About
Jaap Zijlstra is COO at Navus Ventures, a family-owned venture capital firm focused on high-tech and sustainable start-ups and scale-ups in the food and energy sectors, where he sources and executes technology investments and supports portfolio companies. He previously worked in M&A at Rabobank, covering engineering sectors and projects in food and agriculture, media, and financial services, and later established a venture capital unit at Kramp Groep focused on agricultural and logistics technology. He holds a degree in Systems Engineering, Policy Analysis and Management from Delft University of Technology.
Experience
- NavusCOOcurrent2026 — presentMaassluis, South Holland, Netherlands
- NavusDirector2025 — 2026Maassluis, South Holland, Netherlands
- Navus(Senior) Investment Manager2022 — 2024Maassluis, South Holland, Netherlands
- NavusInvestment Associate2020 — 2022Maassluis, South Holland, Netherlands
- StartupbootcampMentor sustainability programme2021 — 2025Amsterdam
- Kramp Ag Ventures and Innovation LabAgtech Venture Capital2018 — 2019Utrecht Area, Netherlands
- RabobankAssociate - Corporate Finance Advisory (M&A)2014 — 2018The Randstad, Netherlands
- RabobankCorporate Management Trainee2013 — 2014
- Mirus InternationalEmployee2007 — 2013
- ABN AMRO Bank N.V.Intern Corporate Finance and Capital Markets2012 — 2013
- KPMG Strategic and Commercial IntelligenceGraduate intern2011 — 2012
- Stichting Techniek BedrijvenOrganisation and Advisory Board2009 — 2012
- Tangaza CollegeMinor internship on Kenyan cooperative financial institutions2009Nairobi
Education
- Delft University of TechnologyMaster of Science (MSc), Systems Engineering2009 — 2012
- Delft University of TechnologyBachelor of Science (BSc), Systems Engineering2005 — 2011
- Gymnasium CeleanumNatural sciences and technology profile, with economics1999 — 2005
Skills & more
Analysis of complex problems, systems design2Quantitative modeling, simulation, statistical analysis1Sales and negotiation2MS Excel, MS Access, SPSS, Arena, Automod, otherValuation6Private Equity3Analysis4Banking2Finance2Management Consulting1Investments1Capital Markets1
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Corporate FinanceMergers & Acquisitions (M&A)Venture CapitalBusiness StrategyLanguages Dutch · English · German
From Jaap's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Delft University of Technology111
Michiel KottingPartner at NorthzoneAlexander WortmannPartner at TCVThijs SchaapInvestment manager at NoaberHugo SilvaPartner at Pi LabsRobInvestor at henQ vcArun RambocusCFO/COO at Maven 11
+ 105 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Rabobank69
Alan ShaffranSenior Portfolio Manager, Partner at Magnetar AI VenturesJohanneke van de Scheur-BaanBestuurslid at NoaberBor BoerManaging Director at CapagroRupertus RothenhäuserDigital Asset & Blockchain Specialist, C-Level Management at tokentus investment AGVirginia RodrigoOperations at 10x FoundersRedmar KoeneInvestment Manager at Gilde Healthcare
+ 63 more
Also worked at ABN AMRO Bank N.V.128
Iris WiggersFINANCE at Cottonwood Technology FundKyang YungInvestor at DaphniKobeFinance Director at Hummingbird VenturesNichapat ArkDirector, Head of Thailand at Openspace VenturesJasper VAN ROSSUMDirector | Compliance at DOMiNO VenturesBakley SmithDirector at Green Circle Foodtech Ventures
+ 122 more
Also worked at KPMG Strategic and Commercial Intelligence10
Derk AalbersDirector Finance & Operations at Maven 11Elliot SchoutenInvestment Manager & CFO at Curiosity VCBas OvertoomAdvisor at Curiosity VCLuc StarmansPartner at Brightlands Venture PartnersJuliëtte DopJunior Investment Analyst at Holland CapitalMarijn SilvisInvestment Director at Holland Capital
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