Spin Off Squared

What Spin Off Squared does

Spin Off Squared (SO² or SO Kwadraat vzw) is a Belgian non-profit organization founded in 2005 in Leuven that delivers free individual coaching to pre-starters, researchers, and early-stage founders in the high-tech industry. Its service is staffed by seven successful high-tech entrepreneurs — including Johan Van den Bossche (ex-CEO of Krypton El. Eng NV, Leuven Air Bearings NV, and Vesalius MT), Geert Everaert, Ivo Vandeweerd, Mark van Aken, and Paul Janssens — who provide one-on-one guidance on business concept development, business plan drafting, financial planning, capital attraction, and notary document preparation. The organization does not deploy proprietary technology; its deliverable is mentor time and operating experience, not a software product. To date, SO² has coached over 800 startup teams and contributed to the creation of more than 200 high-tech spin-off companies.

The organization operates as a non-profit with no fees charged for coaching. Revenue is generated indirectly through structural corporate sponsorships — current sponsors include Ace Law, Next Invest, Pulse Foundation, Datacamp, Elmedix, Mercier Van Lanschot, and Mobius — and modest annual contributions from participants of its Business Club events (held up to three times per year for alumni startups). Past support has come from Deloitte, McKinsey & Company, Laga, NNOF, DLA Piper, VLAIO, and EFRO. SO² explicitly does not invest capital in coached startups; individual managers may invest privately or take board seats at the startup's request.

SO² is headquartered in Leuven with a second base in Ghent opened in 2013, and reports supported initiatives in Spain, Greece, France, and Italy. Its go-to-market relies on institutional partnerships with Belgian university technology transfer offices (KU Leuven Research and Development, UGent Interface Service, VUB) and student associations (VTK Leuven, VTK Gent), supplemented by referrals from a 200+ company alumni network. Notable alumni include Collibra, Datacamp, IcoMetrix, Feops, EconCore, and IC Sense. Distribution is direct: services are delivered by the seven coaches themselves with no intermediaries, no app, and no public pricing.

Name

Spin Off Squared

Legal name

Spin Off Squared

Website

https://sokwadraat.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spin Off Squared (SO²) is a Belgian non-profit founded in 2005 that provides free individual coaching from seven experienced high-tech entrepreneurs to pre-starters, researchers, and academic spin-offs, having supported over 800 startup teams and 200+ spin-off companies across Belgium and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Coaching and Entrepreneurship Advisory

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)

Keywords

• Startup coaching services
• High-tech entrepreneurship
• Spin-off incubation
• Business advisory services
• Founder mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Haasrode

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Free Coaching Services: SO² offers free coaching services to high-tech start-ups. The organization is a non-profit that does not charge fees for its advisory services. Revenue appears to come from sponsorship support and optional business club contributions.
2. Business Club Membership Contributions: SO² organizes up to 3 Business Club events per year, exclusive to SO² start-ups. A yearly contribution is asked to cover logistical costs.
3. Sponsorship and Support: The organization receives support from structural sponsors including Ace Law, Next Invest, Pulse Foundation, Datacamp, Elmedix, Mercier Van Lanschot, and Mobius. Additional past support from Deloitte, McKinsey & Company, Laga, NNOF, DLA Piper, VLAIO, and EFRO.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Spin Off Squared (SO²) is a Belgian non-profit organization that provides free individual coaching to (pre)-starters in the high-tech industry. Operated by seven experienced high-tech entrepreneurs, the organization helps teams determine viable business concepts, write business plans, draft financial plans, attract capital, and prepare notary documents. Since 2005, SO² has coached over 800 startup teams and contributed to the creation of over 200 high-tech companies with international ambitions.

