microStart

Faithful to its cooperative and associative principle, the microStart group has an open structure to on its environment. The mission followed by microStart is one of social utility. Acting alone in its corner would make no sense. Partners are therefore an indispensable source vitality in microStart's dynamism.

Forging our alliances for the benefit of business creators.

Watchword: be daringly creative, for the benefit of the customers. A partnership only makes sense if it brings gains to all those who, despite limited means, show the will to be enterprising. Business creators are therefore at the heart of the process.

From the institutional perspective, the priority is to include microStart best in the Brussels landscape of business start-ups, capitalise on experiences on the ground to be a strong proposal for public authorities, persuade private partners who are concerned about their social responsibilities and support the development of a service offering of professional support.

microStart's partners are therefore from the private, public and associative sides of society. microStart is also the fruit of an original alliance between operators from these three sectors.

We thank all these partners who one way or another support microStart. This is also an occasion to invite all those who would like to join our adventure.

The Brussels Enterprise Agency Bruno Wattenbergh, Director

Everywhere in the world a form of right to economic initiative and to the creation of ones' own job through entrepreneurial initiative is emerging. Of course, we are not all equal in respect of this right. Depending on one's level of education, access to formal or informal business networks and means, it will be more or less difficult to create a lasting entrepreneurial activity. For some, it is impossible due to lack of financial means. The microcredit that microStart proposes, and the accompanying advice, allow a move to entrepreneurialism for certain persons neglected by life. Even if not all will succeed, allowing them to try is already a great opportunity – be it in social justice, learning, etc. – by doing everything to avoid their situation over the medium term being worse than before this attempt at entrepreneurialism.

Max Jadot, CEO of BNP Paribas Fortis

BNP Paribas Fortis assumes its responsibilities vis-à-vis society. As a bank, it is our duty to support the Belgian economy. For us, this in particular means encouraging entrepreneurialism among people who do not always have the means to start their own business. With microStart, these businesspeople can get going. However, BNP Paribas Fortis wants to do more than contribute financially. The management supplied voluntarily by numerous Bank employees is just as important.
BNP Paribas Fortis

European Commission Jean-Louis de Brouwer, Director in charge of Europe 2020 Employment Policies at the General Directorate of Employment, Social Affairs And Inclusion

microStart was one of the all first providers microcredit as part of the initiative Microfinance Progress of the European Union launched in 2010 to respond to the crisis. I am delighted to see that microStart has in a short time been able to open two branches in Brussels, that it already has many customers and the projects financed correspond fully with what we expect from this instrument: create jobs and help persons from vulnerable social groups to get out of unemployment while allowing a larger number of people to put their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur into practice.
Progress Microfinance

Bird&Bird, Law Firm Alain Costantini

The Belgian law firm of Bird & Bird (www.twobirds.com) is proud to have been associated with the creation of microStart. This collaboration is the fruit of an partnership put in place earlier in France between Adie and the Parisian office of Bird & Bird. This partnership resulted in particular in a modification of the legislation relating to the status of self-employed entrepreneur. Bird & Bird shall continue to help microStart, in particular by giving training to its employees and volunteers in various legal matters, providing advice directly to certain micro-entrepreneurs seeking microStart, helping microStart in advocacy tasks with political bodies, to help ease access to micro-credits and generally to facilitate access to the profession for micro-entrepreneurs. Most of these service were carried out fee-free, as part of Bird & Bird's social commitment.
Bird&Bird

Yvan Salazar, social worker, Hispano-Belga NPO

Several examples of work have already been carried out. We have carried out information meetings on varied themes (how to become self-employed; what is microcredit?). We have also organised meetings together. We seek to share information, since microStart manages the economic side better and Hispano-Belga is used to following the people in a social role. Since the two overlap considerably, it is in this way that we can contribute more to the world by working in partnership. And I must say, there have been some sweet successes for people and demand is increasing.