Rune Theill
Rune is a European empowering purpose-driven founder. He’s an Experienced Entrepreneur who loves to support other Entrepreneurs to succeed. Experience in building ecosystems, creating accelerator programs and mentor-based programs. Gets energy from the process of creating a new venture and achieving first validation.
Rune Theill is the Co-founder and CEO of Rockstart, a company he helped to establish in Amsterdam in 2012 with the aim of supporting startups during their critical first 1000 days (today long-term focus). Theill’s journey in the entrepreneurial ecosystem began earlier, starting his career at Venture Cup in 2010, where he contributed to building the largest business plan competition for students in the Nordics. He then joined Startupbootcamp in 2011, focusing on community development, marketing, and deal sourcing, before moving on to co-found Rockstart. Under his leadership, Rockstart has evolved into a significant player in the startup accelerator space, with a particular focus on AgriFood, Energy, and Emerging Technologies. Theill took on the CEO role in 2016 and has since been instrumental in steering Rockstart through various phases of growth and transition, including raising two new funds in Emerging Technologies. Theill and his team have managed to achieve notable successes, including the acquisitions of portfolio companies by major corporations.
Rockstart’s vision under Theill’s leadership extends to empowering founders to create a combined value of $100bn, a goal they see as pivotal to making a significant positive impact globally. The company has come a long way from its “rocky start,” achieving milestones such as launching dedicated domain funds and transitioning to a remote-first operation, all while keeping an eye on expanding its influence and support for startups aiming to address critical challenges across various industries.
Positions
- CEO & Co-Founder of Rockstart
- Jury member of Venture Cup – A student business plan competition covering five categories: Cleantech & Environment; Life Science & MedTech; Mobile & Web; People & Society; and Product & Technology.
- Involved in many technology companies and ventures