Joost de Valk
Partner at Emilia Capital
Joost de Valk
Partner at Emilia Capital
Arnhem-Nijmegen Region
Overview
Work Experience
Board Member
2024 - Current
Supporting Patchstack on their mission to make open-source software safer.
Partner
2010
Emilia invests in companies that play on the world wide web. A lot of our investments have ties to the WordPress ecosystem. We’d like to think they all make the web a better place by being who they are. We like to be close to our portfolio companies. We’re not there to tell them what to do but instead to cheer them on and give them advice when they ask for it.
Advisor
2020
As an investor in and advisor to WordProof I help reach WordProof's goal of building a truly trusted web. The internet has a deep-rooted issue: trust. How do consumers know whether the information presented by sites can be trusted, and how can site owners claim ownership over their content? These issues can all be solved with the help of the WordProof Timestamp Ecosystem. My goal is to help build these systems on open source software and help create open standards that will improve the web for future generations.
Head of WordPress Strategy
2022 - 2023
Responsible for WordPress strategy throughout Newfold. As one of the largest hosting companies and domain name registrars in the world, we've got plenty to do!
Advisor
2022 - 2023
I advise the leadership at Yoast, which I founded, on everything they need me for, from product to marketing and business.
Interim CTO
2022 - 2023
As Yoast had a few too many changes in its technical leadership I stepped back in for a few months to run the R&D departments while we searched for another CTO. Once we found one, I stepped back again.
Founder & Chief Product Officer
2019 - 2022
As Chief Product Officer for Yoast I was responsible for making sure Yoast’s products are best in class and keep on developing.
Founder & CEO
2010 - 2019
Yoast focuses on SEO & Digital Marketing, building software, creating content, eBooks and courses to help people improve their sites and teach them why. I bootstrapped this startup from absolutely zero to a €12.5 million turnovercompany employing 140+ people across 5 continents. Our plugins for WordPress, TYPO3 and other platforms are active on over 12 million websites.
Founder & Lead Developer
2010 - 2020
Quix was a very powerful bookmarklet that allowed you to access all your bookmarklets across all your browsers, while maintaining them in one spot.
Marketing & Communications Lead
2019 - 2019
Leading the marketing team and oversee improving WordPress.org, related websites, and all its outlets.
Advisor
2015 - 2017
Advising Student.com on all matters SEO, Social and general Growth.
Host
2009 - 2011
I'm the host of a weekly podcast called the WordPress Podcast, which gives our listeners news, tips and information about WordPress and its plugins and themes.
Bestuurslid Events
2009 - 2010
Started the Search Marketing Thursday sequence of events.
Education
VWO
1994 - 2000