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The startup scene in Belgium
Leuven, Belgium, had a reported population of 105,233 across five submunicipalities as of January 1, 2026.
About
Leuven, Belgium, had a reported population of 105,233 across five submunicipalities as of January 1, 2026.
KU Leuven reports more than 180 spin-offs cumulatively; this figure is not a count of current companies in Leuven. The Gemma Frisius Fund provides seed capital to KU Leuven spin-offs.
KU Leuven DistriNet documents CoMoveIT as a 2021 KU Leuven spin-off focused on assistive mobility, Intigriti as a 2016 spin-off in crowdsourced cybersecurity with a reported global team of more than 100, Inmanta as a 2016 spin-off focused on service orchestration for telecom and network services, and VersaSense as a 2016 spin-off focused on industrial IoT and wireless sensor networks.
On April 13, 2026, imec.istart announced a €100,000 convertible loan agreement for startups joining its Belgium program through selection. The operator reported supporting more than 370 startups and more than €1.2 billion in follow-on funding over the prior decade, as reported in April 2026.
Startup ecosystem standing
Where Leuven ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (cities) | 2025 | #269 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
9 organizations with a profile
Who's based in Leuven
Investors 6
Investor
InvestorInvesting in innovative life sciences companies.
InvestorInvesting in sustainable agriculture and food innovation.
The 3 most prominent of 6. Browse all investors
Incubators 2
IncubatorSupporting entrepreneurial activities through innovation and technology.
IncubatorInnovation that rocks.
Accelerators 1
AcceleratorEmpowering student entrepreneurs in Leuven.
Based here, most-ranked first
Universities in Leuven
UniversityListed in 7 rankings
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Your way in
Raising in Leuven
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Leuven
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Leuven
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingFrom public sources
What the sources say about Leuven
DistriNet documents VersaSense's industrial-IoT sector and university lineage.
Source: Industry networkDistriNet describes Inmanta's service orchestration product and university origin.
Source: Industry networkDistriNet reports Intigriti's 2016 university spin-off origin and global team size.
Source: Industry networkDistriNet documents CoMoveIT's university lineage and assistive-mobility focus.
Source: Industry networkimec.istart reports cumulative operator-side program outcomes.
Source: Introducing: the new imec.istart Belgium €100K dealimec.istart announced a €100,000 CLA for startups joining its Belgium program.
Source: Introducing: the new imec.istart Belgium €100K deal
Questions about Leuven
How does Leuven rank as a startup ecosystem?
Its best position is #269 in StartupBlink Index (cities) (2025).
How many startup investors are based in Leuven?
6 investors based in Leuven have a profile here, including imec.xpand, FundPlus and Agri Investment Fund. The real number is higher.
Are there accelerators or incubators in Leuven?
Yes. Leuven has 1 accelerator and 2 incubators on record, including The Barn accelerator and Innovation and Incubation Centre KU Leuven.
Which universities are in Leuven?
One university has a profile: KU Leuven.
Geographic proximity
Nearby cities to Leuven
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