Pieter Klinkert

General Partner & Co-Founder, PhotonVentures

Pieter Klinkert is a seasoned investor and operator with over 25 years of experience spanning venture capital, entrepreneurship, and international business. He is Co-Founder and General Partner of PhotonVentures, a €95 million venture capital fund focused on integrated photonics, where he is co-responsible for fund strategy, portfolio management, and investor relations.

At PhotonVentures, Pieter plays an active role in scaling deep-tech companies, combining strategic guidance with hands-on operational support. He currently serves on the boards of several portfolio companies, including Lionix, Brilliance, and VitreaLab, where he focuses on business development, team building, and commercial execution.

Prior to founding PhotonVentures, Pieter was Fund Manager at PhotonDelta, where he co-managed the national integrated photonics investment portfolio. During his tenure, he led multiple new and follow-on investments, expanded the portfolio internationally, and contributed to the successful exit of a portfolio company to a US-listed acquirer.

Earlier, as Senior Investment Manager at Oost NL, he managed a portfolio of seven companies, including several distressed investments. Through active involvement and close collaboration with co-investors, he successfully turned around multiple underperforming companies, achieving exits significantly above initial expectations, including a 5x return within 18 months.

In addition to his investment career, Pieter brings extensive entrepreneurial experience. He co-founded and led software company Indica, where he served as CEO/CCO. Under his leadership, the company secured strategic partnerships with organizations such as KPMG, BDO, and EY, raised over €1 million in funding, and built a client base including Heineken and Wolters Kluwer. The company is currently preparing for a public listing on NPEX.

Pieter began his career in financial services, working at Merrill Lynch and MeesPierson in asset management roles. He later transitioned into international trade as CEO/CCO of IPC BV, where he tripled revenues, expanded into new geographic markets, and successfully led the company through a restructuring following the 2008 financial crisis.

He holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Amsterdam and a Master of Science in Business from Utrecht University.

Pieter is known for his strong network, strategic mindset, and hands-on approach to building companies.

His core principles: connecting people, inspiring teams, and executing with persistence, are reflected in his track record across investing and entrepreneurship.