# Barend Van den Brande
Barend Van den Brande is a Belgian venture capital investor and founding partner of Hummingbird Ventures, best known as an early backer of the cryptocurrency exchange [Kraken](https://www.edgepedia.org/kraken-cryptocurrency-exchange) and as a 2025 Forbes Midas List Europe investor ranked 13.[1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/) • [2](https://www.forbes.com/lists/midas-europe/?year=2025) He has spent more than two decades in venture capital, first through the Belgian fund Big Bang Ventures and since 2010 through [Hummingbird](https://www.edgepedia.org/hummingbird), with early positions in Kraken, Peak Games, and [Deliveroo](https://www.edgepedia.org/deliveroo).[3](https://www.hummingbird.vc/team) • [4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role | Founding partner (general partner) at Hummingbird Ventures[1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/) |
| Prior fund | Big Bang Ventures, launched 2000, €10 million[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) |
| Education | M.S. in Economics, University of Louvain, Belgium[3](https://www.hummingbird.vc/team) |
| Best investment | Kraken: $6 million invested, ~112x gross multiple[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) |
| Other notable deals | Peak Games (54.4x), Gram Games (49.5x), Deliveroo, BillionToOne, Lovable, Etched[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) • [5](https://www.21news.be/nl/belgische-topinvesteerder-haalt-uit-naar-europa-we-hebben-een-cultuur-van-anti-ambitie/) |
| Funds raised | ~€540 million across seven vintages[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) |
| Recognition | Forbes Midas List Europe 2025, rank 13[2](https://www.forbes.com/lists/midas-europe/?year=2025) |
## Early life and education
Van den Brande is the son of Luc Van den Brande, a Belgian politician who served as minister-president of Belgium's Flemish region, and divides his time between Bruges and London.[1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/) He studied at the University of Louvain, where he received a [Master of Science](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-of-science) degree in [Economics](https://www.edgepedia.org/economics) while, by his own account in interviews, spending much of his study time on philosophy.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird)
His first job was in the United States: he worked as a [financial analyst](https://www.edgepedia.org/financial-analyst) at investment bank SG Cowen's Boston office, covering internet and data-networking companies.[1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/) • [3](https://www.hummingbird.vc/team) He then returned to Belgium to raise his first startup fund.[1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/)
## Career: Big Bang Ventures to Hummingbird
In 2000 Van den Brande launched Big Bang Ventures, a €10 million fund focused on the Belgian startup ecosystem, cofounded with Frank Maene. By 2009 the fund had invested €41 million and returned roughly a 9% net internal rate of return.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird)
In 2010 he founded Hummingbird Ventures with €19 million under management.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) Forbes describes him as having cofounded the London-based fund in 2012,[1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/) while the firm's own team page, a Showpad biography, and The Generalist all date the founding to 2010.
## Hummingbird Ventures: funds and strategy
Across seven fund vintages Hummingbird has raised roughly €540 million, including a recent oversubscribed €200 million fundraise split between its early-stage practice and an Opportunity Fund.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) A notable fundraising episode followed the Peak Games exit: Van den Brande raised €175 million in less than two weeks for two new vehicles, Hummingbird Ventures IV and the Hummingbird Opportunity Fund II.[7](https://invest.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/en/news/hummingbird-flanders-raises-eu175-million-record-time)
The firm's check sizes span the company lifecycle: the seed fund invests €400,000 to €2.5 million per case, while the Opportunity Fund can add up to €20 million per company.[7](https://invest.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/en/news/hummingbird-flanders-raises-eu175-million-record-time) Geographically the portfolio has stretched well beyond Belgium. Through its third fund the firm made four Indian investments, in the video platform InVideo, the fintech startup [FPL Technologies](https://www.edgepedia.org/fpl-technologies) (both alongside Sequoia and Sofina), the digital bank Jupiter, and the startup [Khatabook](https://www.edgepedia.org/khatabook).[7](https://invest.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/en/news/hummingbird-flanders-raises-eu175-million-record-time) Its best-known position, Kraken, sits in cryptocurrency, and its post-2023 bets sit in artificial intelligence.[5](https://www.21news.be/nl/belgische-topinvesteerder-haalt-uit-naar-europa-we-hebben-een-cultuur-van-anti-ambitie/)
