Laura Thissen
InvestorPrev. Managing Director at StartLife / Impact-driven strategist / Startup mentor & Advisor to investors at Grey Silo Ventures
Seattle, Washington, United States
Find your path to Laura
268 people in our graph share verified history with Laura — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
René KuijtenunlockedLaura: together at Utrecht University (1997–2001)
×7Laura: together at Utrecht University
×2Laura: together at Wageningen University & Research
Laura: together at Erasmus University Rotterdam
About
Holds MSc in Biochemistry and post-graduate training in economics. Built StartLife's food, ag, and biotech portfolio to 400+ impact-driven startups that raised over €600 million. Brings 15 years of global finance consulting experience including work with IMF, World Bank, and European Commission on emerging market financing and sustainable innovation.
Experience
- Grey Silo VenturesVenture Partnercurrent2024 — present
- AvantiumDirector BDcurrent2024 — presentAmsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
- StartLifeMentor / EIR Cohort 2025-6current2025 — presentWageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands
- StartLifeMT / Managing Director2023 — 2024
- StartLifeMT / Operations Director2019 — 2023
- Move the date NLDirectorcurrent2024 — present
- Wageningen University & ResearchBoard Member, Dept Co-creation Value & Impact2019 — 2024Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands
- F&A NextSteering Committee Member2023 — 2024Wageningen, Gelderland, Netherlands
- NWO (Dutch Research Council)Selection Committeecurrent2024 — presentThe Hague, South Holland, Netherlands
- Nomilk2day HeadhuntersColumnist2022 — 2023Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands
- Wageningen Food & Biobased ResearchSenior Business Development Manager2015 — 2019Wageningen
- Wageningen Food & Biobased ResearchBusiness Development Manager2014 — 2015Wageningen
- EcorysBusiness Lead Energy, Environment & Innovation2012 — 2013
- EcorysSenior Consultant Finance - EMEA & APAC2009 — 2013The Randstad, Netherlands
- EcorysConsultant Macroeconomics & Public Finance Management2007 — 2008The Randstad, Netherlands
- Netherlands Council for Trade PromotionTrade advisor (Sudan)2005 — 2006Khartoum, North-Sudan & Juba, South-Sudan
- Centraal PlanbureauEconomist2002 — 2005The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands
- NRC HandelsbladJournalist2002The Randstad, Netherlands
- Stockholm UniversityBiochemist / researcher2001Stockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
Skills & more
LeadershipTeam ManagementTeam LeadershipManagementEarly Stage InvestmentInvestmentsPartnership-buildingStrategic PartnershipsPartnershipsLicensingVenture DevelopmentVenture building
+12 more
Open InnovationNetworkingTechnology TransferInnovation DevelopmentInnovation ConsultingBusiness DevelopmentVenture CapitalInnovation ManagementNew Business DevelopmentStart-upsCorporate Social ResponsibilityPolicy- Oxford Leading Sustainable Corporations Programme — Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
- HEC Paris - Building Your Leadership Skills — HEC Paris
- MIT Honor Code Certificate for Innovation and Commercialization — MITx Courses
From Laura's professional profile.
Colleagues at Grey Silo Ventures
Albrecht Wolfmeyer
Director at ProVeg Incubator / Impact Builder / Startup Mentor, Advisor & Investor at Grey Silo Ventures
Ally Jones
Carta Strategic Growth Executive; New Fund Investments and SPVs at Inflection Ventures
Andréa Serfati
Investment Analyst at Grey Silo Ventures
Christian Pichler
Chairman and Managing Director of GERBER-RAUTH Srl at Grey Silo Ventures
Enrico Costanzo
Head of Innovation Cereal Docks Group at Grey Silo Ventures
Giacomo Fanin
Managing Partner at Grey Silo Ventures
Matteo Leonardi
Investor at Grey Silo Ventures
Roberto Reniero
Food & Beverage Business Advisor at Grey Silo Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Laura Thissen?
- Holds MSc in Biochemistry and post-graduate training in economics. Built StartLife's food, ag, and biotech portfolio to 400+ impact-driven startups that raised over €600 million. Brings 15 years of global finance consulting experience including work with IMF, World Bank, and European Commission on emerging market financing and sustainable innovation.
- Where does Laura Thissen work?
- Laura Thissen is Prev. Managing Director at StartLife / Impact-driven strategist / Startup mentor & Advisor to investors at Grey Silo Ventures.
- Where did Laura Thissen go to school?
- Laura Thissen studied at Utrecht University (MSc (with honours), Chemistry - Biochemistry & Biophysics); Erasmus University Rotterdam (Economics, Econometrics); Stockholm University (MSc (with honours), Biochemistry & Biophysics).
Same school
Also attended Utrecht University159
René KuijtenInvestor at LSP (Life Sciences Partners)Alina GouninaInvestor at Moonfire VenturesAlex PortoInvestor at Riverwood CapitalBas JongtienLegal Counsel at DOB EquityMatthijs BlokhuisDirecteur at NoaberRoel DekkersInvestment manager at Noaber
+ 153 more
Also attended Erasmus University Rotterdam262
Alessandro TavecchioPartner at P101 VenturesDick SietsesInvestment Partner Health at Capricorn Venture PartnersKonradInvestment Team at Hummingbird VenturesProf. Dr. Elbert DijkgraafBestuurslid at NoaberJohanneke van de Scheur-BaanBestuurslid at NoaberMaarten FischerHead of Programs at Noaber
+ 256 more
Also attended Stockholm University148
Victor JacobssonCo-founder of Klarna; investorJohannes SchildtCo-founder & Chairman of KryAndrea EchstenkamperVP of Marketing at HeavybitIrene ArdenstedtInvestor at Luminar VenturesSandra MalmbergInvestor at EQT VenturesMartin Boldt-ChristmasInvestor at Green Flag
+ 142 more
