Amsterdam-based Techleap.nl, a non-profit publicly funded organisation aimed at accelerating the tech ecosystem in the Netherlands, announced the winner of the ‘Leading Entrepreneur in Tech’ (LET) Award 2023.
Matthijs Welle, the Dutch CEO and founder of innovative tech scale-up Mews, wins the LET Award 2023.
Techleap.nl, the organisation behind the award, introduced it as the successor to the esteemed LOEY Award to foster tech entrepreneurship in the Netherlands, last month.
The award was presented during the BOLD event at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on May 9, where hundreds of Dutch tech entrepreneurs gathered.
The jury panel comprised Corinne Vigreux (entrepreneur and co-founder of TomTom), Valentijn Bras (entrepreneur and investor), and Job van der Voort (CEO of Remote and winner of the LOEY Award in 2022).
Corinne Vigreux, co-founder of TomTom says, “Now more than ever, scale-ups are proving that they not only have economic success but also unleash enormous added value to society with smart solutions to major challenges. Welle symbolizes the strong promise of tech entrepreneurship in the Netherlands.”
“Precisely because of his commitment to ecosystem growth, his vision for innovation, and his ability to inspire others, Welle is without a doubt the winner of the LET Award 2023,” adds Vigreux.
LET Award 2023 winner: Matthijs Welle
In 2013, Matthijs Welle, along with Richard Valtr, established Mews with a vision to revolutionise the hotel industry through cloud solutions.
Mews’ services are employed by over 3,500 hotels across 65 countries, proving their global reach. The company has experienced remarkable growth, currently boasting more than 750 employees.
In 2022, Mews successfully secured €185M in investment.
“It’s an honor to be nominated for the Leading Entrepreneur in Tech of Techleap.nl,” says Matthijs Welle, CEO of Mews.
“Mews is a scale-up with the Dutch market at the heart of its global activities. I am happy to be recognized for this. I hope that building a company like Mews inspires many entrepreneurs to create something new and innovative. This has a positive impact,” adds Welle.
LET Award: From online to tech entrepreneurship
The LET Award from Techleap.nl continues the LOEY Award tradition. Previous LOEY Award winners include Thomas Plantenga (Vinted), Joris Beckers (PicNic), Adriaan Mol (Mollie), and Steven Schuurman (Elastic).
With the introduction of the LET Award, the focus has shifted from online entrepreneurship to tech entrepreneurship.
The award seeks to recognise ambitious entrepreneurs leading rapidly expanding and innovative scale-ups, with technology serving as the core element of their companies.
The recipient of the LET Award is not only recognised for their accomplishments but also stands as a role model. This inspires others within the entrepreneurial ecosystem to strive for greatness.
