Kathryn de Ridder
Kathryn de Ridder
Bridgewest Ventures Senior Portfolio Investment Manager
Kate de Ridder is Bridgewest Ventures’ Portfolio Investment Manager responsible for pipeline review and investment proposals, shared operational management of incubated ventures and building on the incubator’s brand and capabilities.
Kate holds an Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree of Science in Aerospace Vehicle Design. Prior to entering the world of Venture Capital four years ago, she spent 17 years serving as an Officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, where she had a wide-ranging career holding various leadership roles. Her service included leading large teams of highly-skilled aircraft engineers in various global locations, as well as time as the product owner of the NZDF’s airborne mission system for surveillance and reconnaissance, responsible for modifying the platform for each theatre and to the changing needs of multiple global stakeholders.
Known for her resilience under pressure, Kate prides herself on supporting high-functioning founders and building effective teams. Her key passion is to take science out of the labs and into global markets to create a profoundly positive social, environmental, or economic impact.
Kate holds an Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree of Science in Aerospace Vehicle Design. Prior to entering the world of Venture Capital four years ago, she spent 17 years serving as an Officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, where she had a wide-ranging career holding various leadership roles. Her service included leading large teams of highly-skilled aircraft engineers in various global locations, as well as time as the product owner of the NZDF’s airborne mission system for surveillance and reconnaissance, responsible for modifying the platform for each theatre and to the changing needs of multiple global stakeholders.
Known for her resilience under pressure, Kate prides herself on supporting high-functioning founders and building effective teams. Her key passion is to take science out of the labs and into global markets to create a profoundly positive social, environmental, or economic impact.
Related Sessions
New Zealand Venture Capital: Funding the Next Generation of Innovators
THU, OCT 19, 10:30 AM
Conference
The New Zealand innovation ecosystem has benefited from over a decade of growth. In the last 10 years we have seen the Venture Capital scene go from inception to a vibrant market with almost 30 different funds investing in the companies of tomorrow.
But after the SaaS successes of the likes of TradeMe, Xero, Vend, and Timely, investors and entrepreneurs are chasing the next unicorn company that is using science and engineering to change the world. Taking deeptech companies from lab to market, is not an easy task, and it requires large amounts of patient capital.
In this session you will hear the biggest learnings, challenges, and anecdotes from the investors backing the deeptech companies taking New Zealand to the forefront of innovation. You will hear about what investors look for when backing ambitious founders, what to think of when translating your research into a commercial endeavour, and tips and tricks from failed experiences.
