Amsterdam · Entrepreneur · Father

Mathys
van Abbe.

Builder of companies, father of four,
watcher of things.

Serial entrepreneur since 1999. I've built 30+ companies — from Mobypicture (mobile photo-sharing before Instagram) to Kinder (tech-for-good, honest failure) to Playbook (how teams do creative work). I live on a houseboat in Amsterdam.

See my work Read the blog
Mathys van Abbe
Right now
BuildingPlaybook — creative tools for teams
StealthPeter's Pan — kids & the internet
LivingHouseboat · Amsterdam · four kids
MentoringStartupbootcamp & Rockstart
Full /now page
30+
Companies founded
25yr
Building online
4
Kids on a houseboat
∞
Things still to figure out
A cracked artwork of a woman's face is displayed on a wall
A cracked artwork of a woman's face is displayed on a wall
This close-up photo captures a tree's bare branches completely enveloped in a dense, silken web, likely spun by Ermine moth caterpillars, against a clear blue sky
This close-up photo captures a tree's bare branches completely enveloped in a dense, silken web, likely spun by Ermine moth caterpillars, against a clear blue sky
A cluster of caterpillars hang from a twig in a forest
A cluster of caterpillars hang from a twig in a forest
A fascinating cluster of yellow and black spotted caterpillars hangs from a silk thread, with more individual caterpillars visible above and below the main group
A fascinating cluster of yellow and black spotted caterpillars hangs from a silk thread, with more individual caterpillars visible above and below the main group
This striking photo captures a deciduous tree at Dijksgracht, Marineterrein, Amsterdam, completely enveloped in a dense, ethereal web spun by numerous caterpillars
This striking photo captures a deciduous tree at Dijksgracht, Marineterrein, Amsterdam, completely enveloped in a dense, ethereal web spun by numerous caterpillars
All photos →
Recent writing

What I've been
writing lately

All writing →
More writings →