron AndersonOperations / Finance at Standard CryptoMorgan HunterSenior Analyst at BioMedPartnersLincoln WahlChief Financial Officer at FederationKristina McDougallAdvisor at RiSC Capital CorpMohamed CassimChief Investment Officer at Africa Climate Ventures
+ 4 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Akash Systems6
Also worked at Forbes Business Council23
Karthik ChakkarapaniInvestor at Foundation CapitalJay FulcherManaging Partner at Cheyenne VenturesChamp SuthipongchaiGeneral Partner at Creative VenturesLeen KawasManaging General Partner at Propel Bio PartnersMana HosseiniManaging Partner at Apex Innovative Investments VenturesCait BrummeChief Executive Officer at MassChallenge Mexico
+ 17 more
Also worked at Telenet3
Also worked at Siemens151
Karim FarisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)OttoInvestor at InvestinorCeline XiaoInvestor at DN CapitalBala SathiamurthyInvestor at IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)GiselaInvestor at Eudemian VenturesThomas MeierPartner, Head of Resilience in Energy & Resources Investments at Verve Ventures
+ 145 more
