Updated:
Van Herk Group
Van Herk Group: a multi-generational Rotterdam family office investing patient capital in global biotechnology and real estate since 1951.
Van Herk Group
Van Herk Group was founded in 1951 by Aart van Herk, a Rotterdam-based entrepreneur whose original construction and real estate development activities generated the capital that still funds the group today. The firm operates from the Netherlands, deploying capital globally with a distinct concentration in life sciences and biotechnology. While many European family offices local wealth within regional real estate, Van Herk has built a notably transatlantic investment posture over seven decades. The group invests directly and through fund commitments across venture and growth stages, with a primary focus on biotechnology and life sciences — an unusual concentration for a firm with construction roots. The portfolio extends into project development, financial services, and energy. Known investments include active participation in early-stage European biotech and later-stage life sciences companies. The firm's geographic footprint reaches from the Benelux region to North American and European innovation hubs, reflecting a strategy of following scientific talent rather than physical proximity. Second- and third-generation family members now steward the group's activities alongside external investment professionals. In recent years, Van Herk has deepened its commitment to biotechnology — an asset class where Dutch family offices are notably underrepresented — while maintaining its legacy real estate and project development operations. The firm participates in both direct co-investments and limited-partner commitments to specialist life sciences funds, providing the flexibility to access earlier-stage innovation without building a fully internal early-stage team. The group's architectural distinction lies in its longevity and its deliberate geographic and sectoral reach from a single-family-office base in Rotterdam. Van Herk has never institutionalized into a third-party asset manager — the capital remains exclusively the family's — yet it invests globally in a specialized asset class typically reserved for dedicated venture firms. This hybrid posture — a 70-year-old family office operating with the sector depth of a life sciences specialist — defines its structural difference in the European single-family-office landscape.
General information
Firm type
Family Office
Year founded
1951
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Netherlands
City
Rotterdam
Corporate office
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What is the wealth origin of Van Herk Group?
The group's capital originates from the construction and real estate development business founded by Aart van Herk in Rotterdam in 1951. The family has reinvested those proceeds over seven decades, building a diversified portfolio that now heavily concentrates in life sciences and biotechnology alongside legacy real estate holdings.
Is Van Herk Group a single-family office or an asset manager?
Van Herk Group operates as a single-family office managing the Van Herk family's own capital. It has not opened to outside limited partners and does not market fund products to third-party investors. The group's activities include direct investments, fund commitments, and co-investments — all deployed on behalf of the family.
How does Van Herk Group approach life sciences investing?
The group invests across venture and growth stages in biotechnology and life sciences, primarily in Europe and North America. It combines direct investments in private companies with limited-partner commitments to specialist life sciences venture funds. This dual approach allows the family to access early-stage innovation through fund managers while making concentrated bets on later-stage companies directly.
What role do the original construction and real estate businesses play today?
Real estate and project development remain active parts of the portfolio, managed alongside the life sciences activities. The group continues to hold and operate real assets in the Benelux region, providing stable cash flows that fund the more venture-oriented biotechnology allocations.
Who currently manages investment decisions at Van Herk Group?
Second- and third-generation Van Herk family members lead the group's investment decisions, supported by a team of external investment professionals. The family has maintained direct operational involvement across generations, a continuity that distinguishes it from family offices that transitioned fully to non-family management.
Does Van Herk Group take outside capital or co-invest alongside other investors?
The group co-invests alongside other family offices, venture funds, and institutional investors — particularly in larger life sciences rounds — but it does not accept outside capital into its own vehicles. All co-investment activity is conducted on a deal-by-deal basis using family capital.
Is there a philanthropic or foundation arm associated with Van Herk Group?
Public records do not detail a named foundation or philanthropic vehicle directly associated with the group, though the family's multi-decade support for scientific research — particularly through its investment choices — reflects a mission-aligned approach to capital deployment.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on family offices?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: