Young start-ups learn at Accelerator Programme

From 7 to 9 March, UAntwerp was the place to be for student entrepreneurs looking for more expertise. During the YUFE Accelerator Programme, students from nine European universities received intensive mentorship from experts in their field.  

 

According to Barbara Tan from the University of Antwerp, the programme is a great opportunity for students, academics and professionals to join hands. ‘The students can fulfil their ambitions as entrepreneurs. In this way, we are doing our bit to help the growing network of European innovators.’ 

 

For three days, the young enthusiasts behind nine start-ups and spin-offs were coached by national and international start-up experts. The aim? To acquire the knowledge needed to take their business to the next level. The three days of intensive training covered various topics, such as the secret of the perfect pitch and the importance of branding. 

 

‘It was very interesting to meet other young entrepreneurs, and to be able to exchange ideas with people from the UK, the Netherlands, Cyprus, …’ says Kenneth Deckers. He is a student at UAntwerp and founded together with William Dias Morais Yellowwood Marketing, a company that gives SME’s marketingsupport. 

Start, Grow, Sell 

As a final touch, the student entrepreneurs enjoyed a presentation by Jürgen Ingels, Flemish author and founder of ‘Clear2Pay’. A global player in payment technology, the company operated in fourteen different countries and employed 1,200 people before it was sold for €375 million in 2014. 

 

In his book ‘Start, Grow, Sell’, Ingels made a compilation of the lessons he learnt – through trial and error – during his successful career. As icing on the cake, the YUFE Accelerator Programme concluded with a lecture of the same name, filled with do’s & don’ts for young entrepreneurs.