ULB-Coopération
Ucoopia is Belgium's first inter-university NGO, created from the merger of ULB-Coopération and Eclosio in July 2025, implementing development cooperation projects in agroecology, public health, and natural resource management across nine countries under three parent universities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2025
- HeadquartersBrussels, Belgium
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ULB-Coopération does
Ucoopia (formerly ULB-Coopération, prior to its July 2025 merger with Eclosio) is a Belgian non-profit association (ASBL) headquartered in Ixelles, Brussels, recognized as Europe's first inter-university NGO. It is governed by three parent universities — Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Université de Liège (ULiège), and Université de Mons (UMONS) — and implements international development cooperation projects spanning agroecology, food systems, public health, natural resource management, and global citizenship education. Its activities reach vulnerable populations in nine countries across Western and Central Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea), South America (Peru, Bolivia), and Southeast Asia (Cambodia), with a network of 70+ partner organizations including multilateral bodies, bilateral agencies, and local implementing NGOs.
Ucoopia does not develop or sell proprietary technology products; its underlying methodology is the integration of academic research from its three parent universities with on-the-ground development project implementation through local partner organizations. Field activities include agroecology and agroforestry programs, beekeeping sector strengthening in DRC, mangrove ecosystem management, healthcare access improvements in Kinshasa and North-Kivu, and water/market/food systems work in Peru's Andean region (e.g., the SAMA project reaching 200 smallholder families and the impulSAS program reaching thousands of beneficiaries).
Its revenue model is non-commercial and entirely grant- and donation-based. Primary funding comes from institutional grants — notably the Belgian Development Cooperation (DGD), the European Union, ARES, Enabel, GIZ, the French Development Agency (AFD), Luxdev, and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation — supplemented by private foundation grants (McKnight, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation), corporate sponsorship (tax-deductible up to €500,000 annually), core funding from the parent universities, and individual donations at suggested tiers of €45, €85, or €100 (tax-deductible from €40 with a 30% Belgian tax credit). The organization reports that 85% of donations are allocated directly to projects. Beneficiary populations do not pay for services; the go-to-market motion is community-led through university partnerships, academic collaborations, field coordinators, interns, and volunteers rather than commercial sales.
ULB-Coopération firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ULB-Coopération
- Legal name
- Ucoopia ASBL
- Website
- https://ulb-cooperation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2025
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Ucoopia is Belgium's first inter-university NGO, created from the merger of ULB-Coopération and Eclosio in July 2025, implementing development cooperation projects in agroecology, public health, and natural resource management across nine countries under three parent universities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ULB-Coopération industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Development Cooperation Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships (EDADALAK)
Keywords
Where ULB-Coopération is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussels
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ULB-Coopération business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute directly to Ucoopia's projects. Donations are tax-deductible in Belgium (from €40, with 30% tax credit). The organization reports that 85% of donations received are directly allocated to projects.
- Institutional Funding: Major funding from Belgian and European government agencies including DGD (Belgian Cooperation), EU, ARES, regional governments (Wallonia, Brussels), and municipalities. These grants fund multi-year development projects.
- Corporate Sponsorship and Patronage: Companies provide financial sponsorship, skills sponsorship (pro-bono expertise), in-kind donations, or project co-financing. Tax-deductible up to €500,000 annually.
- University Core Funding: Core operational support from parent universities (ULB, ULiège, UMONS) following the merger that formed Ucoopia.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Voluntary donation tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
ULB-Coopération product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ucoopia (formerly ULB-Coopération) is Europe's first inter-university non-governmental organization, delivering international development cooperation projects in agroecology, food security, health systems strengthening, natural resource management, and professional training across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Funded by institutional grants (Belgian DGD, EU, ARES), individual donations, and corporate sponsorship, the organization implements multi-year programs (impulSAS, SAMA, WASOP) with local partners in eight or more countries.
Product overview
ULB-Coopération was an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) focused on international development cooperation, not a technology products company. Following its merger with Eclosio in July 2025 to form Ucoopia, the organization's activities centered on development projects in agriculture (agroecology, sustainable farming), health (quality and access to healthcare), environmental conservation (mangrove ecosystems, natural resource management), and education (professional training, civic education). The entity did not offer technology products or software services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SAMA Project (Food Systems, Market and Water)
- impulSAS Programme (Peru)
- impulSAS Programme (Bolivia)
- WASOP (West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme)
- Continuing Education and Training Services
- Ucoopia Donation Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- 85% of donations directly allocated to projects
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ULB-Coopération
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ULB-Coopération technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ULB-Coopération partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.
- ULB-CoopérationflagshipULB-Coopération (the NGO of Université libre de Bruxelles) merged with Eclosio and with the active participation of UMONS to form Ucoopia. This merger created Europe's first inter-university NGO, combining academic expertise with development action.
- EclosioflagshipEclosio (the NGO of University of Liège) merged with ULB-Coopération and with the active participation of UMONS to form Ucoopia. This merger combined two established NGO networks and methodologies.
- UMONSflagshipThe University of Mons actively participated in the merger that formed Ucoopia, contributing academic support and expertise to the new inter-university NGO.
