Reception 18 January 2024
On the 18th of January, BIO organised a reception as a celebration of the New Year, the first edition of the Ubora Prize, and the handover of the position of CEO of BIO of Luuk Zonneveld to Joris Totté.
12-02-2024
The Ubora Prize is an initiative of BIO and the King Baudouin Foundation to promote and support excellent SMEs in the DRC. The aim of the Prize is to reward two "champions" and two start-ups that stand out for their performance, their social impact and their compliance with ESG standards. The prize is accompanied by technical support, media recognition and a trip to Europe for the winners. The Prize is organised in partnership with I&F Entrepreneuriat and Kivu Entrepreneurs, two local incubation centres.
On the 18th of January, the four winners of the Ubora Prize - young promises and established SMEs, from the west and the east of the DRC - were presented and celebrated in Brussels, in the presence of Belgian Minister Caroline Gennez and Congolese Minister Yves Bukulu.
On the same day, BIO celebrated the upcoming transfer of leadership from the outgoing CEO Luuk Zonneveld, to the future CEO Joris Totté.
As an unexpected surprise, Luuk Zonneveld, was awarded the Belgian national decoration of Grand Officer in the order of the Crown after serving 11 years as CEO of the company.
The Order of the Crown is awarded for services rendered to the Belgian state, especially for meritorious service in public employment. The Order of the Crown is also awarded for distinguished artistic, literary or scientific achievements, or for commercial or industrial services in Belgium or Africa.
Some pictures
More news
News
Looking back on our event: cultivating international agri‑food opportunities together
25-03-2026
On March 24, BIO had the pleasure of bringing together, alongside FIT, AWEX, hub.brussels and Beyond Chocolate, a wide range of actors from the Belgian agri‑food sector for an exchange focused on international opportunities. The late‑afternoon event was marked by collaboration, curiosity, and the shared ambition to build stronger, more sustainable, and better‑connected global value chains.
Read more
News
BIO invests to support Ukrainian SMEs
20-02-2026
BIO invests in initiatives that foster the recovery and long‑term resilience of Ukraine’s private sector.
Read more