The startup ecosystem in Belgium may be very mature, indicators are the growing dimension of funding rounds, rising worldwide investor participation, and frequent unicorns. A powerful help community of incubators, accelerators, and enterprise funds bolsters this development. Entrepreneurs are reinvesting within the ecosystem, making a cycle of success that draws new expertise and funding.
In 2024 the “State of Belgian Tech Report 2024” revealed that Belgium was on monitor to interrupt funding information, with the primary half of the yr already surpassing earlier totals. The surge in funding rounds, fueled by bigger common deal sizes, highlighted rising investor confidence. A standout achievement for Belgium was its dominance in AI funding, securing 70% of all capital raised, establishing the nation as a frontrunner within the quickly advancing area of Synthetic Intelligence.
With such a dynamic and quickly evolving startup ecosystem, Belgium is positioning itself as a main vacation spot for innovation and funding. As we glance forward, Belgium is dwelling to thrilling and high-potential startups. Listed here are 10 standout Belgian startups to look at in 2025.
AstriVax: Based in 2022, AstriVax focuses on growing modern DNA-based vaccines, significantly concentrating on ailments reminiscent of Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Their method is exclusive, utilizing engineered viruses to spice up the immune system’s response. AstriVax seeks to enhance vaccination efficacy and handle worldwide vaccine accessibility by utilizing its platform, particularly in gentle of adjusting well being points, significantly within the face of evolving well being challenges. The biotech startup headquartered in Heverlee has secured €35.5 million to advance its medical trials and medical expertise.
Axithra: Genk-based, Axithra targeted on bettering affected person care by enabling speedy drug monitoring, particularly measuring beta-lactam antibiotic concentrations in blood. This permits medical doctors to personalise therapy plans, making certain antibiotics work successfully and safely. Based as a spin-off from Ghent College and IMEC, the startup was launched in 2023 and raised €10 million to advance its expertise.
Donna: Brussels-based, Donna is a digital gross sales assistant, empowering gross sales groups by managing and changing leads routinely. The AI-driven platform assists gross sales reps earlier than, throughout, and after each gross sales interplay by offering deal intelligence, pipeline administration, and actionable insights to shut extra offers. Donna additionally integrates with numerous CRM techniques, enabling gross sales groups to streamline workflows, save time, and enhance effectivity. Based in 2023, the modern startup has efficiently secured €1.5 million to reinforce info expertise.
PANTERA: This pioneering biotechnology startup, based in 2022 and primarily based in Mol, specialises in producing actinium-225 (Ac-225), a vital radioisotope for focused most cancers therapies. With €134 million in funding, the corporate is devoted to scaling the manufacturing of Ac-225 to make modern most cancers therapies extra accessible. By specializing in analysis and growth, PANTERA goals to revolutionise most cancers care with therapies that goal to be extra exact and efficient, than conventional therapies, in the end bettering affected person outcomes and advancing the sphere of nuclear drugs.
Powernaut: Based in 2024 and primarily based in Ghent, this modern startup has developed a cutting-edge platform referred to as the “Digital Energy Plant.” The platform allows vitality suppliers to seamlessly combine decentralized vitality techniques, reminiscent of photo voltaic panels and batteries, right into a unified community. By connecting these techniques, ensures they work collectively effectively to handle vitality use and promote additional vitality to the market.
This streamlined method simplifies the complexity of integrating renewable vitality techniques whereas maximising their worth. With €2.4 million in funding, the startup is well-positioned to problem the best way renewable vitality is managed and traded, contributing to a extra sustainable and versatile energy grid.
Protealis: Ghent-based Protealis specialises in growing seed applied sciences to help sustainable agriculture for soy and yellow peas tailor-made for European climates. By using superior “velocity breeding” strategies to speed up the event of high-yielding, the startup empowers native farmers with sustainable options to conventional protein sources. This reduces reliance on imports, minimises environmental impression, and permits Protealis to reply swiftly to market calls for and agricultural challenges. Based in 2021, the startup has efficiently raised €40.6 million to proceed contributing to carbon sequestration, soil well being, and discount of fertiliser use.
Swave Photonics: This semiconductor startup funded in 2021, creates holographic prolonged actuality chips. These holographic chips allow the creation of immersive environments the place customers can work together with digital content material in new methods. Swave allows true holographic AR experiences in compact, snug glasses. This innovation permits for pure 3D visualisation, successfully mixing digital content material with the person’s atmosphere. This Leuven-based startup has efficiently obtained €10 million in funding.
Timefold: Launched in 2022, Timefold is growing an AI-powered platform that helps companies enhance their operational planning by fixing complicated scheduling and routing challenges. They provide options for issues like worker shift scheduling, automobile routing, area service planning and supply optimisation. The modern platform is constructed on open-source solver expertise, which permits builders to make use of it for quite a lot of industries to streamline planning processes. Primarily based in Ghent, the startup has already raised €8 million to gasoline its development and innovation.
Vendorvue: Headquartered in Ghent Vendorvue develops a SaaS platform that enhances vendor administration for procurement groups. By streamlining the seller analysis, choice, and monitoring processes, the pioneering app empowers procurement groups to make extra knowledgeable and environment friendly selections. The platform enhances the transparency and accountability of vendor relationships, making certain higher collaboration, lowering procurement dangers, and optimising provide chain effectivity. Launched in 2024 Vendorvue has secured €1.4 million.
Wobby: Positioned in Antwerp, this startup helps professionals work extra effectively by remodeling how they collect and course of info. Their platform permits customers to simply discover, join, and analyse public official knowledge alongside their datasets. By simplifying the method of knowledge integration and evaluation, Wobby empowers professionals to make data-driven selections extra successfully, bettering operational effectivity and insights throughout totally different sectors. The startup launched in 2023 has efficiently landed €1.1 million.
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