Belgium's startup ecosystem is steadily growing, with Brussels and Antwerp being key hubs for innovation. As of 2023, Belgium is home to around 1,500 startups. The Belgian government supports entrepreneurship through initiatives like Startup Belgium and the Digital Belgium plan, which provide funding, resources, and mentorship for startups.
Size of the Market
In 2022, Belgian startups raised approximately €800 million in venture capital. The growth of the market is evident in the increasing number of startups and the rise in venture capital investments, indicating a vibrant and dynamic startup ecosystem.
Key Strengths
Strengths of the Belgian market include a highly educated workforce, a strategic location in Europe, and a strong focus on innovation. These elements create a fertile environment for startups to thrive and attract investment.
Major Hubs
Brussels is known for its strengths in fintech, healthtech, and smart cities, attracting significant investments and producing notable startups like Collibra and Showpad. The city serves as a central hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in Belgium.
Emerging Hubs
Antwerp has a growing tech scene with strengths in logistics and creative industries. The city's emergence as a tech hub is supported by its strategic location and innovative culture, fostering new opportunities for startups.
Support Systems
The Belgian startup ecosystem benefits from a strong network of incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces, providing support and resources for entrepreneurs. Initiatives like Start it @KBC and imec have significantly boosted the ecosystem by offering mentorship, resources, and international exposure.
Challenges
Challenges include high living costs and regulatory complexities. These factors can pose barriers to entry and growth for startups, but ongoing reforms and support systems aim to address these issues.
Opportunities and Future Outlook
Belgium is making significant strides in innovation and entrepreneurship, with substantial growth opportunities driven by continuous investment and technological advancement. The future outlook is positive, with expectations of further development and international expansion.
Resilience and Adaptability
Belgium's strategic location in the heart of Europe and its role as a hub for international organizations provide startups with ample opportunities for regional and international expansion. The country's strong emphasis on sustainability and green technology is driving innovation in sectors such as renewable energy and environmental technologies.
Conclusion
Belgium's pro-business policies and robust infrastructure make it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors. As Belgium continues to invest in its startup ecosystem, it is poised for further growth and development, contributing significantly to the European and global markets.
How to connect with Angel Investors in Belgium?
Overview
Belgium's investment landscape for startups is robust, characterized by a blend of top angel investors and leading venture capital firms. These entities play a pivotal role in nurturing the country's burgeoning startup ecosystem, providing not just financial backing but also strategic support and mentorship to emerging businesses.
Top Angel Investors
Angel investors in Belgium are crucial to the startup ecosystem, offering early-stage funding and guidance. Prominent figures include Michel Akkermans, who has invested in fintech and healthtech startups, and Jurgen Ingels, known for his investments in tech and innovation. These investors typically focus on seed and early-stage investments, helping startups to develop their products and scale their operations.
Leading Venture Capital Firms
Belgium boasts several leading venture capital firms such as Volta Ventures, Fortino Capital, and Hummingbird Ventures. These firms invest in a range of sectors including technology, fintech, healthtech, and green energy. They provide substantial funding and support to help startups grow, often participating in multiple rounds of investment to ensure sustained growth and market penetration.
Investment Size and Scope
Belgian venture capital firms and angel investors have significantly increased their investment sizes over the years. In 2022, Belgian startups raised approximately €800 million in venture capital, reflecting the growing confidence in the startup ecosystem. Investments typically range from €100,000 in early-stage funding to several million euros in later stages, depending on the startup's growth potential and market scope.
Number of Investments
The number of investments in Belgian startups has been on the rise, with a steady increase in both the volume and value of deals. Major VC firms and angel investors have been actively involved in numerous funding rounds, supporting a diverse range of startups across different sectors. This growing trend underscores the dynamism and potential of the Belgian startup ecosystem.
Future Outlook of the Investment Market
The future outlook for Belgium's investment market is optimistic. With continuous advancements in technology and a strong emphasis on innovation, the investment landscape is expected to grow further. Emerging sectors like artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and biotech are anticipated to attract significant investments, driving the next wave of startup success in Belgium.
