Five questions for Sanne Bootsma, Impact Investment Manager
With a fresh perspective and a wealth of experience, Sanne Bootsma is the newest addition to the investment management team at DOEN Ventures. Just back from her honeymoon, she’s enthusiastically embracing her new role, where she’ll support entrepreneurs who want to change the world for the better. Sanne combines her background in finance and her broad experience in impact investing with a strong drive, to achieve social impact through entrepreneurship and innovation. We asked her five questions about her mission, ambition, and the opportunities she sees in impact investing.
Why did you want to join the investment management team at DOEN Ventures?
What initially attracted me to DOEN Ventures was its unique mandate: we can invest early on in entrepreneurs who want to radically improve the world. Because we’re not a typical commercial fund with a predetermined duration, we have the flexibility to be patient, take more risks, and therefore invests in ideas that may seem unconventional but can make a real difference.
My career began in asset management, continued at one of the Big Four and later at a commercial impact fund. I’ve always been driven to use capital as a catalyst for positive change. While many companies often prioritise financial returns over impact, DOEN is all about creating social value. This aligns with my belief that money is a means to achieve positive change, not just for personal gain.
What has inspired you most since joining DOEN Ventures?
The team’s intrinsic motivation inspires me immensely. Everyone here works with genuine energy and passion to invest in companies that truly make a difference. The team’s knowledge and experience are extensive and I learn something new every day. You can clearly sense that all my colleagues consciously chose DOEN Ventures because they believe in the mission. I get a lot of energy from that drive and dedication to our partners!
Why do you think entrepreneurs should choose DOEN Ventures as an investor?
First and foremost, it’s about the people. The team is entrepreneurial, socially inclusive and mission-driven. These are qualities that entrepreneurs often appreciate because they speak the same language. We understand that doing business involves risks and that building a company takes a huge amount of time and effort. We invest on the basis of trust and are always willing to help where possible. The fund has been around for almost thirty years, which means that there is a lot of knowledge and experience within the team and an enormous network has been built up.
The relationship with the DOEN Foundation and the Nationale Postcode Loterij is also special. It allows us to support companies from a very early stage, while also offering a powerful marketing channel and, in some cases, even acting as a commercial partner by participating in the lotteries’ prize pot.
Is there a misconception about impact investing that you’d like to debunk?
A common misconception is that impact investing is a form of philanthropy, requiring you to sacrifice financial returns. I believe that companies that dare to change systems and view the world through a sustainable lens are the real long-term winners. You may need a little more persistence to compete with established players, but it is precisely the entrepreneurs and investors active in the impact field who demonstrate courage, vision and perseverance, and that’s what truly makes the difference.
If you had the unlimited resources to accelerate one trend or development in impact investing, what would it be?
I strongly believe in the impact and versatility of seaweed. This fast-growing crop not only stores a lot of CO₂, but is also a true superfood: rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. I don’t think the whole world will become vegetarian, but hybrid products, a combination of meat and plant-based ingredients, could make both the planet and people much healthier thanks to seaweed. Seaweed is a natural binder, contains less salt and fat than supermarket meat, and is rich in fibre.
Seaweed’s applications are even broader. It’s a sustainable material that can replace plastics and packaging, textiles and fibres, building materials and coatings, biostimulants and fertilisers, and even has applications in cosmetics and skincare. Moreover, Europe has the ideal climate to develop a strong seaweed industry.