About NVBB Nederland: digital services, business support and marketplace

Who we are

NVBB Nederland is a Dutch company based in Heerlen, Limburg. We design, build and maintain reliable digital tools for organisations that do not have the team to do it themselves: SMEs, freelancers, start-ups, non-profits and international projects.

Our strength lies in a rare combination: working in three languages (Dutch, French and English), knowledge of Dutch business standards and the ability to act on the ground in Benin. NVBB Nederland continues work carried out in Benin since 2022: websites, online shops, management tools and data collection for companies, NGOs and international organisations.

An ecosystem between the Netherlands and Benin

Together with MedA Conseils, close to the artisans in Benin, CIAAC, which certifies quality, and NVBB SARL, our company in Benin, we run a cross-border ecosystem. The same women and men artisans are identified in their region, validated in Benin, exhibited in both countries and sold online all year round; each module feeds the next.

Identify - in each region (provinces of the Netherlands, hubs in Benin), a regional coordinator identifies workshops, women artisans first. Pilot regions: Limburg and the Atlantique-Littoral hub.
Train and validate - the artisan immersion introduces the market of the other country; MedA Conseils assigns the membership code that opens registration on the marketplace, and product quality is certified by CIAAC with MedA Conseils.
Exhibit - two Expos answer each other: SIAM AWALÉ in Cotonou and Maakbrug in Heerlen, with ticketing, stands reserved for verified artisans and immersion for artisans from the other country.
Sell - the marketplace, the multicultural shops and the made-to-measure bags sell in the Netherlands and Europe, in euros or CFA francs, delivered by DHL or PostNL.
Connect - our digital services equip SMEs and incubators in both countries, and the diaspora is referred to a licensed provider to send money home.

Our modules and how they work

We open our modules one by one. These are the ones working today: how they work, how the platform is paid and which goals they contribute to.

Artisans' creations (marketplace)

Two families of categories: Creations from Benin (batik, tie-dye, bogolan, weaving, bags) and Creations from the Netherlands (jewellery, ceramics, home décor, stationery…). In Benin, artisans register with their membership code; MedA Conseils checks every product, whose quality CIAAC certifies, prepares descriptions and photos and collects the parcels; NVBB SARL pays the artisans. Each piece shows the name and place of its maker. Payment in CFA francs by Mobile Money (Kkiapay) or in euros by card (Mollie). Remuneration: 15 % of the sale price, 85 % for the artisan. SDGs 5, 8, 10, 12.

Multicultural shops near you

Shops in the Netherlands run by people from Africa, Asia and elsewhere join the network of their province. Each shop shows its country of origin, so visitors know which culture they will discover. Registration in five steps; online sales with free in-store pickup or home delivery organised by us (PostNL, DHL). Remuneration: 15 % of the price of items sold online, 85 % for the shop; nothing on in-store sales. SDGs 8, 10, 17. See the shops

Made-to-measure bags

The artisans' fabrics (batik, tie-dye and others) are not sold on their own: the customer picks a fabric and a model, and the bag is sewn in Heerlen. Only Kente and Kanvô weaves are also sold as fabric. The price is based on fabric, cord and closure, VAT included; the delivery time shown adds up design, collection, packing and shipping. SDGs 8, 12. Create a bag

Expo: SIAM AWALÉ (Cotonou) and Maakbrug (Heerlen)

Each edition brings artisans, visitors and partners together: online tickets (Mobile Money or card), stands reserved for verified artisans, immersion for artisans from the other country, cultural partnership, support for artisans and professional coaching. Remuneration: tickets, stands and support packages, invoiced by us. SDGs 5, 8, 17.

The network of regions

A coordinator per Dutch province or Beninese hub identifies workshops and shops, fills in a scouting form and invites artisans to the immersion. SDGs 5, 17. Our regions

Digital services and support

Websites and online shops, management tools, accessibility checks and the support programme for SMEs, start-ups and incubators (described below). Assignments on quotation, with online appointment booking, by video or on site. SDG 9. Book an appointment

Sending money to Benin

From the Netherlands, we refer you to Remitly, a money transfer provider licensed by the Central Bank of Ireland, to send money to Benin. The transfer takes place at Remitly; we never touch the money you send. Remuneration: a referral commission paid by Remitly, at no extra cost to you. SDG 10. Send money

One cart

Artisans' creations, shop items and made-to-measure bags are paid for in a single payment.

This income funds the development of the platform for the community. The terms of each module are set out in our general terms and conditions.

Our impact levers

Each module serves a specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goal. We will publish our real results edition by edition.

