Built through experience,
Driven by results.
Empowering founders to maximize value and achieve successful exits. Everything in our work begins with that principle.
“This led to the creation of Van Driel Capital, a firm built by a founder, for founders.”
Van Driel Capital was founded by Wouter van Driel, who launched and scaled his first e-commerce brand at 22, entering the Australian market and growing it into the millions.
As the business scaled, he confronted the realities most founders face, cash flow pressure, supplier negotiations, inconsistent demand cycles, and the need to build structure without a playbook.
When he recognized the strategic advantage of exit planning, he began studying acquisitions, valuation, and deal mechanics. That led to the sale of his brand to a London-based investor.
After successfully selling his brand, our founder quickly became a sought-after authority in the e-commerce space, with founders eager to tap into his expertise for their own high-stakes exits. Recognized for his strategic execution, he disrupted the slow and traditional M&A space by guiding numerous entrepreneurs through the complexities of the exit process with precision.
Empowering founders to maximize value and achieve successful exits. Everything in our work begins with that principle.
An exit should never be rushed or reactive. It should be planned, prepared, and positioned, built with intention, so the founder steps into the next chapter with leverage, clarity, and choice. For some, that next chapter means time, stability, or stepping back. For others, it’s building again, investing, or shifting into a new role. The outcome is personal. The exit must be designed around it.
At Van Driel Capital, we bring institutional-level M&A execution to founder-led e-commerce. What clients tell us they value most is not only our process, but the way we work: senior-led, thorough, and deeply committed to the brands we represent. We care about the founders behind the business, and we leave no detail untouched, from preparation to negotiation to the final wire.
Exits don’t happen by chance.
They happen by design and that design is where our expertise makes the difference.
Headquartered in Amsterdam, Van Driel Capital operates with a senior-led team across Europe and North America, combining M&A execution expertise with firsthand e-commerce operating experience.
We partner with a select group of founder-led brands each year, providing dedicated attention throughout the entire process. Our team has built, scaled, and exited e-commerce businesses, we understand the operational realities, the emotional weight of exit decisions, and the specific challenges of digital commerce transactions.
In e-commerce, fewer than 60% of attempted exits successfully close. Our close rate consistently exceeds 80%, the result of rigorous preparation, strategic alignment, and disciplined execution from day one.
The Fundamentals
E-commerce driven
We work exclusively with e-commerce and consumer brands, bringing deep operational experience and M&A expertise across the full spectrum of digital commerce. Our sector focus allows us to understand every nuance of your business and market.
Global Presence
With a buyer network spanning the entire globe, we maintain a global, off-market network of private equity groups, strategic acquirers, family offices, and vetted operators. Your brand is introduced only to qualified, high-value buyers with proven acquisition track records.
By founders for founders
Our firsthand experience building and exiting shapes everything we do. We understand both the financial mechanics and the emotional weight of a life-changing exit, giving founders a partner who has been in their position.
Preparation Value
Brands that prepare command stronger multiples and better terms. Our preparation work is designed to transform your business into a buyer-ready asset long before negotiations begin, turning founder dependency into transferable value.
Process and structure
Our process is engineered for precision and results. Every engagement follows a structured preparation framework that strengthens financials, operations, and market positioning, designed to maximize valuation by eliminating buyer risk.
Success rate
In an industry where most e-commerce exits fail to close, our success rate consistently exceeds 80%. Our disciplined approach is designed to remove friction and risk before they appear, ensuring deals close on the terms we negotiate.
If you would like to connect with a member of our team, please enquire below.