Sophie Manigart

For more than three decades, Sophie Manigart has researched the financing strategies of entrepreneurial companies. She’s expert in venture capital, private equity, business angel finance and entrepreneurial finance. Her research has featured in renowned journals – and she has written two books and several case studies. She has also edited several issues on entrepreneurial finance for top scientific journals. 

Sophie teaches on our Masters, MBA and executive programmes and develops courses and MBA electives. Alongside her colleagues Mathieu Luypaert and Wouter De Maeseneire, she has developed online courses and simulations including FAST and Finance Essentials. She is also Faculty Dean.

Sophie has helped many start-ups to develop finance strategies, has worked with venture capital funds and was a member of Baekeland Fund’s investment committee. Her expertise is sought by the European Parliament, InvestEurope, Belgian government and regional governments in Belgium and the Netherlands. 

As founder of Belgium’s first business angel network, BAN Vlaanderen, Sophie is on the board of the Belgian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, AXA Belgium, BW Ryhove, Ovinto and EnergyVision. 

Who am I?

• Full Professor, Partner and Faculty Dean at Vlerick Business School
• Professor at Ghent University
• Past guest professorships at London Business School, UK and IE Business School, Spain and currently guest lecturing at ESMT, Germany and TIAS, the Netherlands
• Masters in Electronic Engineering and Doctor in Management, Ghent University
• Masters in General Management at Vlerick Business School
• Associate Editor at the Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice journal
• Member of the editorial board of the Journal of Business Venturing, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal and Venture Capital Journal