WinWinner
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WinWinner
Finance
Sole proprietorship
Belgium
Sole intermediary for the winwin-loan
Matthias Browaeys
Benoit van der Maas
Matthias Browaeys
Summary
WinWinner is an online platform that connects small and medium-sized enterprises seeking capital with private investors who want to invest by using the Flemish winwin-loan. WinWinner is the sole online intermediary for investors and SME’s that want to use the winwin-loan.
Background
Mission
Two years ago Matthias saw an undiscovered business opportunity; there was no medium between private investors and entrepreneurs who were seeking capital. On the 16th of October 2014 Matthias started his website, because his business only needed a website, no large investments were needed. The only noticeable cost he had was for the company registration number. There were no alternative sources of funding used despite the fact that Matthias encourages alternative sources of funding.
Matching private investors with entrepreneurs.
Vision
WinWinner wants to stimulate entrepreneurship in Flanders and give starters the opportunity to achieve their dreams.
Values
By helping each other, creating a win-win situation for each other.
Business Model
Because there was no medium to connect private investors with SME’s seeking capital using the winwin-loan, WinWinner has an innovative business concept.The winwin-loan is a Flemish initiative to encourage private investors to invest in SME’s. Friends, family or acquaintances can invest in a Flemish company by using the winwin-loan. Investors can invest up to €50.000 for an eight year period. SME’s can collect capital up to €200.000 by using the winwin-loan. The interest rate for the loan in 2016 lays between 1,125% and 2,25%, which is currently more than the interest on a savings account. The investor will also get a tax reduction of 2,5%.
For SME’s it isn’t easy to find private investors willing to invest in their business, but with WinWinner this gets a lot easier. When SME’s want to create an account on WinWinner they will have to pay a fee of €150. After doing this they can be found by private investors in the WinWinner database. When the entrepreneur collects capital trough WinWinner he will have to pay a certain commission depending on the amount but with a maximum of €950.
Growth
The growth of WinWinner is steady, more and more investors and entrepreneurs register on WinWinner.be. The balance between investors and entrepreneurs is a bit fluctuating but always positive.
Customers
The users of WinWinner are SME’s seeking capital and private investors willing to invest in SME’s.
Competitors
WinWinner doesn’t have direct competition because it’s the only matchmaking medium for the winwin-loan. Indirect competitors are other forms of funding like crowd funding or bank loans.
Conclusion
Matthias sees some good opportunities in the future, soon he will launch an event for physical matchmaking by bringing together private investors and entrepreneurs. Matthias is also trying to find ways to put the SME’s more in the spotlights.Legislation always will be a thread for WinWinner, when the government decides to stop the winwin-loan WinWinner will lose its business. But Matthias also sees an opportunity there to start matchmaking for other forms of funding.
Starting WinWinner wasn’t easy, Matthias had a lot of trouble with legislation. It took him a long time to get over the legislation part but eventually everything turned out fine. Matthias also faced difficulties to gain recognition in the financial world as a young and enthusiastic student.
Posted on 31/03/2016