Startups.be

Startups.be
Name	Startups.be
Type	Non-profit association
Founded	2010
Headquarters	Brussels, Belgium
Region served	Belgium, European Union

Startups.be is a Belgian startup association and advisory hub that connects entrepreneurs, investors, incubators, and policy actors across Belgium and the European Union. Founded in 2010, the organization positions itself at the intersection of entrepreneurship support, venture development, and public-private collaboration, engaging with a wide range of actors from European Commission programs to regional innovation clusters. It operates through events, mentoring, matchmaking, and advocacy, interfacing with actors such as Tech.eu, Silicon Valley Bank, European Investment Bank, EIT Digital, and national institutions.

History

Startups.be emerged amid post-2008 recovery initiatives in Belgium that included actors such as Agoria, Federation of Enterprises in Belgium, VLAIO, and regional development agencies. Early partners included incubators like Imec, BlueChem, and Leuven MindGate, as well as accelerators such as Backstage Capital and MassChallenge which shaped a European acceleration ecosystem. Over the 2010s the association engaged with campaigns linked to Digital Agenda for Europe, Horizon 2020, and national startup programs promoted by political figures in Brussels and Wallonia. The organization expanded its network through collaborations with international hubs like Station F, Canary Wharf Group, and research institutions including KU Leuven and Université catholique de Louvain.

Mission and activities

The stated mission focuses on lowering barriers for founders and scaling Belgian startups into international markets via partnerships with actors like European Startup Network, Startup Europe and Invest in Flanders. Activities include advocacy at venues such as European Parliament, public-private dialogues with bodies like OECD delegations, and operational support linked to programs run by European Institute of Innovation and Technology nodes. Startups.be works with corporate partners including Proximus, Solvay, and KBC Group to develop pilot projects, open innovation challenges, and strategic procurement opportunities for startups. It has convened events with speakers associated with TechCrunch, The Economist, and Wired.

Membership and network

Membership spans entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capital firms like Balderton Capital, Atomico, and Seedcamp, incubators, coworking spaces and university spin-offs from Ghent University and Université Libre de Bruxelles. The network draws on connections to accelerators such as Y Combinator alumni founders, European accelerators including Startupbootcamp, and investor networks like European Business Angels Network. Public partners have included regional development agencies such as Walloon Export and Foreign Investment Agency and municipal innovation offices in cities like Antwerp, Ghent, and Liège. The association maintains liaison with legal and financial service providers referenced in matters similar to engagements with Deloitte, PwC, and law firms active in venture finance.

Programs and services

Programs include mentorship schemes, investor matchmaking, pitch coaching, and access to growth metrics tools similar to ones used by CB Insights and Crunchbase. Startups.be ran acceleration-themed events that paralleled formats seen at Web Summit and Slush, and organized delegation trips influenced by bilateral initiatives with hubs such as Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, and Berlin Startup Scene. Services provided to members have involved tax and incorporation guidance referencing frameworks akin to Belgian tax incentives and regional R&D support from agencies like Flanders Investment & Trade. Training offerings have featured curricula comparable to programs at INSEAD, London Business School, and MIT entrepreneurship centers, adapted to Belgian regulatory contexts engaging with entities like FPS Economy and local chambers of commerce.

Governance and funding

Governance has traditionally combined a board of representatives from startup founders, corporate partners, and investor delegates, modeled on governance practices seen in associations such as TechUK and StartupAmsterdam. Funding mixes membership fees, sponsorships from corporations such as Procter & Gamble (partners in open innovation elsewhere), event revenues, and grants from European instruments like Horizon Europe and regional funds administered through authorities such as SPW économie. Collaborative projects with universities and research centers have attracted project-based funding similar to consortium grants involving EUREKA and Interreg frameworks.

Impact and recognition

Startups.be has been credited with contributing to Belgium's startup visibility alongside campaigns and rankings by media outlets and organizations including Financial Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, and research compendia used by World Bank and OECD. The association facilitated introductions that supported seed and Series A rounds with investors linked to networks such as 500 Startups and AngelList, and supported startups that later featured in listings by LinkedIn and TechCrunch. Recognition came in forms similar to civic awards for entrepreneurship promotion and invitations to policy roundtables held by European Commission directorates and national ministries in Brussels and regional capitals. Its role in ecosystem-building is reflected through partnerships with accelerators, universities, investors, and municipal innovation programs across Belgium and the European Union.

Category:Organisations based in Brussels Category:Business organizations