Dr. Bert W.M. Twaalfhoven

Founder EFER and Former President of Indivers B.V., co-founder Gilde V.C.

Dr. Twaalfhoven graduated from Fordham University in 1952 with a B.Sc. and Honorary Ph.D. He received his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1954. Dr. Twaalfhoven is former chairman of Harvard Business School Alumni and in 2001 he received the Annual Alumni Award for his activities stimulating entrepreneurship in Europe.

Twaalfhoven started 54 companies in 11 countries including Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Holland, Belgium, England, U.S.A. Singapore and China. Most companies were successful, 17 ventures failed.

EFER is a Foundation to stimulate growth of European Gazelles and teaching + case research of European entrepreneurship. 323 Professors from 155 European universities in 41 European countries were sponsored and attended a one-week program at Cambridge (2001), Harvard Business School (2005-2008) and Maastricht University (2009, co-sponsored by the Dutch government). In 2010, 2011 and 2012 the EU will co-sponsor this one-week program with EFER.