From lab to leadership: EuFlex helps startups find the right CEO

Several promising high-tech start-ups require business leadership at some point in their development to achieve successful growth. With this in mind, EuFlex, in collaboration with the Gate and TU/e, launched the ‘CEO pool’. This talent pool for start-ups and scale-ups with growth potential aims to tackle a common problem concretely. “There are plenty of smart ideas,” says Ceciel Gijsbers, Senior Consultant Search & Select. “But without entrepreneurial leadership, they won't get very far.”

What started as an experimental initiative is set to become a powerful engine for knowledge valorization. “It originated at The Gate, the help desk for startups from TU Eindhoven, but also other tech startups in the region,” says Gijsbers. “There we saw that many scientists were developing fantastic technology, but were not always ready for the role of entrepreneur or CEO.” To bridge that gap, a pool of experienced leaders who want to connect with young companies has been set up.

An impressive pool

The CEO pool now has more than 320 interested parties. “Not all of them are available full-time, not all of them are equally suited to every project, but they are all motivated to step in at the right moment,” says Gijsbers. “We see that many of these people are now working elsewhere – often part-time – and enjoy using their experience to help a start-up that needs just that little bit of extra push.”

Although the initiative initially focused on CEOs, the practice is proving to be more comprehensive. “The term' CEO pool no longer covers it. We now more often refer to Scale-up Executive Search,” says Gijsbers. “There are people available as CEOs, but also as COOs, sparring partners, coaches, supervisory directors, or advisors. It depends on what the startup needs at that moment.”

Matching supply and demand

Most interest from startups arises at a recognizable crossroads: there is a good idea, there is serious investment interest, but investors want an experienced entrepreneur at the helm. “Investors often make it a condition that someone with entrepreneurial experience joins before they get involved,” explains Gijsbers. “That's where we can make a difference.”

To actively develop the demand side, EuFlex works with a business developer. “They bring us to the attention of investment companies and funds, but also to scale-ups that have already completed their initial growth phase,” says Gijsbers. “That's where the need for professional leadership is often greatest, and where the resources to pay for it are available.”

Ceciel Gijsbers, EuFlex

No paper tiger

EuFlex's working method shows that this is not a non-committal exercise. “We start each process with an in-depth conversation: What exactly is the start-up looking for? Only when we have a clear picture do we draw up a profile and start the search, both within our pool and beyond.” Within three weeks, a company can go from intake to match:

• Week 1: Intake and profile sketch
• Week 2: Screening and interviews
• Week 3: Selection and guidance during the hiring process

“We take care of the entire process,” says Gijsbers. “From profile to shortlist, including salary expectations and background information. Always in close consultation with the startup or scale-up itself.” A concrete example? “We are currently in talks with a startup in the energy market that develops battery systems for smart grid management. They weren't looking for a CEO, but rather a COO-type. We matched them with a suitable candidate, and as soon as the financing is in place, they can move forward together.”

Affordable and performance-oriented

An accessible structure has been chosen to remove barriers. “We charge an affordable, one-time mediation fee, which is also based on a no-cure, no-pay basis,” says Gijsbers. “Payment is only due once a match has been made and the collaboration has started. Startups and spin-offs from TU/e also receive support through the university’s valorization fund.”

Gijsbers expects EuFlex to focus primarily on the scale-up phase. “It’s often too early for real start-ups; the founder usually wants to remain at the helm. And rightly so. But as soon as serious growth or external financing comes into the picture, there is a need for reinforcement.” The name Scale-up Executive Search was therefore not chosen by chance. “We deliberately focus on the moment when companies outgrow their start-up phase,” concludes Gijsbers. “That's when the team is more important than ever, and we're ready to help.”

Bob van der Meulen, EuFlex

EuFlex tries to address this sensitivity to timing and ownership as sharply as possible. “We don't want to ‘split up’ a startup. It has to be a good fit. The founder must feel heard and feel that they are getting a sparring partner who thinks along with them, not takes over. Good technology is important, but the team makes the difference. A bad hire can be disastrous.”

EuFlex is aiming for stable growth in the coming period. “In the first year, we want to achieve five successful placements. After that, we aim to scale up in steps. For us, it's all about quality and continuity: the right person in the right place, at exactly the right time.”

Want to know more or work with us? Please contact Ceciel Gijsbers at .