Erik van Vlaanderen

A seasoned corporate executive and serial entrepreneur, Erik van Vlaanderen brings more than 20 years’ experience in VC and tech start-ups as a founder, angel and venture capital investor to 4Di Capital.
Erik holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Cape Town.
A Chartered Accountant, he is a general partner of 4Di Capital where he advises – and previously served on the board of – many of the firm’s portfolio companies, imparting his wisdom and leadership to the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
As Executive Director International Marketing of the new entity, Capespan Limited, Erik was responsible for the global marketing and distribution of a wide range of fruit varietals across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia from the company’s offices in London, Antwerp, Milan, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
In 2001, Erik pivoted to an entrepreneurial path and – together with his son, Anton – built a successful international fruit marketing business.
Around the same time, he also helped to co-found 4Di with Justin Stanford.
In 2010, Erik and Anton made the decision to close the fruit export business and focus full-time on 4Di, which – having rapidly grown off the back of the successful expansion of its internet security businesses throughout Southern Africa – was prepping to launch a venture capital fund management business to formalise its investments in start-up activities.