## Notable investments and exits
**Kraken.** Hummingbird invested $6 million in the San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange Kraken in 2013. From that investment the firm amassed a peak stake of 16.2%. It sold more than half its shares in 2021 at a weighted valuation north of $5 billion, and Kraken remains Hummingbird's best investment on a gross multiple basis, returning approximately 112x. Kraken later reached a $20 billion valuation in a November fundraise.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) • [1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/)
**Peak Games and Gram Games.** In November 2010 Hummingbird invested $500,000 into the Turkish gaming company Peak Games at a $2 million pre-money valuation, for a 20% stake. When Zynga acquired [Peak](https://www.edgepedia.org/peak-game-studio) for $1.8 billion in 2020, Hummingbird's $5 million total investment returned $276 million, a gross multiple of 54.4x; Peak alone returned the first fund 9.1x. Zynga also acquired Gram Games in 2018 at a $394 million valuation, with Hummingbird holding nearly 30% acquired for $2 million, a 49.5x gross multiple.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird)
**Other positions.** The firm's team page lists his current involvement with Kraken and prior work with Deliveroo before its IPO, and with Showpad and Frontier Car Group before their acquisitions.[3](https://www.hummingbird.vc/team) Earlier in his career he sat on the boards of Shutl (acquired by eBay), Clear2Pay (acquired by FIS), Data Center Technologies (acquired by Symantec) and Dedigate (acquired by Terremark).[6](https://www.showpad.com/people/barend-van-den-brande) Belgian business outlet 21 News adds early positions in the US medtech company [BillionToOne](https://www.edgepedia.org/billiontoone).[5](https://www.21news.be/nl/belgische-topinvesteerder-haalt-uit-naar-europa-we-hebben-een-cultuur-van-anti-ambitie/)
## By the numbers
- Kraken: $6 million invested; peak stake 16.2%; ~112x gross multiple; ~half the stake sold in 2021 at a valuation above $5 billion; Kraken later valued at $20 billion.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) • [1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/)
- Peak Games: $5 million returned $276 million (54.4x gross); first-fund contribution 9.1x.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird)
- Gram Games: ~30% stake acquired for $2 million; exit at $394 million (49.5x gross).[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird)
- Fund performance: per documentation The Generalist reviewed, Hummingbird's first three funds delivered net TVPI (total value per paid-in dollar, a fund return measure) greater than 10x and DPI above 7.5x on three fund vintages.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) 21 News similarly reports the first funds returned investors more than ten times their money.[5](https://www.21news.be/nl/belgische-topinvesteerder-haalt-uit-naar-europa-we-hebben-een-cultuur-van-anti-ambitie/)
- Capital raised: ~€540 million across seven vintages, including a €175 million double fundraise in under two weeks and a recent €200 million fundraise.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird) • [7](https://invest.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/en/news/hummingbird-flanders-raises-eu175-million-record-time)
These return figures come from the firm's own documentation as reviewed by The Generalist and from press reports, not from audited public filings; they should be read as self-reported.[4](https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird)
## Recent developments
Forbes placed Van den Brande 13th on its 2025 Midas List Europe, its ranking of the continent's top venture investors.[2](https://www.forbes.com/lists/midas-europe/?year=2025) The Kraken position continued to appreciate after 2023, with the exchange reaching a $20 billion valuation in a November fundraise.[1](https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/) Per 21 News, Hummingbird's post-2023 investments in the Swedish AI startup Lovable and the US chip producer Etched delivered large profits, extending the firm's record from crypto into AI-era bets.[5](https://www.21news.be/nl/belgische-topinvesteerder-haalt-uit-naar-europa-we-hebben-een-cultuur-van-anti-ambitie/)
## References
1. Barend Van den Brande — Forbes profile. https://www.forbes.com/profile/barend-van-den-brande/
2. Forbes Midas List Europe 2025. https://www.forbes.com/lists/midas-europe/?year=2025
3. Hummingbird VC — Team. https://www.hummingbird.vc/team
4. The Best Venture Firm You've Never Heard Of — The Generalist. https://www.generalist.com/p/hummingbird
5. Belgische topinvesteerder haalt uit naar Europa — 21 News. https://www.21news.be/nl/belgische-topinvesteerder-haalt-uit-naar-europa-we-hebben-een-cultuur-van-anti-ambitie/
6. Barend Van den Brande — Showpad. https://www.showpad.com/people/barend-van-den-brande
7. Hummingbird (Flanders) raises €175 million in record time — Flanders Investment & Trade. https://invest.flandersinvestmentandtrade.com/en/news/hummingbird-flanders-raises-eu175-million-record-time
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Economics and business › Founders, operators, and investors › Venture and growth investors › European venture › Continental European investors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license