Launch Braventure: new program for Startups
The two Brabant universities, four Brabant colleges, the province of Noord-Brabant and all regional development companies join forces to support promising Brabant startups. This unique alliance leads to one joint programme under the name Braventure. The festive launch will take place on Thursday 21 June in the Van der Valk Hotel Tilburg.
To be partners in the new start-up programme: TU Eindhoven, Tilburg University, Fontys Hogescholen, Avans Hogeschool, NHTV Breda and HAS Hogeschool, province of North Brabant with the Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM), REWIN, Midpoint Brabant, Brainport Development, Agrifood Capital and NV BIM.
Braventure brings together a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of development and investment, and builds on the track record of more than 15 years of start-up support in Brabant. The joining of forces offers Brabant startups financing, knowledge, community and facilities in one programme, close to startups organised by all partners.
Chairman of the Brabant Startup Alliance is Koen Becking (chairman of the board of directors of Tilburg University). Becking: 'Braventure is illustrative of the targeted cooperation that characterises our province. With Braventure, the various partners in the Brabant ecosystem will join forces and there will be one approach for Brabant startups. A kick-start for companies in their first steps towards success'.
Fund of 10 million
Braventure offers startups access to finance as well as guidance. One of the financing possibilities to which the program can refer is the new Brabant Startup Fund (BSF). The province of Noord-Brabant has set up the fund and filled it with €10 million to provide loans.
Companies that make a profit repay their loan to the fund at the end of the term. This allows the fund to reinvest the money in other starting companies. The fund focuses on the first phase of entrepreneurship: the development of ideas and the development of a starting company. Thanks to the fund, Brabant is assured of a financing option for startups for the next fifteen years.
Commissioner Bert Pauli: 'One of the biggest challenges for starting entrepreneurs is to attract sufficient investments. With the Brabant Startup Fund, the province helps them to obtain start-up capital in order to investigate how they can market their product or develop their activities. This is how we support the large employers of tomorrow today.
Launch
The launch of Braventure on 21 June will take place under the auspices of the new Van der Valk Hotel in Tilburg. Simultaneously with the launch, a special exhibition will take place where thirty promising Brabant startups from the entire region will present themselves. This will certainly include Tilburg startups such as Flow.ai, Wanderwatch and Pushbird. Wanderwatch can also be seen as one of the thirteen Tilburg products on display to the public this day as part of the 'Made in Tilburg' campaign of Make it in Tilburg (see also: https://makeitintilburg.nl/producten/). Commissioner for Economics and Internationalisation Bert Pauli and Chairman Koen Becking are officially launching the event.