As a young man, Vincent Beckers was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, and in 2018, he found the ideal partner in Jef Noelmans to realize a long-cherished dream: starting a company. With IINNO-BENELUX, they bring the world’s smartest and most innovative energy technologies to the Belgian market, as the duo believes our society can and should run entirely on green electricity.
In five years, Vincent Beckers and Jef Noelmans have put IINNO-BENELUX on the map as a pioneer in the energy storage industry. Today, the company is an established name in the constantly changing energy landscape. At the heart of this success lies their friendship, born from a shared ambition: they believe that as an entrepreneur, you can contribute to a better, and in this case more sustainable, world.
Vincent: “In 2018, Jef and I headed to Hong Kong for the world’s largest lighting fair with our initial plan to do something together in relighting. At the time, relighting was an emerging market where companies were converting all their traditional lighting to LED to save energy. Once we arrived at the fair, we quickly got a reality check from a Greek relighting entrepreneur: according to him, we were 10 years too late. The market was already saturated.”
“Later that evening, we ended up at a party where I started talking to a South African living in Australia. The conversation quickly turned to energy and the challenges in Australia due to the vast distances, remote villages, and the rapid growth of renewable energy. The solution for Australia was energy storage. Batteries, in other words.”
Jef: “Vincent told me his story in the taxi back to the hotel. Once we got there, we left it at that. But still, I was intrigued. I got up very early the next day and spent hours doing research. By the time Vincent woke up after a night out, I was convinced: energy storage wasn’t such a crazy idea after one. It could also become a big deal in Flanders. Back in Belgium, we dove into our idea with full dedication. And as it turns out: all roads may lead to Rome, but at that moment, all signs in the energy market led to the missing link in the transition: energy storage.”
“Perhaps the way our idea for IINNO-BENELUX originated is typical of our approach. Because when one of us has an idea, it’s already in development the next day. We both love taking action and pushing through. We also dare to push each other, and I think that’s what makes us such a strong duo (glimlacht).”
Vincent: “We are complementary. While Jef thinks a bit more in black and white, I often look for a compromise. That balance works well. We also listen to each other; we both have strong visions and opinions, but if the other can put forward strong arguments, we aren’t afraid to change our minds and follow suit. Once that decision is made, that’s it. At IINNO-BENELUX, we don’t dwell on the past. It’s forbidden (lacht).”
“We simply want to be the best. Not just when it comes to our product range, but also in terms of service. We might not be the cheapest on the market, but our customer focus more than compensates for that. In everything we do, our focus is on quality and innovation, with the goal of being first in new developments within energy storage.”
Jef: “And we can’t do that alone. We are very grateful for our environment, for our employees, and our family and friends. Those people influence our business decisions and successes both directly and indirectly. I said goodbye to my wife early last year. That changed my perspective enormously. It reminds you of what is truly important in life and in doing business. That’s why I seek relaxation more than before, and I find that while cycling.”
Vincent: “It makes you realize that you need balance in your life to face the challenges of entrepreneurship. So I’m glad I can let go of IINNO-BENELUX for a moment as soon as my two young children enthusiastically welcome me with ‘hi daddy’ (glimlacht tevreden).”
IINNO-BENELUX has ambitious goals. Opportunities were coming their way, but there was no well-founded plan to capitalize on them. Expliciet developed a comprehensive marketing strategy. A strategy from A to Z with a focus on online marketing. We are ready to take IINNO-BENELUX’s marketing one, or rather two levels higher, while they focus on the sustainable revolution in the energy landscape.
Are you still looking for that marketing and communication partner who truly—and we mean truly—understands your company? Our main ambition is to understand your business 100%. Only then can we deliver on our outstanding marketing skills for you. Ready to bring our ambitions and stories together? Maak kennis met onze hartenjagers and let us steal your marketing heart.