- University of Liège (ULiège)coreParent university providing academic expertise and hosting the Gembloux AgroBioTech campus for agricultural research.
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)coreParent university and origin of ULB-Coopération which merged to form Ucoopia.
- University of Mons (UMONS)coreParent university that actively participated in the merger creating Ucoopia.
- DiaconiacorePeruvian implementing partner for the SAMA project, focusing on community development.
- Slow Food PerucorePartner for the SAMA project, promoting sustainable food systems and agroecology.
- Louvain CooperationcorePartner within the Uni4Coop consortium for the impulSAS program in Peru and Bolivia.
- IUCNcoreManaging the WASOP (West Africa Sustainable Ocean Programme) with Ucoopia coordinating research fellowships.
- Uni4CoopcoreConsortium of Belgian university NGOs including Ucoopia and Louvain Cooperation for coordinated development action.
- Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)majorBelgian university partner within the Uni4Coop consortium.
- University of Kinshasa (UNIKIN)majorDRC university partner for projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- UCADmajorCheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Senegal, academic partner.
- ISRAmajorSenegalese Institute for Agricultural Research, operational partner.
- National University of Battambang (NUBB)majorCambodian university partner for agricultural projects.
- Royal University of Agriculture (Cambodia)majorCambodian university partner for agroecology projects.
- CIVIS - European Civic University AllianceminorEuropean university alliance for civic engagement.
- IUCNcoreInternational Union for Conservation of Nature, partner for WASOP program.
- WeForestminorNon-profit organization focused on forest restoration and sustainable landscape management.
- Global Mangrove AllianceminorAlliance for mangrove conservation and restoration.
- ACODEVmajorBelgian umbrella organization for development NGOs.
- AliseaminorNetwork for agroecology in Southeast Asia.
- 3AO - Alliance for Agroecology in West AfricaminorRegional alliance promoting agroecology in West Africa.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ULB-Coopération competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Enabel: Belgian federal development agency implementing large-scale bilateral projects. Comparable as a funder/implementer in the same geographies, but a state agency rather than a university-affiliated NGO.
- IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Global conservation organization managing the WASOP program in partnership with Ucoopia. Overlaps on mangrove and natural resource management themes.
- Catholic Relief Services (CRS): Large international humanitarian and development NGO active in similar agroecology, health, and resilience themes. Explicit partner of Ucoopia and a much larger-scale peer.
Others
- ACODEV: Belgian umbrella federation of francophone development NGOs. Ucoopia is a member; comparable as an ecosystem peer in policy advocacy and DGD coordination.
Direct peers
- Louvain Coopération au Développement: Belgian university NGO of UCLouvain and a fellow Uni4Coop consortium member. Direct peer in mission, structure, and Belgian DGD-funded development programs across similar geographies.
- SOS Faim: Belgian NGO supporting family farming and food sovereignty in Africa and Latin America. Similar scale, donor profile, and thematic overlap with Ucoopia.
- Autre Terre: Belgian development NGO with DGD funding and similar smallholder farming / agroecology focus in West Africa and Latin America. Comparable size and operating model.
- Iles de Paix: Belgian NGO working on agroecology, food systems, and water in West Africa and Latin America. Closely comparable in scale, Belgian origin, and donor mix.
- Triodos Foundation / Trias: Belgian-rooted international NGO focused on farmer organization strengthening and agroecology. Comparable mission, scale, and DGD co-financing exposure.
- ULiège - Eclosio (predecessor): The university NGO of ULiège that merged with ULB-Coopération to form Ucoopia. Most direct precedent entity in scope, structure, and operating model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ULB-Coopération social profiles
Digital presenceULB-Coopération financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ULB-Coopération leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
ULB-Coopération funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ULB-Coopération M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ULB-Coopération
What does ULB-Coopération do?
Ucoopia (formerly ULB-Coopération) is Europe's first inter-university non-governmental organization, delivering international development cooperation projects in agroecology, food security, health systems strengthening, natural resource management, and professional training across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. Funded by institutional grants (Belgian DGD, EU, ARES), individual donations, and corporate sponsorship, the organization implements multi-year programs (impulSAS, SAMA, WASOP) with local partners in eight or more countries.
Is ULB-Coopération a public or private company?
ULB-Coopération is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ULB-Coopération founded?
ULB-Coopération was founded in 2025. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is ULB-Coopération based?
ULB-Coopération is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does ULB-Coopération make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are institutional Funding, corporate Sponsorship and Patronage and university Core Funding.
Who are ULB-Coopération's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Enabel, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS). ACODEV is listed as an others. Direct peers are Louvain Coopération au Développement, SOS Faim, Autre Terre, Iles de Paix, Triodos Foundation / Trias and ULiège - Eclosio (predecessor).
Does ULB-Coopération have an API?
No public API is recorded for ULB-Coopération.
What industry is ULB-Coopération in?
ULB-Coopération's product category is International Development Cooperation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADALAB, International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs, with a secondary code of EDADALAK, Research, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Partnerships. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 8300.