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Michael van Lier

Michael van Lier

Founder and Managing Director at Builders, launching and scaling tech companies

Rotterdam, Netherlands
builders+1
Joined August 2025
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Summary

Michael van Lier is a serial tech entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience, starting his first business at 16. He has a proven track record of launching and scaling companies, including early internet ventures and AI-native startups. His journey includes founding Solware and IPS (which had a major exit), co-founding Influentials (acquired by Somention), and leading the establishment of several ventures within Builders. builders+5
As the Founder & Managing Director of Builders, a Rotterdam-based venture studio, Michael focuses on creating enterprise AI software companies. He actively works with founders, applying deep product intuition, ensuring capital efficiency, and designing ventures within areas like Future of Work, compliance, and vertical AI. Builders has developed a repeatable model for launching successful startups, raising significant funding, and aiming for European expansion. builders+2
Michael has co-founded and launched several ventures through Builders, including Noon (focused on employee well-being) and Obeyo (a co-living platform). While these specific ventures were eventually shut down, his experience with them highlights his continuous exploration of innovative ideas in the 'Future of Work' and 'Future of Living' sectors, demonstrating an agile and iterative approach to startup development. medium+2
A thought leader in the AI and venture studio space, Michael frequently writes and speaks about topics such as venture design, studio systems, and the 'January 2nd mindset'. He explores the transformative potential of AI as a catalyst for human progress and stresses the importance of democratizing access to AI knowledge and tools to prevent inequality, advocating for open, distributed, and accessible systems. medium+1

Work

Education

Writing

What Happens When AI Becomes Humanity’s Catalyst?

September 1, 2025

Explores AI's promise as a catalyst for discovery and its peril as a tool for the few. Discusses the dream scenario of AGI advancing science and robotics, applying AI at the venture studio level to democratize company-building, and AI as institutional memory. Warns against AI knowledge concentration and advocates for openness and accessibility.

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Launch of technology startup Noon; data-driven improvement of well-being employees

May 1, 2023

Announces the official launch of Noon, a technology startup offering an innovative platform for employers to support employee well-being in a scientifically based way. Details Noon's approach to visualizing mental states, providing data-driven insights, and guiding effective improvements for mental health in the workplace.

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Hobbies

He is a dad and enjoys building things, happiest when projects are in motion. builders

Notes

THTerence Huijgensaid
MVMichael van Lier
is one of the most impressive agency founders they've worked with.

Oct 1, 2025