About

About Sebastiaan van der Lans

About Sebastiaan van der Lans

I'm an independent AI strategist and venture builder based in Amsterdam.

For nearly two decades I've been building, scaling, and advising digital companies — from founding agencies to launching new technology ventures. Across my ventures and collaborations, I've helped build companies generating more than €10 million in revenue, secured €2+ million in innovation grants, and won a €1 million European innovation prize with a blockchain startup.

Today I serve as Head of Technology at Pride Amsterdam, where I lead the digital strategy behind WorldPride 2026, one of the world's largest cultural events welcoming millions of visitors.

Being part of Pride Amsterdam is something I'm incredibly proud of. It's also an amazing playground for innovation — a place where there's real freedom to experiment with AI, automation, and new digital systems that reduce costs and create new value for a global community.

But titles and milestones aren't what drive me.

What drives me is joy.

The joy of creation.
The moment where an idea becomes a system.
Where a system becomes a product.
And eventually a company.

Building things that didn't exist before — that's the magic.

Strategy Meets Building

My work sits at the intersection of strategy and execution.

I work with founders and leadership teams to design companies, platforms, and digital strategies that create long-term value. But I also build the systems that make those strategies real.

I work hands-on with:

  • AI systems and AI agents
  • Python and automation
  • data pipelines and research systems
  • web platforms and digital infrastructure
  • open source ecosystems

I'm as comfortable discussing acquisition strategy as I am building the first working prototype.

Why AI Agents (and Why Open Source)

The next shift in technology isn't just AI models.

It's AI agents.

AI agents can research markets, analyze competitors, automate operations, support decision-making, and run complex workflows. When used well, they allow companies to operate leaner, move faster, and scale without the operational overhead traditional companies require.

But equally important is how those agents are built.

I strongly believe in open source AI.

Not only because it's powerful — but because it gives companies freedom and ownership.

With open systems:

  • there are no vendor lock-ins
  • you control your technology and data
  • your automation and workflows become your intellectual property
  • the logic, the systems, and the value stay inside your company

You move from renting software to owning your capabilities.

That freedom is powerful.

Freedom and ownership create venture value.

Building IP Inside the Venture

Through my venture studio INSIDE, I partner with entrepreneurs to build AI-native companies.

The idea behind INSIDE is simple:

The most valuable companies build their intellectual property inside the venture.

Not outsourced.
Not dependent on external platforms.
Not trapped inside SaaS tools.

Instead, the systems that run the company — automation, AI agents, data workflows, and digital infrastructure — become part of the venture's core IP.

That's where long-term value is created.

Ventures and Innovation

Throughout my career I've launched and supported ventures exploring new technology models.

After selling my digital agency, I founded WordProof — a startup focused on blockchain, digital trust, and open web infrastructure. The project received the European Commission's Blockchains for Social Good Award.

Across projects and collaborations I've helped organizations build platforms serving 100+ million pageviews annually, reduce operational costs through AI automation, and develop digital strategies that contributed to significant increases in company valuation.

What I Build

Through INSIDE I partner with entrepreneurs to launch ventures that are:

  • highly automated
  • operationally lean
  • powered by AI agents
  • built around proprietary systems and IP
  • designed for long-term value creation
  • structured for acquisition

Many of these partnerships are joint ventures with experienced entrepreneurs, often founders who have already built and sold companies.

Together we combine experience, technology, and new operational models to build the next generation of companies.

What Drives Me

At the core of everything I do is joy.

Joy in building.
Joy in experimentation.
Joy in turning complex ideas into elegant systems.

Because in the end, technology is just a tool.

The real magic is creating something new.