Five questions for Katinka Ros, Impact Investment Team Officer
Five years ago, Katinka Ros began work at DOEN Ventures as an Impact Investment Team Officer. She has now become the driving force behind the team of Investment Managers and indispensable for many of DOEN Ventures’ partners. We recently celebrated her five years at DOEN Ventures – after all, we couldn’t just let five years of loyal service by such a valuable employee go unmarked. Most of our partners will know Katinka, but for those who don’t know her yet, we asked her about her key lessons and experiences over the past five years.
You don’t have a professional background in impact investing, so how did you end up at DOEN Ventures?
‘You’re right, I used to work in the hospitality industry. After graduating in hotel management, I spent several years in that sector, mostly in the back office. I think the service attitude and eagerness to be there for others is a part of the personality that every hotel worker has in them. I’m also a stickler for detail in my work, which comes in very handy when supporting the transaction documentation at DOEN Ventures.
I started to get itchy feet during the pandemic. I wanted to make even better use of my talents and strengths. And preferably at an organisation that focuses on impact. It is very satisfying to work together for a better world and make a small difference for everyone.’
How do you support and facilitate the investment managers team, and when can the team fall back on your knowledge and experience?
‘As part of the investment team, I am responsible for the day-to-day running of the team’s general business. I also manage the portfolio overview. I monitor the business processes internally for the team and try to improve them as needed. I also support the team with all the documentation they need to complete an investment. By responding quickly and accurately, processes and investment rounds run more smoothly for partners and colleagues alike.’
What makes it fun to work at DOEN Ventures? And how have you grown in your role since you joined five years ago?
‘The various partners and the sectors we work in give me a lot of energy. We work in a dynamic team with talented people. Our colleagues also give us the further boost that makes us want to go that extra mile together.
In addition, at DOEN Ventures we work with different forms of funding, so there’s also different documentation. This is where I can continuously learn and grow. When I came here five years ago, my role looked very different to what it does now. Back then it was really mainly supportive. Now I’m much more involved in the documentation of the deals and the various processes related to this. There is something new for me to learn every day. Aside from documentation, there might be a new form of funding, a transition, or an opportunity to expand my knowledge of the sector. No two days are the same. ‘
Which partner has provided the most valuable lessons over the past five years, for you personally and/or for DOEN Ventures?
‘We work with so many different partners that I find it hard to answer this. I find technological solutions very important and interesting, but they are a bit more difficult to explain. I love having a partner like TommyTomato. And now that I’m a mother myself, I realise all the more the importance of these types of projects that give children access to a healthy lunch at school. I’m really happy that we were able to give them a push.
The most painful and at the same time very valuable lesson in recent years, is the volatility of the market. Impact companies are even more subject to changes in the economic climate than other companies. It is sometimes extremely difficult to attract additional funders or to find money in the market for meaningful entrepreneurs or innovations – certainly for the phases that ‘our’ companies are in. Unfortunately, not every company survives and it’s always hard to see a company having to file for bankruptcy, but often the impact it has made is lasting. It has sometimes happened that an innovation or transition can be rolled out more quickly by another party. Ultimately, it takes pioneers who dare to take risks to show others what is possible on the road to a regenerative economy.’
Why do you think an entrepreneur should choose DOEN Ventures as an investor?
‘DOEN Ventures is a patient investor that truly puts impact first. I also really like the human approach. DOEN Ventures sees the people in the organisation. We stand by ‘our’ entrepreneurs and enjoy working together towards a goal. Where others sometimes find it too financially daunting to get involved, DOEN Ventures takes all the risk. And that’s really cool. This way we can take real impact a little further.’