The Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) has been globally supporting (social) entrepreneurs wanting to start up or expand clean, renewable and sustainable energy businesses in developing countries. A recent knowledge collaboration with Vlerick’s Energy Centre allows them to connect to the huge potential of our young and innovative Masters- and MBA-students, who have the necessary skills to look at the energy access issue with a fresh perspective. Vlerick, in turn, can tap into the extensive ARE network of entrepreneurs, financiers, and public and private partners. As a first concrete result, the students taking part in our brand-new Renewable Energy boot camp will travel to the ARE conference in Lisbon to put their knowledge into action and solve a selection of participating social entrepreneurs’ real-life challenges.