We are kicking off the new season of the co:lab podcast with a guest who knows both sides of the negotiation table: Ruth Janssens, founder & Managing Partner of the imec.istart future fund in a talk with Olivier Van Raemdonck, Managing Partner at Cresco.
Ruth began her career as a tech founder, navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. Today, she leads an early-stage venture fund backing the next generation of ambitious startups.
In this episode, Ruth shares how she built a fund from scratch, what she looks for in founders (spoiler: it’s not just the business model), and why honesty and resilience are non-negotiable. We dive into the rise of spacetech in Belgium, how AI is reshaping efficiency and fundraising thresholds, and why she keeps an open WhatsApp line with every founder in her portfolio.
This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs raising capital and anyone curious about the future of venture capital in Europe.
