The secret
of successful
start-ups unraveled

Take the test

Why does one start-up grow into a billion-dollar company while another one fails?

This book describes the success factors that determine whether there is music in a start-up. Using the four dimensions of Purpose, Profit, People and Product, the scorecard allows you to calculate whether a company excels in terms of growth, profitability and social impact.

Start-ups have one thing in common: they usually fail.

The start-up scorecard is an indispensable standard work for entrepreneurs and investors alike.

Entrepreneurs can use the scorecard to increase their success and attractiveness to investors.

Investors can use the scorecard to select companies with the most potential.

With the start-up scorecard, you get:

  • understanding the success factors
  • understanding the failure factors
  • tools to increase success
  • maximum return on start-up investments
Order the book

Available at

Available at

33 percent fail, 33 percent yield moderately and 33 percent will be truly successful

Herman Kienhuis

We think it's cool to reinvent our company and ourselves over and over again

Jeroen DoorenbosFounder Belsimpel

It is a certainty that things will turn out differently than expected. That is the only constant.

Heleen Dura van Oordentrepreneur and investor

Growth takes the full dedication of the founders. You just can't set up a business part time.

Johan van Milco-founder Peak

Make sure you are doing something close to your heart. Because that gives the strongest incentive to build a beautiful business.

Machtelt GroothuisFounder Rubio Impact Ventures

You have to be bizarrely curious, then a good idea will come naturally.

Marco AarninkFounder Print.com

What matters is not how many times you fall, but how you get back up.

Remco HofstedeFounder HotelSpecials & BungalowSpecials

Every company should ask itself the question: who is going to overthrow my current business model?

Arnoud HaverlagCo-founder BYBORRE

The first three success factors are simple: team, team and team.

Oscar Kneppersfounder of Emerce, Bright and Rockstart

Make sure you are doing something close to your heart. Because that gives the strongest incentive to build a beautiful business.

Machtelt Groothuisfounder Rubio Impact Ventures

It's all about execution power. Having a good idea is not enough.

Arthur Kostenentrepreneur & investor

From your wife you can divorce, from your investor you cannot.

Arthur Kostenentrepreneur & investor
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About the author

Geert-Jan Smits has founded several companies himself. As an investor and consultant, he then gained much knowledge and experience on the other side of the table. Smits has a large network in the start-up and investor world and is an experienced speaker.

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Read interviews with entrepreneurs and investors

New: Douwe Jippes

Managing Partner Healthy.Capital

Heleen Dura van Oord

Entrepreneur and investor

Marco Aarnink

Founder Print.com

Josefien Groot

Co-founder Qlayers

New: Douwe Jippes

Managing Partner Healthy.Capital

Heleen Dura van Oord

Entrepreneur and investor

Marco Aarnink

Founder Print.com

Josefien Groot

Co-founder Qlayers
All interviews

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Selection Criteria

  • Start-up in digital, software or consumer product
  • Impact on people, environment or society
  • Start-up already has (some) sales and customers
  • Rete ambitious and complementary team
  • Headquarters in the Netherlands
  • Ticket size: €50,000 -€200,000