From Legaltech to Fries: Gilles Mattelin's VC Playbook

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-06-03

Gilles Mattelin isn't your typical venture capitalist. After selling Intuo to Unit4 and Henchman to LexisNexis, most people would have retired to a beach somewhere. Not him. He launched 100IN, an AI-first venture capital fund that's shaking up the old-school VC model. ### The 100IN Difference 100IN isn't about writing a few big checks and waiting years for returns. Mattelin's fund targets 100 pre-seed tech startups. He wants to invest in many young companies, make decisions fast, and actually support founders. No more waiting months for a yes or no. No more sitting on boards that do nothing. "Speed matters more than perfection," Mattelin says in the podcast. And he lives by that. His fund uses AI to source and screen deals, cutting through the noise to find real potential.  ### From Legaltech to Consumer Brands Here's where it gets interesting. Mattelin doesn't just stay in one lane. He's building consumer brands with Average Rob, like Tout Bien Pils and La Patate. He moves from legaltech to fries, from SaaS to beer. But there's a clear thread: strong branding, community building, and fast execution. - **Strong branding**: Every product has a story that sticks. - **Community building**: He creates tribes, not just customers. - **Fast execution**: Ideas go from concept to market in weeks, not months. ### The Real Story Behind an Exit In this episode, Mattelin opens up about what really happens after you sell a company. It's not all champagne and high-fives. He talks about: - When to sell and when to hold. - The emotional weight of letting go of something you built. - How exit capital gets reinvested into new founders. He also shares stories of working directly with Marc Coucke, a Belgian billionaire, and how the Ghent tech ecosystem fuels innovation. ### AI in Venture Capital Mattelin is all in on AI. He believes it can automate sourcing and screening to a degree that changes the game. But he's careful: AI is a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. The fund uses algorithms to find patterns, but founders still get real conversations and real support. ### Keep the Fun in Business Throughout the episode, one belief keeps coming back: "Ondernemen moet fun blijven" (business must stay fun). Mattelin isn't building a legacy for the sake of it. He's building, selling, and starting over. Bigger thinking. Faster moves. And always daring. This isn't a classic success story. It's about building, selling, and starting again. Bigger thinking. Faster moving. And always daring. For more episodes, visit [belgische-ondernemers.be](http://belgische-ondernemers.be) (nofollow). Special thanks to our partners: [Teamleader](http://teamleader.be) (nofollow) and [Cloudpoint](http://cloudpoint.be) (nofollow), the IT partner for every SME.