Support and Mentorship
Support and mentorship are integral to the success of Belgian startups. Leading VC firms and angel investors often provide strategic guidance, operational support, and access to extensive networks. Initiatives like Start it @KBC and imec offer structured mentorship programs, helping startups navigate challenges and accelerate their growth. This comprehensive support system enhances the overall sustainability and success rate of startups.
Conclusion
Belgium's startup ecosystem is poised for continued growth, fueled by the active participation of top angel investors and leading venture capital firms. With increasing investment sizes, a rising number of investments, and a supportive environment, the future looks promising for Belgian startups. The synergistic efforts of investors and support systems are set to propel Belgium to the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe.
Case Studies: Successful Funding Rounds with Angel Investors on Angels Partners
We found 428 Angel Investors in Belgium on Angels Partners
Shaun Abrahamson
Investing in PropTech • Hardware (& Manufact...
Los Angeles - California, U.S.A. - Germany - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Icela
Previous Investments
• CrowdTwist:
$20000
• Hades:
$1900000 (Seed Round)
• Radiator Labs:
$2400000 (Seed Round)
• Radiator Labs:
$300000 (Pre Seed Round)
• Radiator Labs:
$220000 (Pre Seed Round)
• Arbor:
$2600000 (Seed Round)
• ChargeLab:
$15000000 (Series A)
• ChargeLab:
$4000000 (Seed)
• ChargeLab:
$1000000 (Pre Seed)
• Covetool:
$30000000 (Series B)
• Covetool:
$800000 (Seed)
• Electric Visionary Aircrafts:
(Convertible Note)
• Electric Visionary Aircrafts:
(Seed)
• HAAS Alert:
$5000000 (Seed)
• HAAS Alert:
$1000000 (Seed)
• Partsimony:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Oonee:
(Pre Seed)
• Pallon (fka Hades):
$2000000 (Seed)
• Aquagenuity:
(Pre Seed)
• FIRMUS:
(Pre Seed)
• FIRMUS:
(Convertible Note)
• Metalmark Innovations:
(Pre Seed)
• CoInspect:
$150000 (Seed)
• CoInspect:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Hubbster:
(Seed)
• Evolve Energy:
(Pre Seed)
• Kift:
(Convertible Note)
• Food for All:
$700000 (Seed)
• Flair:
$810000 (Seed)
• Flair:
$300000 (Convertible Note)
• Flair:
$230000 (Convertible Note)
• Flair:
$330000 (Seed)
• Flair:
$130000 (Convertible Note)
• GreenQ:
(Convertible Note)
• Thrilling:
(Angel)
• RoadBotics by Michelin:
$4000000 (Seed)
• RoadBotics by Michelin:
(Seed)
• Coord:
$5000000 (Series A)
• Blueprint Power:
$4000000 (Series A)
• Miles:
$4000000 (Seed)
• Rentlogic:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Rentlogic:
(Series Unknown)
• Campsyte:
$100000 (Seed)
• VERSATILE:
$1000000 (Seed)
• Bowery Farming:
$8000000 (Seed)
• Citymart:
$750000 (Seed)
• Citymart:
(Seed)
• Kelvin:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Kelvin:
$300000 (Pre Seed)
• Kelvin:
$220000 (Pre Seed)
• BlocPower:
$200000 (Pre Seed)
• BlocPower:
$600000 (Pre Seed)
• Rachio:
$7000000 (Series A)
• Rachio:
$500000 (Convertible Note)
• Rachio:
$700000 (Convertible Note)
• Future Motion:
(Series A)
• Architizer:
(Series A)
• Architizer:
(Convertible Note)
• Mark43:
$11000000 (Series A)
• LogCheck:
(Seed)
• Valet Anywhere (VA):
$1000000 (Seed)
• Valet Anywhere (VA):
(Convertible Note)
• Revivn:
(Seed)
• BRCK:
$1000000 (Seed)
• BikeSpike:
(Convertible Note)
• Skycatch:
$3000000 (Convertible Note)
• Dash:
$1000000 (Seed)
• KIWI:
(Convertible Note)
Shaun Abrahamson
Los Angeles - California, U.S.A. - Germany - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Icela
Investing In
PropTech • Hardware (& Manufacturing) • Energy • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • Robotics • Real Estate (& Construction) • DeepTech • Mobility • Woman Focused
Description
Most Interested In
We're interested in teams re-imagining cities in 3 areas - GHG reduction, climate adaptation and solving problems associated with high density (like traffic or public safety).
