Floris van der Meer

Founder of Blauw - former BD in the world of VC and startups

New York, New York, United States

About

I’m an entrepreneurial business-builder with a background in venture capital, corporate innovation, and startup growth. After graduating from Hult International Business School, I worked in San Francisco helping global corporations scout and collaborate with early-stage startups. I later led U.S. business development for an international law firm, supporting tech founders with market entry and fundraising. Today, I’m based in New York and the founder of Blauw, a sustainable brand recycling ocean plastic and planting seaweed.

Experience

  • Founder at Blauw
    Aug 2024 - Present · 2 yrs

    Swimwear brand made from ocean plastic, with ocean-first values. - Built brand from 0 to 1, including design, supply chain, and go-to-market - Developed a new fabric that dries 3x faster than regular swim shorts: OceanKnit™ - Developed ocean impact model through multiple partnerships: 1 short = seaweed planted

  • Venture Resident at Impacta VC
    Apr 2025 - Jul 2025 · 4 mos

    Early-stage impact venture capital fund. Impacta VC backs early-stage startups that generate measurable social and environmental impact, investing in solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to drive scalable, purpose-driven innovation across the region.

  • Head of Business Development US at Taylor Wessing
    May 2023 - Aug 2024 · 1 yr 4 mos

    Taylor Wessing is a leading European tech law firm. Within the US, the firm assists North-American high growth companies with their international expansion and European legal needs. Lead the US business development and marketing efforts through strategy and execution.

  • Corporate Partnerships Manager at Plug and Play Tech Center
    Apr 2022 - May 2023 · 1 yr 2 mos

    Plug and Play Tech Center is a global innovation platform, and the most active VC firms in the world. Advised Fortune 500 clients on build, buy, or partner strategies – leading to strategic investments for corporate partners in various industries.

  • CVC & Partnerships at Deutsche Telekom
    Aug 2020 - Apr 2022 · 1 yr 9 mos

    Part of Deutsche Telekom’s global innovation department, tasked with scouting, qualifying and partnering with startups. Sourced startups in the US, covering topics such as including B2B SaaS and sustainability, and presented detailed memos to senior executives to guide data-driven decision-making.