Growing up in poverty in Suriname,
Etiënne vantKruys was told by his teacher he’d never succeed — but it only made him more determined to not follow in the footsteps of his parents. Thanks, in part, to crypto, he’s now living the dream.
Despite his high-flying crypto VC lifestyle today, vantKruys keeps at least one foot on the ground by remembering his hungry past. He grew up dirt poor in Suriname, where his father was a drug addict who was often in prison.
“I was always hungry — like, dude, always hungry. Always like, ‘Fuck, I need to eat.’ Always, always, always — it sticks with you. I don’t care if I’m in Singapore at a famous crypto conference at a high-flying restaurant, I would still order food from right to left. I would start with the price, like, ‘What can I get?’ You’re aware.”