Sjors van den Dries
Start up CEO - Corporate Development Manager
Bio
I’m Sjors van den Dries, Corporate Development Manager of a big IT firm and CEO at a start up, delivering a SaaS product to governments. With deep experience in growing a startup into a successful scale-up, I’m driven by a strong commitment to societal impact powered by cutting-edge innovation. I'm well aware of the challenges and pitfalls a growing company has and how to overcome them. This journey led to the acquisition of my start up by a bigger IT firm —a natural fit that allowed us to amplify our mission and scale our impact even further. Having experienced both sides of the table—growing, selling, and integrating a company, and now leading acquisitions—I bring a well-rounded perspective to M&A. This enables me to manage transactions with clarity and empathy, ensuring a smooth process from deal sourcing to post-merger integration (PMI). I’m responsible for driving organizational growth through strategic cross functional projects, end-to-end M&A execution, strategic partnerships, and cross-functional initiatives that align with our long-term vision.
Expertise
Advice on funding
With experience buying multiple firms and selling my own—working closely with M&A brokers, PE firms, and lawyers, I can give practical funding advice. I can share hands-on tips on going to market, IMs, preparing for due diligence, and avoiding pitfalls.
Bootstrapping
My experience reflects the core principles of bootstrapping: growing a company efficiently, prioritizing smart resource allocation, and building strong teams without relying on heavy external funding. Scaling my startup into an acquisition-ready business taught me how to make disciplined decisions, stay close to customers, and execute projects with limited resources.
Building a team
As CEO of a start up, I have built teams from scratch and turned them in successful, high performing teams. I've experienced company growth and re-organizations, which gives a different team dynamic. For me, team building is about finding a shared goal, understanding each other and finding what motivates the individual and the group.
Idea validation
Currently active in the field of Cyber Security, I've assessed many companies, products and business ideas. I have strong knowledge about how to assess business ideas and how to turn ideas in a successful business.
Industries
Public Safety
CEO of a company responsible for delivering mission-critical software to Public Safety clients across the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and other European countries, ensuring reliable solutions that support emergency services and public organizations.
Big Data
Corporate Developer Manager at a big IT company in Big Data, serving both Government & Enterprise clients in Europe. In my role, I am responsible for assessing companies for acquisition purposes and strategic partnerships. I support account managers for strategic clients.
Information Technology
Corporate Developer Manager at a big IT company in Big Data, serving both Government & Enterprise clients in Europe. In my role, I am responsible for assessing companies for acquisition purposes and strategic partnerships. I support account managers for strategic clients.
Data Mining
CEO of a company responsible for delivering mission-critical Social Media / Big data mining software to Public Safety clients across the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and other European countries, ensuring reliable solutions that support emergency services and public organizations.
Social Media
CEO of a company responsible for delivering mission-critical Social Media / Big data mining software to Public Safety clients across the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and other European countries, ensuring reliable solutions that support emergency services and public organizations.