A flat refusal as a driving force…

Modest by nature, Maarten Michielssens, the dynamic founder of EnergyVision, is nonetheless a champion in his field.

Having started out with €6,200 in seed capital, the former sports journalist with the gentle, twinkling gaze now heads a powerful group of businesses ranging from solar panels to EV charging points, as well as gas and electricity supply, through the well-known Dats24 stations.

In twelve years, the Fleming has built a key player in the Belgian energy market. His turnover has soared since the start of the year, and his shares are riding high on the Brussels Stock Exchange. So when the serial entrepreneur tells us that rejection motivates him, it is hard to believe! And yet… On his office wall hangs a framed letter from 1979 recording an exchange between Paul Hewson, alias Bono, the future U2 frontman, and the music label RSO Records. A manager informs the 19-year-old artist that his music is not in tune with the times. The Irishman did not change career and, despite the snub, went on to become a legendary singer-songwriter.

Maarten Michielssens, too, has faced moments of scepticism. He brushed the criticism aside, swiftly and decisively. Brick by brick, he built his model, developed it, anticipated trends and established himself among the incumbent operators, hamstrung by their structural weight. Last summer came the ultimate accolade: EnergyVision was named ‘best energy supplier’ in Belgium by Test-Achats.