Jos Sluys: From Engineering to Venture Capital Empire, €450m Success Story

Jos Sluys

Jos Sluys, who graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Brussels (VUB) in 1986, has made a name for himself in the software industry thanks to his entrepreneurial achievements. Before entering the world of softwarehe contributed to consumer marketing for the Belgian subsidiary from Unilever, Iglo-Ola. His career took a decisive turn when he joined the company as a consultant. SAP Belgium NV, the subsidiary of German software giant SAP, in 1992, leveraging its expertise to offer complete solutions to businesses and created assets of over €450,000,000.

By melting Arinso in 1994, Sluys made a name for himself by securing a major contract with Petrofinathe largest Belgian industrial multinational at the time, firmly establishing the company on the international scene. Gradually, Arinso expanded its presence, opening offices in France, the Netherlands and eight other countries by 1997. Under his leadership, the company was listed on the Euronext Brussels stock exchange and was majority-owned by him until its acquisition by Northgate Information Solutions 375 million in 2007.

The proceeds from this sale were invested in the creation of Saffelberg Investmentsa holding company with a diversified portfolio. The fund started with an initial capital of 240 million euros, mostly from Sluys' personal contributions. The company is involved in fields as varied as biotechnology, article promotion, product development and marketing. real estateand the emergence of entities such as Pharma-NeuroBoost, Gemaco and Uteron Pharma.

Saffelberg Investments also stands out for its 5.5 million euro investment in Ammado, a platform facilitating collaboration between charities and donors, with a majority staff presence in Ireland but located in Zug, Switzerland. Despite two notable failures, the company persists in its diversified development, allocating a third of its portfolio to real estate and land development, with the remainder divided between venture capital, convertible loans and corporate holdings. Its holdings include Medecan established producer of respiratory equipment that enjoyed a rapid recovery after a takeover by Saffelberg, stimulated by demand during the pandemic.

Saffelberg is thus positioned as a leading player in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, guided by Sluys' vision and expertise, backed by his experience in creating value for innovative companiesc and Jos Sluys has a fortune of more than 450 million euros.