SDG 5 - Gender equality: regional coordinators identify women artisans first; each piece bears the name and place of its maker, and the sale is paid out in her name. For SIAM AWALÉ 2026, the goal is to identify 200 women artisans. Our support programme pays particular attention to women-led businesses, and our texts address women and men artisans alike.
SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth: the marketplace sells all year round, in euros and CFA francs; 85 % of the price goes to the artisan, and shops gain an online sales channel.
SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure: affordable and accessible digital tools for SMEs, start-ups and incubators in both countries.
SDG 10 - Reduced inequalities: artisans from Benin reach the European market; the cultures of the multicultural shops become visible; the diaspora sends money through a licensed provider, with no extra fee from us.
SDG 12 - Responsible consumption and production: handmade pieces, checked at the source, with the workshop of origin shown; fabrics turned into bags to order rather than into stock.
SDG 17 - Partnerships for the goals: two Expos, one in Benin and one in the Netherlands, a coordinator per region and public and private partners on both sides.

The SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015. We contribute to them without affiliation or certification; their names are given for information.

Our MVP support programme

We offer modules that keep recognising the efforts of women and men artisans, through short, practical advisory projects designed to deliver a usable result quickly. Inclusion, sustainability and links with the local ecosystem are part of every project. The programme is organised into four offers.

1. Support SMEs in their digital journey

We help SMEs in all sectors choose and use affordable digital tools that improve sales, control, efficiency and resilience, and make decisions based on reliable data.

Map business processes and set realistic digital priorities.
Introduce accounting, stock management, customer relationship, online sales, payment or cloud tools, and artificial intelligence where it adds real value.
Train staff and support step-by-step implementation.
Use simple dashboards and data for decisions.

In practice: websites and online shops, audits of existing shops, custom management tools, data collection with ODK and KoboToolbox, online payments and shipping, hosting and maintenance.

2. Grow digital businesses

We support SMEs and ICT businesses to grow revenues, run their operations to international standards, manage cyber risks and use customer data and artificial intelligence responsibly. We give particular attention to businesses led by women or young people, and to rural businesses.

Market research and total, serviceable and obtainable market analysis (TAM-SAM-SOM).
Value-based selling, marketing and image building.
Market validation with sector clients.
Climate-friendly, circular and resource-saving digital solutions.
Positioning towards investors and other funding bodies.
Privacy and data handling basics.
Identifying responsible applications of artificial intelligence.
Links with other SMEs, universities and public partners.

3. Artificial intelligence and advanced technology advice for agriculture, health and education

We help identify responsible artificial intelligence and advanced technology solutions that solve a clearly defined operational or service problem. We prioritise affordable solutions, chosen according to user needs, available data, technical feasibility and measurable value.

Assess readiness across data, infrastructure, skills, governance and investment capacity.
Identify sector use cases such as precision farming, clinical decision support or adaptive learning.
Develop the business case, the solution requirements and the criteria for choosing partners or vendors.
Design and test pilots with users, sector experts and local technology firms.
Advise on responsible artificial intelligence, privacy, cybersecurity, bias and sector regulation.
Prepare implementation, funding and scale-up roadmaps, with management training and key performance indicators.

4. Strengthen incubators and start-up support

We help incubators, accelerators and university hubs improve programme quality, mentor networks, governance and financial sustainability. We connect start-ups to sector expertise, real clients and wider business ecosystems, and improve access for women and young people to digital entrepreneurship, skills and markets.

Design mentor networks and train coaches.
Mentor the incubator's management team towards a regional or national programme.
Strengthen operating models, services and revenue options, so the incubator remains viable once its initial grants end.
Track results and build alumni and partner networks.
Connect with SMEs, corporates, universities and public partners in the Netherlands.
Run market validation with sector clients.

Formats: bootcamps, hackathons and workshops.

Students and start-ups: entrepreneurial mindset, business modelling, value proposition, ideation, innovation leadership, pitching, start-up culture, building the founding team, branding.
Incubator teams: managing and financing an incubator, team and ecosystem building, working with policymakers, entrepreneurs and staff, selecting ideas, training trainers and mentors.
University staff: curriculum development, finance infrastructure, ecosystem and local context, intellectual property policy.
Policy and ecosystem: building ecosystems, grant development, monitoring tools, impact measurement.

Our principles

Four principles shape every project:

Social inclusion, with a focus on women and young people.
Environmental sustainability.
Ecosystem thinking: connecting businesses, training, funders and public bodies.
Enabling skills in finance, marketing, operations, business planning and digital skills.

Our partners

MedA Conseils, artisan support and funding search

MedA Conseils is a Beninese consultancy based in Abomey-Calavi, with which we have worked since 2016. Specialised in gender and entrepreneurship, it works closely with the women and men artisans: it validates the artisan and assigns a membership number. With that number, the artisan can register on the marketplace. MedA Conseils provides support on the ground: preparing the product pages and photos, collecting the parcels from the artisan and handing them to the carrier. It also brings multidisciplinary and multisectoral expertise and is our partner in seeking funding for and carrying out projects in Benin.

CIAAC and MedA Conseils, quality certification

Before going online, each handmade product is checked by MedA Conseils and its quality is certified by CIAAC, the Centre International Africain des Arts et de la Créativité. We then publish the piece on nenthol.nl, marked « Certified by CIAAC and MedA Conseils ».