Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Persuasive BV

Position: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Persuasive BV

Venture-building organisation: NLC Health Ventures
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Work arrangement: Hybrid, with regular travel to Utrecht
Engagement: Fractional executive appointment, approximately two days per week initially
Company stage: Pre-commercial medical diagnostics / In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD)

1. About the organisation – NLC Health Ventures

NLC Health Ventures is a European healthcare and life sciences venture-building and investment organisation headquartered in Amsterdam.

Its business model focuses on identifying promising scientific and medical innovations, developing them into commercially viable healthcare businesses, and supporting their growth through investment, management expertise and strategic partnerships.

NLC operates across Europe and North America, with approximately 40–45 employees, four investment funds and a portfolio of more than 70 healthcare ventures.

Its activities cover health technology, biotechnology, medical devices, diagnostics and other healthcare innovations.

The organisation works with scientists, healthcare professionals, investors, entrepreneurs and industry partners to move promising medical discoveries from research environments into practical healthcare applications.

1. About Persuasive BV

The specific business associated with this appointment is Persuasive BV, a Netherlands-based medical diagnostics venture established through NLC.

Persuasive was developed around technology licensed from Utrecht University Hospital. Its innovation focuses on isolating and measuring diagnostic particles directly from blood.

The technology addresses an important challenge in chest-pain diagnostics, where speed and accuracy are essential to clinical decision-making.

After approximately seven years of development, the business is entering its final development phase, with large-scale verification and validation planned over the next one to two years.

The company is also preparing to introduce its testing service in the Netherlands before pursuing wider European commercial opportunities.

This creates an opportunity for an incoming CEO to take an important role in moving a scientifically developed healthcare innovation towards commercialisation.

1. Scope of the CEO position

The incoming CEO will lead the commercial and business-development side of Persuasive BV, working alongside the existing founding CEO, who is transitioning into a dedicated Chief Technology Officer position.

The CTO will retain responsibility for technology, intellectual property and regulatory matters, allowing the incoming CEO to concentrate on commercial strategy, fundraising, partnerships and market development.

The principal responsibilities include:

A. Corporate strategy and business development

Establish the company's commercial direction and long-term growth strategy.

Evaluate available business models and select the most commercially viable approach.

Develop a 12–24-month business execution and commercialisation plan.

Define pricing, market positioning and revenue-generation strategies.

Align shareholders and stakeholders around the company's strategic priorities.

B. Fundraising and investor relations

Lead the next anticipated €1–2 million funding round.

Develop relationships with angel investors, corporate venture capital firms and strategic funding partners.

Prepare the company's investment proposition and financial growth narrative.

Lead investor presentations, negotiations and fundraising discussions.

Build relationships that support future funding and international expansion.

C. Commercialisation and international expansion

Develop a go-to-market strategy for the European market.

Prepare the business for its first commercial testing-service launch in the Netherlands.

Assess potential expansion into the United States.

Develop strategic relationships with hospitals, healthcare providers and clinical stakeholders.

Identify commercial adoption barriers and establish practical solutions.

D. Executive leadership and organisational development

Lead and refocus the existing team around measurable commercial priorities.

Establish clear accountability, ownership and execution standards.

Work closely with the CTO to coordinate business and technology priorities.

Strengthen the company's organisational structure and commercial proposition.

Represent the business in strategic discussions with investors, partners and healthcare stakeholders.

1. Leadership expectations

This is a hands-on CEO appointment rather than a conventional corporate management position.

The organisation is looking for an entrepreneurial executive who can combine strategic thinking with practical execution.

The successful individual will be expected to:

Take ownership of the company's commercial direction.

Demonstrate strong fundraising and investor-engagement capabilities.

Lead business development in a developing medical technology market.

Build credibility with healthcare professionals and strategic partners.

Make commercial decisions in an early-stage business environment.

Work effectively with a technically focused founding executive.

Translate an established scientific innovation into a sustainable commercial business.

1. Location and working arrangement

The position is based in Utrecht, Netherlands, with a hybrid working arrangement.

The initial engagement is approximately two days per week, making it potentially suitable for an executive who already operates through fractional or interim leadership arrangements.

Regular travel to Utrecht is expected, alongside travel for investor roadshows, industry events and strategic partner meetings across Europe.

As the company's commercial strategy develops, there will also be engagement with potential US market opportunities.

1. Compensation and executive participation

The advertised compensation structure is designed around the early-stage nature of the business.

The package includes:

A modest initial cash compensation component, reflecting the company's current funding position.

Equity participation, with the structure and mechanism to be confirmed.

Performance-linked milestones.

The potential for a material increase in cash compensation following the completion of the next financing round.

The company has not published a confirmed fixed annual salary range or final equity percentage. These details would need to be clarified directly with the organisation before any formal commitment.

1. Overall strategic priorities

The incoming CEO will be joining at an important transition point in the company's development.

The immediate priorities are:

Complete the transition from technology development towards commercial readiness.

Establish the most appropriate business and revenue model.

Secure the next €1–2 million funding round.

Prepare for large-scale verification and validation.

Develop the initial Dutch market launch strategy.

Establish European commercial partnerships and prepare for potential US expansion.

Build the commercial leadership structure required for sustainable growth.