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🇳🇱 Netherlands Enterprise Software The Product Alchemist 💰 $190 Million 🎓 Erasmus University Rotterdam 📍 Rotterdam & Boston

Derek Roos

Co-Founder & Former CEO of Mendix, Pioneer of Enterprise Low-Code Application Development

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Executive Intelligence Brief VERIFIED DOSSIER

Full Name	Derek Roos
Estimated Net Worth	$190 Million
Primary Venture	Mendix
Industry / Sector	Enterprise Software
Alma Mater / Education	Erasmus University Rotterdam
Headquarters / Base	Rotterdam & Boston, Netherlands
Operating Archetype	The Product Alchemist

“The future of software is not writing more lines of code; it is enabling everyone to build software visually.”

— Derek Roos

PSYCHOLOGICAL ARCHETYPE • The Product Alchemist

OPERATING DNA

Creators of abstraction layers that democratize enterprise software creation.

FOUNDER CHRONICLE

The Founder Journey

Derek Roos studied business and economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Observing that corporate IT departments faced massive multi-year backlogs while business managers were unable to build even basic digital tools, Roos joined forces with Derckjan Kruit and Roald Kruit in 2005 to invent a solution.

They launched Mendix, creating a drag-and-drop visual application development platform that enabled non-programmers to model workflows, databases, and user interfaces while automatically generating robust enterprise-grade code. Roos moved to Boston to drive US market expansion, establishing Mendix alongside OutSystems as the twin titans of enterprise low-code.

In August 2018, Siemens acquired Mendix for €620 million ($730M in cash), maintaining Roos as CEO to drive Siemens' global industrial cloud and IoT ecosystem. Roos subsequently transitioned into investing and advising next-generation enterprise AI software companies.

VENTURE PORTFOLIO

Companies & Brands Founded

Mendix

Co-Founder & CEO

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Mendix is the leading enterprise low-code platform, allowing teams to develop, test, and deploy applications at speed across multi-cloud environments.

Founded: 2005

Stage: Acquired (by Siemens)

Headquarters: Rotterdam, Netherlands & Boston, MA

VERIFIED FACTS

Frequently Asked Questions about Derek Roos

Who is Derek Roos and what companies did they build?

Derek Roos is a Netherlands entrepreneur and Co-Founder & Former CEO of Mendix, Pioneer of Enterprise Low-Code Application Development based in Rotterdam & Boston, Netherlands. They are widely celebrated as the primary builder behind Mendix.

What is Derek Roos's net worth?

Derek Roos's net worth is estimated at $190 Million, primarily anchored by their equity ownership in Mendix and their angel portfolio investments.

What is Derek Roos's leadership philosophy and operating archetype?

Derek Roos embodies the The Product Alchemist archetype on Limitless Founders, characterized by high-conviction decision-making, operational discipline, and relentless execution across pivotal markets.

What is Derek Roos's core advice for ambitious founders?

Derek Roos advocates for first-principles rigor, summarized by their defining thesis: "The future of software is not writing more lines of code; it is enabling everyone to build software visually."

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