Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs (OVO) was established in 2000 as the ‘Corporate Funding Program’ by Fons Verplaetse, former governor of the National Bank of Belgium and Frans Bourgois, professor emeritus of the Brussels EHSAL management school.
Since 2002 OVO has been working with volunteer consultants who selflessly initiate, strengthen and expand relationships between Belgian companies, OVO and entrepreneurs in low and middle-income countries. Transfer of knowledge from and for entrepreneurs plays a critical role.
OVO is a not for profit organization that believes that promoting entrepreneurship in those countries has a strong economic and social impact. Cooperation and partnership with important stakeholders in this ecosystem are a must. That is why, at the end of 2017, the ‘Sustainable Technology for Africa’ program was launched in collaboration with, among others, VITO and Thomas More, whereby entrepreneurs in Africa receive coaching over the course of a week, and where possible, are incorporated in the OVO investment portfolio.
In 2018 the OVO Acceleration Fund was established in cooperation with the King Baudouin Foundation to assist entrepreneurs in low and middle-income countries who have difficulty accessing the financial market to obtain a social loan. Coaching and transfer of knowledge is paramount here too.
In recent years, Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs remains committed to the further growth, development and professionalisation of the organization.