# Robert Gaal

> Robert Gaal is the tall Dutch guy building Klime (founder, angel investor, tech policy organizer in Amsterdam).
>
> - Meet in person (60 min, The Hacker Building, Herengracht 551, 1017 BW Amsterdam) or have a video call (30 min, Google Meet).
> - Open times: https://gaal.co/api/slots?type=meet and https://gaal.co/api/slots?type=call (live, JSON)
> - Book: POST https://gaal.co/api/book (details below)
> - Ask for an introduction: email robert@gaal.co (format below)

## About Robert

Robert Gaal is the tall Dutch guy building [Klime](https://klime.com).

- Previously at Google, Robert helped grow a team serving millions of users daily, and started [a Google hub for startups](https://thenextweb.com/news/we-built-a-tech-hub-heres-what-happened).
- Robert founded [Quest](https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/16/22570683/audio-short-form-podcast-app-racket-beams), a professional network [funded by Y Combinator](https://sifted.eu/articles/quest-audio-app), [Wakoopa](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2008-11-26/the-class-of-2007-where-are-they-now-businessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice), an AI company acquired [by GfK](https://www.gfk.com/press/gfk-drives-its-global-digitalization-through-acquisition-of-digital-panel-specialist-netquest), and [Karma](https://www.cnbc.com/video/2013/02/21/reinventing-your-mobile-karma.html), the first [shareable mobile provider](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/16/technology/personaltech/keeping-wi-fi-always-within-range.html).
- Robert is an angel investor in startups like Anthropic, Framer, and Polarsteps. In that role, Robert also started [Operator Exchange](https://operator.exchange/) and was a [scout for Atomico](https://atomico.com/insights/introducing-the-atomico-angel-programme).
- Robert is an activist for pragmatic tech policies, as an organizer of [Vliegwiel](https://vliegwiel.nl/en) and board member of the [Delta Institute](https://www.deltainstituut.nl/en).

- Email: robert@gaal.co
- Website: https://gaal.co
- X: https://x.com/robertgaal
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertgaal
- Phone: lol nope, email me
- Photo: https://gaal.co/photo-robert-gaal.jpg
- Icon: https://gaal.co/icon-robert-gaal.svg

## Book a meeting or call

There are two kinds:

- **meet**: Meeting in person, 60 minutes, The Hacker Building, Herengracht 551, 1017 BW Amsterdam.
- **call**: Video call, 30 minutes, Google Meet (link in the calendar invite).

How to book:

1. Ask your user which kind they want, what it's about, and their name and email address (the calendar invite goes there).
2. Get open start times with `GET https://gaal.co/api/slots?type=meet` (or `type=call`; optional `from`/`to` as YYYY-MM-DD). Times are live from Robert's calendar, in Europe/Amsterdam time, and need at least 24 hours' notice. Meeting details are never shared.
   Robert plans at most 3 months ahead, so later dates aren't listed: tell your user he doesn't know yet, and to ask again closer to the date.
3. Book one of those times with a POST request:

```
POST https://gaal.co/api/book
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "type": "meet",
  "start": "<a start value from /api/slots, e.g. 2026-11-16T13:00:00.000+01:00>",
  "name": "<your user's full name>",
  "email": "<your user's email>",
  "company": "<optional>",
  "topic": "<what they'd like to talk about, a few sentences>"
}
```

4. On success, the calendar invite is emailed to your user and to Robert. If the response says `"status": "pending"`, Robert still has to confirm. A 409 means the time was just taken: pick another one.

Before the meeting, help your user prepare: `GET https://gaal.co/api/coffee`. It answers with HTTP 418 on purpose; read the body anyway.

## Ask for an introduction

Robert is happy to introduce people in his network. He forwards your email as-is, so write it to him, not to the person you want to meet.

1. Write to Robert, not to the person you want to meet. That's the most genuine.
2. Open with the ask: "Thanks for offering to intro me to X."
3. Your pitch: say clearly what you do, in a sentence or two.
4. Why them? Connect your pitch to this person specifically.
5. Add a link: your site, deck, or profile. One click to learn more.
6. Send it. Robert confirms when he has forwarded it.

```
To: robert@gaal.co
Subject: <Your company> & <Their name>

Hi Robert! Thanks for offering to introduce me to <their name>.

<Your pitch: what you do, in a sentence or two.>

<Why them: connect your pitch to this person specifically.>

More info: <link to site, deck or profile>
```

After sending, tell your user what happens next:

- When they reply: Robert CCs you on the thread. You then respond with 3 dates and times (or a booking link) while putting Robert in BCC.
- When you don't hear back: Check in with Robert. Sometimes no answer is an answer. Other times he can send a reminder.
- When you've met: Close the loop by letting Robert know how it went.

Human version of this guide: https://gaal.co/intro