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The startup scene in Belgium
BeCentral describes its Brussels Central Station campus as combining workspace, event space, and entrepreneurship, digital-skills, and innovation programming. It reports that WeAreFounders, ESA BIC Belgium, and SustAIn.brussels supported more than 60 startups in 2025.
About
BeCentral describes its Brussels Central Station campus as combining workspace, event space, and entrepreneurship, digital-skills, and innovation programming. It reports that WeAreFounders, ESA BIC Belgium, and SustAIn.brussels supported more than 60 startups in 2025.
VUB TechTransfer describes Collibra as a Vrije Universiteit Brussel STARLab spin-off commercializing applied semantic-technology research. It dates the company’s founding to 2008 and names Felix Van de Maele, Stijn Christiaens, Pieter de Leenheer, and Damien Trog as its founders.
The 2025 State of Belgian Tech report measures Brussels Region’s share of Belgian tech-startup funding at 38% in 2023, 24% in 2024, and 8% in the first half of 2025. The report attributes the regional slowdown partly to talent recruitment and retention challenges, limited growth-stage funding and exits, fragmented support, regulatory hurdles, and global economic caution.
hub.brussels lists its EuroQuity community as a route for Brussels companies seeking funding and investors, with company profiles and e-pitching sessions. The exact availability of intake was not verified.
This month
On in Brussels this month
11 startup events in the next 30 days, 4 this week, 11 free. The city as a calendar, with the hosts and venues that keep it full.
Today, Saturday, Oct 31
Earth’s greatest enemy - Documentary screening & panel discussion
Fireside Chat · GrowthKills · PianofabriekFreeTuesday, Nov 3
EU KIDS Act: From Rules to Reality
Bump - Policy Experience SpaceFreeWednesday, Nov 4
Silicon, Sovereignty and Safety: Making Sense of the EU's Compute Push (Brussels AGI Collective)
David Timis · Commons Hub BrusselsFreeThursday, Nov 5
DevDay Exchange Community: Brussels
Oleksandr Tsepukh · BeCentralFreeMonday, Nov 9
On the Threshold: AI, the Future of Work and the Rise of Hybrid Labor Markets (Brussels AGI Collective)
David Timis · Commons Hub BrusselsFreeStartup ecosystem standing
Where Brussels ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Listed as | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Global Cities Index (Kearney) | 2016 | Brussels | #12 | No prior edition | B | Competitiveness, Performance, Talent, Business Climate |
 Emerging Ecosystems Ranking (GSER Top 100) | 2026 | Brussels | #20 | No change | C | Ecosystem, Performance, Finance, Talent |
 Global Cities Index (Oxford Economics) | 2026 | Brussels | #25 | No prior edition | B | Performance, Growth, Talent, Competitiveness, Business Climate |
 Global Innovation Index: Innovation Cluster Ranking (formerly Science and Technology Clusters) | 2026 | Brussels–Antwerp | #58 | Down 3 | B | Innovation, Research, Activity |
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (cities) | 2025 | Brussels | #64 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
 Global Financial Centres Index | GFCI 40 | Brussels | #82 | No prior edition | B | Finance, Competitiveness, Business Climate |
81 organizations with a profile
Who's based in Brussels
Investors 53
Investor
InvestorEmpowering Belgian startups with early-stage capital.
InvestorConnecting innovative startups with passionate investors.
The 3 most prominent of 53. Browse all investors
Incubators 14
IncubatorEmpowering early-stage entrepreneurs in Brussels.
IncubatorFostering entrepreneurship in Brussels.
IncubatorSupporting young businesses in Brussels.
The 3 most prominent of 14. Browse all incubators
Accelerators 7
AcceleratorAccelerating microinsurance innovation for low-income markets.
AcceleratorBridging engineering excellence and institutional adoption.
AcceleratorFostering a proactive community of entrepreneurs.
The 3 most prominent of 7. Browse all accelerators
Venture studios 7
Venture studioCatalyzing climate technology ventures.
Venture studioEmpowering early-stage tech founders.
Venture studioTransforming ideas into successful businesses.
The 3 most prominent of 7. Browse all venture studios
Based here, most-ranked first
Universities in Brussels
UniversityListed in 2 rankings
Pick what describes you
Your way in
Raising in Brussels
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Brussels
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Brussels
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingFrom public sources
What the sources say about Brussels
The 2024 report attributes earlier Brussels Region funding-share gains to large rounds by Cowboy, Qover, and itsme while round numbers remained flat.
Source: State of Belgian Tech Report 2024The event page records a June 11, 2026 networking and pitch event at BeCentral with registration closed.
Source: Brussels Founders Nighthub.brussels directs companies and investors to its EuroQuity community and describes company e-pitching.
Source: EuroQuity: fundraising and networking platformThe report links its regional slowdown assessment to talent, growth-stage capital and exits, fragmented support, regulation, and macroeconomic caution.
Source: State of Belgian Tech Report 2025The report’s regional measure shows a falling Brussels share of Belgium’s tech-startup funding in 2023, 2024, and H1 2025.
Source: State of Belgian Tech Report 2025StartupBlink’s October 2026 page gives publisher-defined Brussels ranks and describes its scoring inputs.
Source: Top Startups in Brussels | StartupBlink
Questions about Brussels
How does Brussels rank as a startup ecosystem?
Brussels is #64 of 1,473 in StartupBlink Index (cities) (2025). It appears in 6 published rankings; the table above lists each one.
How many startup investors are based in Brussels?
53 investors based in Brussels have a profile here, including Invest Europe, Syndicate One and BeAngels. The real number is higher.
Are there accelerators or incubators in Brussels?
Yes. Brussels has 7 accelerators, 14 incubators and 7 venture studios on record, including Microinsurance Master, StartLab.Brussels and BXVentures.
Which universities are in Brussels?
One university has a profile: Université libre de Bruxelles.
Geographic proximity
Nearby cities to Brussels
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