The Pool is an exclusive community of software founders.
It brings together entrepreneurs from the software industry, allowing them to forge meaningful relationships and exchange valuable experiences and insights with fellow like-minded senior leaders.
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The Pool is a trusted circle of individuals who have founded and grown their own companies in the software industry. Entrepreneurs who are open to sharing their successes, failures and learnings that arise from these experiences.
Our members are courageous, open, and willing to be vulnerable to ask tough questions and give direct feedback. We believe this makes all of us better and promotes our journey to evolve as entrepreneurs, as members of society, and as human beings.
2026 Events
Valencia, Spain
March 4-6, 2026
Cambridge, UK
May 27-29, 2026
Nice, France
TBD
Vienna, Austria
TBD
Who we are - Founders, Founding & Governing Members
Chris Dial
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Chris is the Co-founder and CEO of Salutare, a company based in London that builds software so that patients don't get lost in the health service.
Before founding Salutare, Chris spent 18 years at Microsoft, where he held executive roles in product development, strategic planning, and building a network of Cloud ISVs and Startups. He led innovation teams across 12 European countries to help software companies succeed with Azure and Dynamics.
Chris is passionate about creating solutions that foster better dialogue between clinicians and patients. He aims to transform healthcare outcomes through better software.
Judit Nagypal
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Judit Nagypal is an experienced executive and community builder, currently based in Munich, Germany. She has held senior leadership roles in partner management and business development at Microsoft across Western Europe.
Earlier in her career, Judit gained extensive experience in human resources and talent management, holding HR leadership roles at international corporations and building a multicultural understanding through diverse field and headquarters position.
With a strong background in software ecosystems, HR, and strategic partnerships, Judit is passionate about empowering technology leaders and fostering collaborative innovation within the software industry.
Karin Alfvag
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Karin Alfvag is a strategic leader and entrepreneur, currently based in Dublin, Ireland. She is the Founder and CEO of Cimbria Consulting, helping businesses scale in an AI-driven era.
Before founding Cimbria Consulting, Karin spent nearly a decade at Microsoft in senior engineering and sales leadership roles, most recently as Chief of Staff for Azure Customer Advisory and Resiliency. She also led a global programme onboarding startups to Microsoft Cloud, directing high-performing teams supporting over 300 software companies annually with their transformation. Prior to Microsoft, she served as COO of Consafe Logistics Group, leading the company's international expansion and digital transformation.
Karin is passionate about bringing strategy, culture, and technology together to unlock innovation — and about the power of open, courageous communities to make leaders better.
Paul Dols
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Paul Dols is the Founder and CEO of QS Solutions, a Dutch IT company specialising in Microsoft-based security, identity management, and business productivity solutions for organisations across Europe.
With over three decades of experience in the software and IT services sector, Paul has also co-founded and led other technology ventures, including Idealogic Solutions and DBS Business Solutions. He is recognised for his expertise in digital transformation, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies. Under his leadership, QS Solutions has become a trusted partner for organisations seeking to enhance their digital security and operational efficiency.
Phillip Werr
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Phillip Werr is a member of the Executive Board at COPA-DATA, an innovation leader in industrial automation software, headquartered in Salzburg, Austria, and presence worldwide.
With over a decade at COPA-DATA, Phillip has played a key role in driving the company’s digital transformation initiatives for the manufacturing and renewable energy sectors.
Phillip is recognised for his expertise in driving sustainable and profitable growth in a dynamic market.
Zsombor Bereczki
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Zsombor Bereczki is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive, currently Founder and Partner at ShareLine, an enterprise software solutions company focused on digital transformation, IT system integration and software development.
He has over 20 years of experience as a senior general manager and business developer in CEE, with a strong track record in the technology sectors and customer success management.
Zsombor is recognised for his expertise in scaling operations, international business development, and building innovative digital platforms that enhance organisational efficiency and connectivity.
Wim Geukens
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Wim Geukens is the Co-Founder and CEO of Terra Reporting, where he leads the company’s strategic direction, product vision, and international growth in ESG and sustainability reporting.
With over 20 years of experience in enterprise software, Wim previously co-founded VeriPark Europe, where he worked closely with major European banks to modernise their customer engagement platforms. He also co-founded Traviata, a company that developed and delivered CRM solutions specifically for the insurance industry, and later held senior leadership roles at RealDolmen.
Wim is recognised for his pragmatic leadership style, his expertise in strategic planning and business development, and his ability to build strong partner ecosystems. He is passionate about using technology to increase transparency and help organisations deliver meaningful and measurable sustainability impact.
Jan-Kees Buenen
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Jan-Kees Buenen is the CEO and co-founder of Dataseen, a Dutch technology company specialising in advanced data analytics and visualisation solutions.
Before founding it in 2011, he held senior commercial leadership roles in several international packaging companies, where he championed data-driven decision-making.
His passion for uncovering insights from complex data led him to develop innovative tools that help organisations - particularly in finance - detect anomalies, combat financial crime, and make strategic decisions. Under his leadership, Dataseen has grown into a pioneer in processing and visualising large volumes of structured and unstructured data.
Walter van Uytven
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Walter Van Uytven is a seasoned technology executive and entrepreneur, best known for his role as CEO of Awingu, a European scale-up specialising in secure unified workspace solutions, which was acquired by Alludo (Corel) in 2022. He has held senior leadership positions in cloud and IT services, including Vice President of Cloud at Proximus and CEO of Proximus Spear-IT, where he established and led cloud divisions and IT operations.
Walter is currently an independent board director and investor in several software companies and serves as a member of the Forbes Global Technology Council.
He is recognised for driving innovation and growth in SaaS and cloud technology sectors, with a strong track record in scaling companies and expanding market presence.
Arif Shafique
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Arif is the co-founder and CEO of hellolang, a company developing a product that converts codebases into actionable business insights. This allows product teams and leaders to create roadmaps based on the actual content of the code. He has nearly thirty years of experience in software, beginning as a developer, then serving as Product Management Director at Visma. He spent almost twelve years at Microsoft, most recently as Director of Business Development for West Europe, and spent six years as co-founder and CEO of Dolittle. Previously, he was an officer and instructor in the Norwegian Armed Forces. He is based in Oslo.
David Balazic
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David Balazic is the Managing Partner at Consalta, a data- and AI-driven marketing agency, where he helps tech and software companies unlock growth through sharper go-to-market execution and performance marketing.
With over 20 years in the industry - including leadership roles at Microsoft - and a results-driven approach to tech marketing, he has supported 200+ tech leaders across 50+ countries in turning great products into a predictable pipeline, shaping new revenue streams, and positioning themselves for the future of cloud- and AI-driven markets.
His philosophy: “Leaders are open to change, even if they don’t feel fully ready.”
Christophe Shaw
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Christophe Shaw is the President and CEO of CybeleTech, a Paris-based company specialising in modelling living plants for sustainable and productive agricultural strategies.
With over 25 years of experience in technology and innovation, Christophe has held senior leadership roles at Microsoft and also served as Chief Revenue Officer at Ponicode, driving AI-powered software quality.
Earlier in his career, Christophe founded Enora Technologies and Altamedia, pioneering software solutions for sports federations and retail.
Christophe is passionate about leveraging technology to create positive change and is recognised for his strategic vision, business transformation expertise, and commitment to sustainable innovation in the software industry.
Register for our event
Cambridge - May 27-29, 2026
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Join our community
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