Michael Van Cutsem – Bee odiversity

I am…

• Michael van Cutsem – Founder/director of BeeOdiversity

• Master in law (UCL), finance (ICHEC) and management (Solvay)

• CareerLawyer, Business development director for a real estate development companyFounder of a legal and operational consultancy companyBeeOdiversity SPRL

BeeOdiversity

• BeeOdiversity preserves beeodiversity and food diversity by growing bee colonies.

•1 bee colony preserves 700ha of beeodiversity = 1.000 soccer fields

•30% of our food directly depends on bees

•Issue: bees are disappearing – Mortality rate above 30%

•Objective: cover minimum 10% of Belgium with “bee biodiversity”

BeeOdiversity

BeeOdiversity

Social impact

•BeeOdiversity’s social approaches:BeeOdiversity’s goal: preserve and regenerate bees, biodiversity and food diversity;BeeOdiversity’s method: create a cycle involving all actors (farmers, beekeepers, individuals, companies, public institutions, scientists)BeeOdiversity’s HR: work with underprivileged peopleBeeOdiversity’s “social” partnerships: schools, parcs, resto du coeur, underprivileged childrens associations

• BeeOdiversity’s drive

We don’t sell a product/service, we sell a meaning ! Business has to make sense

A real change requires the involvement of all actors

Business model

Business model based on social and economical synergies:

Biodiversity packs: individuals and companies

Leasing colonies: companies and public institutions

Honey and cosmetics: companies and retail

Innovation

• At first, part of the revenues deriving from the sale of products (honey) was reallocated to our initial social goal: preservation and regeneration of bees

•Innovation: Increase the social impact by: Defining a wider social goal: create and preserve biodiversity;Social finality becomes the center of the business model: BeeOdiversity sells the preservation of biodiversity ⇒Integration of social and economical aspects => leverage both.

• Innovation with products/servicesBees as a “creator” of biodiversityBees as an indicator of biodiversityNew market

Profitability

•Influence of social entrepreneurship on profit?Social and financial “profits” shall be linked

•Financial advantages of being a social entrepreneur?Investors >< NGOsLower return on investment required by investors >< classic companiesCustomers’ interest: social impact might justify a higher price?

•Financial disadvantages of being a social entrepreneur?Subsidies >< NGOsPublic institutions still tend to work with NGOsCompanies: lower budgets for CSR >< other departmentsCommon idea: Business >< “save the world”

Challenges

• Specific challenges relating to social entrepreneurshipFirst challenge: Strong business model including social impact. Requires innovations and a clear value chain (clients’ needs)Second challenge: Convince clients to invest in social actions with no, lower or indirect profitThird challenge: develop your business without forgetting your social purpose

•Specific difficulties relating to social entrepreneurshipTiming issue: time required to create the clients’ need & convince => cashflow issueFinancing issues

Evolution

•Evolution in social entrepreneurship: Increasing interest for social entrepreneurship from:Private and institutional investors EntrepreneursClients

Challenge: increase the interest from the government & public institutions

Vision about social entrepreneurship

• Similarity btw social and classical entrepreneurs Passionate & determinedInclined to take a riskInnovativeCommercial

• Difference btw social and classical entrepreneursVision: social and economicalImportance of profitDoes my business have a meaning?

Advantages

• What are the benefits of being a social entrepreneur?

It makes sense => Rewarding

Conclusion

Being an entrepreneur is an

exciting experience

Being a social entrepreneur is a

valuable experience

What about you ?