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The startup scene across Belgium
Where startups are forming across Belgium: the cities, accelerators and investors, and how you get close to them.
The ecosystem
The European Commission classifies Belgium as a Strong Innovator in the 2025 European Innovation Scoreboard, with a score of 122.6 on an EU=100 scale. Belgium has three regions, and the Commission describes them as having significant authority over research and innovation policy and funding.
Belgian R&D intensity reached 3.36% of GDP in 2024. The Commission also reports that Belgian businesses are predominantly micro-firms, with businesses employing zero to nine people accounting for 95.9%.
Sectors and strengths
The 2025 Scoreboard reports Belgian SME innovation activity well above the EU average and ranks Belgium second on both innovator indicators. Employment in innovative enterprises is 157.1% of the EU average, while sales of new-to-market and new-to-firm innovations are 83.1% of the EU average, indicating a contrast between strong innovation activity and comparatively lower sales on that measure.
As of . Official information. Source: European Innovation Scoreboard 2025 – Country profile Belgium
Flanders has an industrial employment share above the Belgian average, and the Commission identifies imec as an inter-university research center working closely with industry. Flanders' 2021–2027 smart-specialization strategy includes sustainable chemistry, smart manufacturing, health, and cleantech among ten domains.
As of . Official information. Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2025 – Regional profile Belgium
Brussels-Capital's 2021–2027 strategy includes climate, mobility, and health challenges, and identifies the circular economy and digital technology as strategic domains. Wallonia's strategy names circular materials, health, agile and safe production, sustainable energy and habitats, and future agro-food chains among five priority domains.
As of . Official information. Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2025 – Regional profile Belgium
Hubs and regional differences
In the 2025 Regional Innovation Scoreboard, Brussels-Capital is an Innovation Leader with a score of 128 and rank 30; Flanders is an Innovation Leader with a score of 127.9 and rank 31. Wallonia is a Strong Innovator+ with a score of 108.7 and rank 78. These are regional innovation-system measures, not startup rankings.
As of . Official information. Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2025 – Regional profile Belgium
The Commission identifies Brabant Wallon as a high-performing Walloon area linked to UCLouvain, research-intensive enterprises, and spin-offs. Wallonia's regional innovation score gained 12.3 points between 2018 and 2025, while the Commission reports slight performance reversals in Flanders and Wallonia between 2023 and 2025.
As of . Official information. Source: Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2025 – Regional profile Belgium
For founders
Check regional fit early: Brussels-Capital, Flanders, and Wallonia have distinct innovation strategies and regional authorities over research and innovation funding. The Commission also reports administrative interaction challenges among Belgian businesses, so founders may want to verify permit routes and relevant regional platforms for their location and activity.
As of . Official information. Source: Belgium, a federal state; Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2025 – Regional profile Belgium; 2026 Country Report - Belgium: Commission Staff Working Document
For investors
The 2025 innovation indicators point to high activity and employment in innovative enterprises, but lower-than-EU-average sales on the Commission's new-innovation measure. Investors assessing commercialization may distinguish research and innovation inputs from evidence of market adoption and sales.
As of . Official information. Source: European Innovation Scoreboard 2025 – Country profile Belgium
Constraints and recent changes
The Commission says strong research and innovation performance has not translated into sustained productivity gains because innovation diffusion is low. It reports that 56% of businesses face challenges interacting with public administration, and 40% report higher operating costs linked to those challenges, compared with 30% across the EU.
As of . Official information. Source: 2026 Country Report - Belgium: Commission Staff Working Document
Belgium has no national online one-stop shop for permits, although the Commission notes that some regions have digital platforms. Public support for business R&D is reported at 0.36% of GDP, including 0.23% of GDP attributed to business R&D tax incentives.
As of . Official information. Source: 2026 Country Report - Belgium: Commission Staff Working Document
Startup ecosystem standing
Where Belgium ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bloomberg Innovation Index | 2019 | #13 | Up 6 | B | Innovation, Research |
 Global Innovation Index | 2025 | #21 | Up 3 | A | Innovation, Competitiveness, Research, Talent |
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (countries) | 2025 | #23 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking | 2026 | #32 | Down 14 | B | Competitiveness, Business Climate, Performance |
 Doing Business (Ease of Doing Business ranking) | Doing Business 2020 | #46 | Down 1 | B | Business Climate |
338 organizations with a profile
Who's based in Belgium
Investors 205
Investor
InvestorEmpowering Belgian startups with early-stage capital.
InvestorYour partner in corporate finance and capital markets.
The 3 most prominent of 205. Browse all investors
Incubators 66
IncubatorEmpowering early-stage entrepreneurs in Brussels.
IncubatorEmpowering underserved communities through technology and education.
IncubatorSupporting young entrepreneurs in Belgium.
The 3 most prominent of 66. Browse all incubators
Accelerators 34
AcceleratorSupporting entrepreneurs through investment and services.
AcceleratorAccelerating sports tech innovation in Belgium.
AcceleratorAccelerating biotech innovations for a sustainable future.
The 3 most prominent of 34. Browse all accelerators
Venture studios 33
Venture studioVenture innovation studio shaping the future.
Venture studioBuilding and scaling new business ventures.
Venture studioEmpowering first-time founders in Deep Tech & AI.
The 3 most prominent of 33. Browse all venture studios
Based here, most-ranked first
Universities in Belgium
UniversityListed in 7 rankings
UniversityListed in 3 rankings
UniversityListed in 2 rankings
UniversityListed in 1 ranking
Pick what describes you
Your way in
Raising in Belgium
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Belgium
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Belgium
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingCity guides
Cities in Belgium
The largest 4 of 9 published city guides.
Questions about Belgium
How does Belgium rank as a startup ecosystem?
Its best position is #13 in Bloomberg Innovation Index (2019). It appears in 5 published rankings; the table above lists each one.
How many startup investors are based in Belgium?
205 investors based in Belgium have a profile here, including Invest Europe, Syndicate One and KBC Securities. The real number is higher.
Are there accelerators or incubators in Belgium?
Yes. Belgium has 34 accelerators, 66 incubators and 33 venture studios on record, including UC Inova Accelerator Entrepreneurs, StartLab.Brussels and Vivero.
Which universities are in Belgium?
4 universities have a profile: KU Leuven, Ghent University and Université libre de Bruxelles and more.
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