Cities are complex, so founders continue inspire and amaze us by identifying new systemic issues and solutions. If you're re-imagining city life, we'd love to hear from you.
Not Interested In
We don't invest in edtech or healthtech. Certainly not a vote on whether we want to see these categories succeed, we just think they need additional focus/skills which we don't have. That said public health is a growing area of interesting.
Shaun Abrahamson is a Founder and serves as Managing Partner at Urban Us. Shaun is a Member of the Investment Committee, and he leads investment selection and communications with portfolio companies, members of the Network, and limited partners in Fund II. Before founding Fund I, Shaun was an active angel investor, investing in more than 20 firms between 2007 and 2013 in his personal capacity. Early-stage investing and advising is informed by his experiences building MediaSentry (acquired by SafeNet in 2005), Starmedia Network (acquired by France Telecom) and Oculus Technologies (MIT CADLab spin-out). In 1999, he was an early employee at govWorks, one of the earliest startups focused on serving local government. govWorks was ahead of the market and failed during the dot-com bust, becoming the subject of the documentary Startup.com in 2001. Shaun has written for organizations such as The Economist Intelligence Unit, The Huffington Post, and CNNMoney. Crowdstorm, published by Wiley, was his first book and is a guide to working with large online crowds to find and evaluate ideas. The book is based on Shaun's experience working with Starbucks, Omnicom Group, $300 House, and Life Edited. Shaun has an MSc from MIT; an MBA from the Berlin School of Creative Leadership; and a BSc from the University of Cape Town. He is also an Angel Investor.
Christopher Dean
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
Boston - Massachusetts, U.S.A. - Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Previous Investments
• ShipMonk:
$290000000 (Private Equity)
• Brooklinen:
$50000000 (Series B)
• AceUp:
$650000 (Pre Seed)
• SidelineSwap:
$2000000 (Seed)
• SidelineSwap:
$2000000 (Seed)
Christopher Dean
Boston - Massachusetts, U.S.A. - Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Vice President, Media & Entertainment, Salesforce Industries at Salesforce
Chief Strategy Officer and Head of BD, @skype (11/08-06/11)
25 years of Consumer, Tech and Finance start-up experience
Kellogg MBA '93, Vassar BA Econ '86
Marek Olszewski
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
San Francisco Bay Area, Germany - U.S.A. - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Icela
Previous Investments
• CodeFights:
$2500000 (Seed Round)
• Capsule Wallets:
(Seed)
• Remox:
(Pre Seed)
• Numoen:
$1000000 (Seed)
• CyberBox:
$150000 (Seed)
• impactMarket:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Paychant:
$400000 (Pre Seed)
• Ari Swap:
$700000 (Pre Seed)
• Payourse:
$600000 (Pre Seed)
• Coinprofile:
$600000 (Pre Seed)
• Netra:
$500000 (Convertible Note)
• CodeSignal:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Accion Systems:
$2000000 (Seed)
Marek Olszewski
San Francisco Bay Area, Germany - U.S.A. - Europe: Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Slovakia, Norway, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Icela
Dr. Marek Olszewski is a Co-Founder of Celo. He is a Co-Founder and served as the Chief Technology Officer at Locu. Prior to Locu, Marek was a senior PhD candidate at MIT CSAIL. He is a Facebook Fellow and the recipient of the J. Edgar McAllister Fellowship. He has prior work experience at a number of technology companies including Google, Microsoft (Research) and Sun (Labs). He is also an angel investor.
