Every company in ACCEND works with a Guide, and Guides are what our companies tell us they value most. So we're starting a series to introduce the people in that role.
First up is Virginie Verstraete, Head of Communications, Events and Global Partnerships at Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC), based in Ghent, Belgium.
Virginie's work connects early-stage technology companies with public procurers, and this expertise means she also leads our Public Procurement of Innovation service track as well as being a Guide. She describes the Guide role simply: understand what each company needs, and help it stay on track to get there.
Her advice for founders selling to cities and public buyers:
"Be able to explain your product or service in one sentence."
The most common mistake she sees when scaleups expand across borders:
"Having no clear idea of the needs, culture and procedures of that foreign country."
A moment she's proud of: she introduced an ACCEND company to a city. After that first conversation, the company is being invited to give a demo to a wider group of city staff.
What would make Europe's support system work better? Virginie would make procurement much simpler, shorter and less bureaucratic, with one procedure across the EU, so that small companies can work with governments too.
Something you might not know about her: she starts every day with a cup of coffee and a piece of salted dark chocolate.