Are you innovative and creative? Are you busy hatching a clever invention? Are you brimming over with wild enterprising plans? Maybe you’re a bit ‘stuck’ or you lack the necessary time, and can use some help in giving those plans concrete form… Then, quick: post your idea on BRIDEE and a team of Vlerick MBA students could be helping along with you real soon!

BRIDEE stands for ‘BRIDGING DESIGN, ENTREPRENEURSHIP and EDUCATION’. This brand-new online co-creation platform brings creative, entrepreneurial thinkers (individuals as well as companies) in contact with designers and Vlerick management students, who work with you, the ‘idea owner’, to develop your idea. The ultimate objective? Creating a new venture!

How does it work in practice?

• Post your idea on: www.bridee.org – it can range from an idea in the concept phase to a recently started company. The ‘call for ideas’ runs until 15 September 2011, when all of the submissions will be evaluated for originality, creativity and commercial feasibility.
• You’re one of the finalists? A team of 4 or 5 Vlerick MBA students will spend 5 months with you creating a complete business plan: market study, competitive analysis, financial plan, etc. The team is coached in these activities by Vlerick professors and design gurus.  

Apart from the final result, as the inventor of your idea, you remain its owner. All of the team members sign a confidentiality agreement to confirm this. What’s more, it costs you absolutely nothing! An opportunity that’s very hard to pass up...

From left to right: Vlerick Professor Hans Crijns, woowoos founder Chris De Backer, Vlerick Professor Miguel Meuleman

BRIDEE is an initiative of woowoos NV, Agentschap Ondernemen and Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School, with the support of leading Belgian institutes and organisations (Artesis, Howest, Flanders DC, VOKA, and others) – all of whom fervently support the entrepreneurial spirit.