Brian Caulfield
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
San Francisco Bay Area, Israel - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Previous Investments
• TetaVi:
$20000000 (Series A)
• SaNOtize:
$24000000 (Series B)
• Sotero:
$8000000 (Seed)
• MAOLAC:
$3000000 (Seed)
• BioLumic:
$14000000 (Series B)
• Mermade Seafoods:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Oriient:
$11000000 (Series A)
• Sequentify:
$7000000 (Seed)
• Rewire:
$25000000 (Series Unknown)
• Rewire:
$20000000 (Series B)
• JumpCloud:
$66000000 (Series F)
• Zippin:
$30000000 (Series B)
• Yoom:
$20000000 (Series A)
• MaterialsZone:
$6000000 (Series A)
• Edgybees:
$10000000 (Series A)
• OncoHost:
$8000000 (Series B)
• Superpedestrian:
$60000000 (Series Unknown)
• MigVax:
$12000000 (Series Unknown)
• MedAware:
$8000000 (Series A)
• MedAware:
$1000000 (Convertible Note)
• MedAware:
$1000000 (Series Unknown)
• Wave:
$10000000 (Series C)
• Peer39:
$500000 (Seed)
• Answers Corporation:
$1000000 (Series B)
Jonathan Medved
San Francisco Bay Area, Israel - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Michael Brehm is a Co-Founder at Rebate Networks. Brehm is a Co-Founder and serves as Partner at Redstone Digital. Prior to this he was Executive Director of studiVZ, at the time Germany's largest social network. Before starting in the technology sector he began his career at Merrill Lynch in the M&A division. He obtained his Business degree from WHU (Germany) and EGADE (Mexico) and also studied at CEIBS (China) where he learned Mandarin. Alongside being a Partner at Redstone Michael is an active angel investor in more than 20 companies like: Kreditech, Atheneum Partners or Inventorum.
: Germany France Italy Spain Poland Romania Netherlands Belgium Czech Republic Greece Portugal Sweden Hungary Austria Switzerland Denmark Finland Slovakia Norway Ireland Luxembourg Malta Iceland Monaco, U.S.A.
Principal at Lunar Ventures - DeepTech VC Investor
Todd Goldberg
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
San Francisco Bay Area, U.S.A. - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Previous Investments
• Command E:
$4300000 (Seed)
• Pitch:
$30000000 (Series B)
• Mercury:
$20000000 (Series A)
• CityFurnish.com:
$5000000 (Series A)
• Clearbit:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Zed Industries:
$13000000 (Series A)
• Bubbles:
$9000000 (Seed)
• PetsApp:
$4000000 (Seed)
• ScienceIO:
$8000000 (Seed)
• Syndicate:
$20000000 (Series A)
• Syndicate:
$800000 (Seed)
• Verifiable:
$17000000 (Series A)
• NexHealth:
$31000000 (Series B)
• Eight Sleep:
(Angel)
• Simplified:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Placer.ai:
$50000000 (Series B)
• Mem:
$6000000 (Seed)
• Doppler:
$7000000 (Series Unknown)
• Descript:
$30000000 (Series B)
• OpenPhone:
$14000000 (Series A)
Todd Goldberg
San Francisco Bay Area, U.S.A. - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
I love creating something from nothing.
Health and Wellness
Productivity
Previously founded @eventjoy (Acq. by @ticketmaster). Y Combinator Alum. Product fanatic.
Immad Akhund
Investing in Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) &b...