Product overview

Spin Off Squared (SO²) is a non-profit organization offering a single unified service: free individual coaching for high-tech startups. Founded in 2005 and operated by 7 successful high-tech entrepreneurs, the organization provides mentorship across business concept development, business planning, financial planning, capital attraction, and notary document preparation. The coaching service is provided at no cost to the entrepreneur, with the goal of helping realize successful high-tech startups with international ambitions. SO² has coached over 800 startup teams, contributing to the creation of over 200 high-tech spin-off companies across Belgium and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Individual Coaching Free one-on-one coaching service provided by 7 experienced high-tech entrepreneurs to (pre)-starters in the high-tech industry. Helps determine business concepts, write business plans, draft financial plans, attract capital, and prepare notary documents. Since 2005, over 800 startup teams have been coached.
• SO² Business Club

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ start-up teams coached since 2005
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ace LawminorOthersStructural sponsor of SO²'s mission to boost spin-offs in Belgium. Provides legal expertise and support to the organization.
• DatacampminorOthersStructural sponsor and also a success story - a software startup that was coached by SO² and has become a sponsor in return. Represents the alumni-to-sponsor journey.
• ElmedixminorOthersStructural sponsor of SO²'s mission to boost spin-offs in Belgium.
• MobiusminorOthersStructural sponsor supporting SO²'s mission. Operates in the European market.
• McKinsey & CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPast sponsor providing strategic consulting expertise and support to SO²'s mission.
• LagaminorOthersPast sponsor, likely a professional services firm that supported SO²'s activities.
• DLA PiperminorOthersPast sponsor - global law firm providing legal expertise support.
• VTK GentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent association at Ghent University that SO² has provided services to, supporting student entrepreneurship.
• VTK LeuvenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent association at KU Leuven that SO² has engaged with for entrepreneurship support.
• UGent Interface ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology transfer office of Ghent University that SO² has partnered with to support spin-offs from the university.
• VUBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVrije Universiteit Brussel - SO² has provided services through their interface service to support research commercialization.
• Leuven Research and Development (LRD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology transfer office of KU Leuven that SO² partners with to coach high-tech spin-offs.
• KVIV Group LOMAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional group that SO² has engaged with for entrepreneurship support initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• PMV (ParticipatieMaatschappij Vlaanderen): Flemish investment company supporting innovative companies from seed to growth. Comparable to SO² in targeting the same Flemish high-tech founder community, though providing capital rather than free coaching.
• BetaGent / Gent Startup Community: Ghent-based startup ecosystem organization supporting founders in the Flanders region. Operates in the same Belgian geography as SO²' Gent office and serves a partially overlapping high-tech founder audience with events and programming.
• LRM (Limburgse Reconversie Maatschappij): Flemish regional investment company providing capital and support to startups and growth companies. Comparable to SO² in supporting Flemish high-tech entrepreneurs from idea through scale, but with a capital-led rather than coaching-led model.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator operating structured cohort programs with mentor networks and seed capital. Comparable to SO² in delivering mentor-led early-stage support, but at vastly larger scale and with a for-profit equity model.
• imec.istart: Imec's startup accelerator for deep-tech and semiconductor ventures, based in Leuven. Operates in the same Belgian high-tech ecosystem as SO² and competes for the same university spin-off founders, but with a capital-backed, cohort-based model.
• Y Combinator: Premier global startup accelerator offering mentorship, demo days, and seed funding. Comparable to SO² in providing early-stage mentorship rooted in founder experience, but operates globally with a paid-in equity model.

Others

• European Business Innovation Centre Network (EBN): Pan-European network of business innovation centres and incubators supporting high-tech entrepreneurs. Comparable to SO² in operating across Belgium/Spain/Greece/France/Italy with a focus on early-stage high-tech venture creation, though via a federated network model rather than direct coaching.
• VLAIO (Flemish Agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship): Flemish government agency funding and advising innovative entrepreneurs in Flanders. Comparable as a Belgian institutional support mechanism for high-tech founders; notably also a past sponsor of SO², evidencing ecosystem overlap.
• Deloitte Launch / Deloitte Technology Fast 50: Deloitte's startup and high-growth tech ecosystem programs including Fast 50 and innovation advisory services. Comparable to SO² in targeting Belgian high-tech founders; also listed as a past sponsor of SO², indicating ecosystem overlap.

Direct peers

• Start it @KBC: Belgian startup accelerator affiliated with KBC Bank that supports early-stage founders with coaching, network, and workspace. Highly comparable to SO² as a Belgium-rooted founder-support organization, though operating with capital-backed cohort programs rather than free individual coaching.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SOKwadraat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/so-kwadraat-vzw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spin Off Squared