FSR x henQ | International Venture Capital Tour 2026

Note: this event will be held in English

Most recruitment events for students involve the same kind of made-up cases to present to a fake customer or pretend investment committee.

The International Venture Capital Tour is different:

Ten students will spend a day in Rotterdam with all three henQ partners and the founding CEO of Freeday.ai. You will work together to assess the company and founder, much like you would if you were already part of the henQ investment team.

Six students continue to round two: a fully paid two-day trip to Paris, where you will again work with all three henQ partners and, this time, the founding CPO of Malou.io. We take the perspective of a board member, to try and help Malou solve an urgent challenge they are currently facing.

As such, you will get a glimpse of what it’s really like to work in venture capital, and whether henQ is the fund for you.

Win a year of free tuition

Do you have an average grade of 8.25 or higher? Then applying also enters you into the henQ Scholarship draw.

Among all eligible applicants, a winner will be selected at random. henQ will cover their tuition fee for the 2026–2027 academic year.

You don't need an 8.25 average to apply for the International Venture Capital Tour.

Most Likely to Become VC Partner

After two rounds together, the henQ team will pick the participant they think is most likely to become a VC partner one day.

Last year’s winner ended up signing a full-time contract with henQ. She joins after graduating in 2027. (This was not part of the prize)

Round 1: Freeday.ai, Rotterdam

• Date: November 24

• Location: Freeday.ai HQ, Rotterdam

You will spend the day with Freeday’s founding CEO and the henQ partners.

Freeday builds AI agents that automate repetitive work in customer service, finance and HR. Its agents already handle more than 1 million interactions per month for companies like TUI, citizenM and Bitvavo.

Your job for the day is to assess Freeday as an investment: understand the company, form an opinion on the founding team and decide what you would want to know before investing.

There is no fictional case and no pretend investment committee. You will be discussing a real company with the people actually building and investing in it.

Round 2: Malou.io, Paris

• Date: January 13–14

• Location: Malou, Paris

• Travel and accommodation: fully paid by henQ

Six students from Round 1 continue to Paris for two days with Malou’s founding CPO and, again, the henQ partners.

Malou automates marketing for more than 3,500 restaurants, with customers from Paris to New York.

This time, instead of deciding whether to invest, you work as if you are already on their board: Malou will give you an urgent problem the company is actually dealing with, and you will try to help solve it together.

henQ pays for the trip from Rotterdam, accommodation and the full program.

About henQ

henQ invests in B2B technology startups across Europe. They typically invest €1M–€10M per company, and make only a small number of new investments each year.

VC websites are full of fancy one-liners, but a large part of the job is fairly simple: find exceptional founders with fast-growing revenue, in markets most other funds somehow don’t like. Then help as much as you can after investing, without getting in the way of a great founding team.

Event Details:

• Round 1: November 24, Rotterdam

• Round 2: January 13–14, Paris

• Participants: 10 students in Round 1; 6 continue to Round 2

• Who can apply: third-year Bachelor's students and Master's students

• Selection: based on your CV

• Application deadline: November 16, 23;59, 2026

Interested? Apply for the FSR × henQ International Venture Capital Tour.

FAQ – International Venture Capital Tour

1. How does a Venture Capital (VC) fund work?

A VC fund invests in promising early-stage or growing companies in exchange for equity. The fund is managed by professional investors (partners) who raise capital from limited partners (LPs), such as institutions or high-net-worth individuals, and aim to generate returns through successful exits.

2. What exactly does the International Venture Capital Tour involve?

The Tour allows a select group of students to experience how VC funds operate. You’ll visit real startups, work on practical cases, and interact directly with founders and investors to learn how investment decisions are made.

3. What do VCs typically invest in?

VCs invest in startups with high growth potential, innovative products, or disruptive business models. These companies are usually in technology, software, or other rapidly developing sectors.

4. Who do Venture Capitalists work with?

VCs collaborate closely with startup founders and other investors. They provide not only funding but also strategic support, mentorship, and access to their professional networks.

5. How many portfolio companies does a typical VC have?

The number varies strongly, but most VC funds manage between 10 and 30 portfolio companies, depending on the fund size and investment strategy.

6. What is the goal of a VC, and how does it make money?

A VC aims to grow its portfolio companies so they can be sold or go public at a higher valuation. The fund makes money through equity returns — typically when a company is acquired or listed on the stock market.

7. How large is a typical VC fund?

Fund sizes can vary widely — from small early-stage funds of a few million euros to large funds exceeding €500 million. The size often reflects the fund’s investment stage and focus.

8. Does a startup need to be profitable to attract VC funding?

Not necessarily. Many startups attract VC funding before becoming profitable, as long as they show strong growth potential, a scalable business model, and, most importantly, an impressive team.

9. Who will we meet during the Tour?

You’ll meet successful VC partners, startup founders, and portfolio company teams. They’ll share insights about their work, their challenges, and what it takes to succeed in the VC and start-up world.

10. What kind of companies does henQ invest in?

henQ invests in European B2B software startups led by bold, unconventional founders. They seek founders building something real, not trendy.

11. How is henQ different from other VCs?

HenQ focuses on depth over breadth — only two / three investments per year. This allows them to commit fully to each founder’s journey.

12. What does “Funding for the odd ones out” mean?

henQ backs founders who don’t fit the mold. They believe the best companies are built by those who dare to be different AND better.

13. How big is a typical investment?

henQ invests €1–10M as an initial investment per company, with capacity for follow-ons. They commit to supporting founders beyond the first round.

14. What are henQ’s expectations of founders?

They value transparency, authenticity, and conviction. henQ wants to work with founders who truly believe in their product and purpose.

15. Does henQ hire students / recent graduates?

HenQ actively hires students and recent graduates. Last year's winner of the International Venture Capital Tour recently signed her full-time offer to start at henQ. Both of the partners at henQ started as working student / recent graduate at henQ themselves and got the opportunity to grow and build henQ into what it is today.