How to join forces in unlocking Europe's entrepreneurial spirit [ENG]

During this session, Founder & Ghentian Steve Stevens, host of the Start-up Dome, will publicly launch StudentStartups.eu & PhDStartups.eu.

Together with his co-founder Nathalie Sintobin, Steve warmly invites you to join in for this gathering, just before the PITCH BATTLE will start, to get in touch with thé European incubator & community for studentstartups and PhDStartups & to find out how you can be part of this co-operative community as a student/phd/alumnus - as a mentor - as a partner or as an investor.

Steve and Nathalie invite young Belgian serial entrepreneur Maxim Sergeant on stage, to witness about his start as founder at the age of 18, how he started and scaled his first business while studying, about the power of student-entrepreneurship and supportive communities and (international) ecosystems and how to dare to think more global – European – and build a strategy for growth.

“It does not make sense that everybody should duplicate efforts when we could be working together.”

StudentStartups Europe and Maxim Sergeant share the passion for young entrepreneurship and value of Paying-it-forward and will thus explain you how to join forces in helping a new generation of young entrepreneurs. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, mentor, or simply someone who wants to get involved, we welcome you to join us on this journey.

About Steve

Steve Stevens is an experienced business coach with focus on startups, he’s recognized ‘Lean Launchpad Educator’ and one of the two founders of StudentStartups Europe. Steve started his carreer as bank officer and then joined his former professor at the Centre for Entrepreneurship at University College Ghent, where he worked as a teaching assistant, business coach and staff member. In this way, he got to understand the diverse roles existing within Higher Education. In the past 10 years Steve was active at Ghent University where he coached more than 1000 students and phd's in starting up their businesses. He’s passionate about young entrepreneurship, has been active both regional and international in supporting entrepreneurship and was appointed National expert for HEInnovate by the European Commission and together with Nathalie Sintobin, his co-founder, he gladly helps to further spread the spirit of innovation & young entrepreneurship in Europe.

About Maxim

Maxim Sergeant is a Belgian entrepreneur who has made significant strides in the field of e-commerce and digital solutions. Starting at the age of 18, he embarked on a journey of website sales and sponsorship acquisition through Festit Communication. Recognizing the untapped potential in the local trader market, Maxim launched Bakkersonline, a platform that revolutionized e-commerce for bakeries, butchers, and patisseries across Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. With an unwavering belief in his vision, he successfully convinced investors of his business's growth potential, leading to an acquisition by Puratos. Under his leadership, Bakersonline expanded its operations to 23 countries within a decade. Maxim's entrepreneurial spirit didn't stop there. During the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, he seized the opportunity to develop Dorst, a QR payment app for the hospitality industry. Leveraging strategic acquisitions such as OrderBilly and MobileMenu, Maxim continues to innovate and push boundaries in the digital sector. He is actively involved as a board member and mentor at Netwerk Ondernemen, promoting a pay-it-forward culture and supporting fellow entrepreneurs in their journeys.