San Francisco Bay Are..., U.S.A. - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Previous Investments
• Porter:
$2000000 (Seed Round)
• Ocho:
$4500000 (Seed Round)
• Rain Industries:
$10000000 (Seed)
• Proof of Play:
$33000000 (Seed)
• Linear:
$35000000 (Series B)
• Lantern:
$7000000 (Seed)
• Browse AI:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Parabola:
$24000000 (Series B)
• Honey Homes:
$9000000 (Series A)
• Openlayer:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Finta:
$2000000 (Seed)
• T2:
$1000000 (Seed)
• Craftwork:
$4000000 (Pre Seed)
• Carry:
$5000000 (Seed)
• PriceOye:
$8000000 (Seed)
• Latitud:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Greether:
(Seed)
• Repool:
$4000000 (Seed)
• Topship:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Owner:
$15000000 (Series A)
• Fathom:
$7000000 (Seed)
• HUBUC:
$10000000 (Seed)
• Stonks:
$15000000 (Seed)
• Stack Wealth:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Jupe:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Racket.com:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Udhaar Book:
$6000000 (Seed)
• Zero Hash:
$35000000 (Series C)
• Prospa:
$4000000 (Pre Seed)
• Jeeves:
$57000000 (Series B)
• Anzen:
(Seed)
• Acquire.com:
$6000000 (Seed)
• TAG:
$6000000 (Pre Seed)
• Educative:
$12000000 (Series A)
• Bego:
$14000000 (Seed)
• Albedo:
$10000000 (Seed)
• Lendflow:
$3000000 (Seed)
• TRACTIAN:
$500000 (Pre Seed)
• Vitable Health:
$2000000 (Pre Seed)
• Walnut:
$3000000 (Seed)
• PopSQL:
$3400000 (Seed Round)
• PopSQL:
$3000000 (Seed)
• AtoB:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Mesh:
(Seed)
• Rad AI:
$8000000 (Seed)
• Routable:
$12000000 (Series A)
• UTVATE:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Prelay:
(Pre Seed)
• Demodesk:
$2300000 (Seed Round)
• Demodesk:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Naborly:
$8000000 (Seed)
• Pair Team:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Golden:
$5000000 (Seed)
• Pronto:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Jerry:
$9000000 (Series A)
• Fazz:
$21000000 (Series A)
• Etleap:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Haiku:
$3000000 (Seed)
• Scotty Labs:
$6000000 (Seed)
• Proof:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Atrium LTS:
$11000000 (Series A)
• Fibo:
$2000000 (Seed)
• Terminal49:
$2000000 (Seed)
• DocTalk:
(Seed)
• Starcity:
$4000000 (Seed)
• Iris Automation:
(Seed)
• Marble:
(Seed)
Immad Akhund
San Francisco Bay Area - California, U.S.A. - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Social Venture Investor, Tech Executive & Leadership Mentor
Albert Lee
Investing in FinTech (& Financials services) &bul...
San Carlos California, U.S.A. - South Korea - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Previous Investments
• Profusa:
$45000000 (Later stage VC)
• Ongo (Software Development Applications):
$2550000 (Seed Round)
• Expo (Human Capital Services):
$2400000 (Seed Round)
• Sock Finance:
$2800000 (Seed Round)
• Revery:
$2000000 (Pre Seed Round)
• SwingVision:
$2500000 (Seed Round)
• Exer Labs:
$2000000 (Seed Round)
• Reflective:
$1300000 (Seed Round)
• Lex:
$1500000 (Pre Seed Round)
• Pepper:
$2000000 (Seed Round)
• Juked:
$800000 (Pre Seed Round)
• Tinkergarten:
$5400000 (Series A)
• Tinkergarten:
$1200000 (Seed Round)
Albert Lee
San Carlos California, U.S.A. - South Korea - Global: U.S.A., Australia, Canada, Germany, U.K., Israel, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, Iceland
Software (Web Marketplace Saas..) • BioTech • AgroTech • Energy • CleanTech • A.I. (& Big Data) • HealthTech (& Fitness) • Impact • Material Science • Robotics
Description
Most Interested In
I'm most interested in companies building deep core technologies to solve complex challenges in human health and planetary resiliency. I'm particularly drawn towards data-driven companies, and I focus heavily on those innovating at the intersection of data science and life science. I'm intrigued by the possibilities of using robotics, automation, miniaturization, and new high-throughput techniques to rapidly generate novel and actionable insights for users.
Not Interested In
I generally do not invest companies that lack a clear and defensible core technology.
+428
