Startup.Flanders

The Antwerp-Houston Innovation Mission ended with a bang🚀💫 Watch the FINAL RECAP below as colleague Sara Henni joins the group to a visit to and meetings at the University of Houston Energy Transition Institute, Energy Tech Nexus, and NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration 🎥 💡Interested to learn more? Make sure to follow us and our co-organizers for daily updates on this innovation mission!📣 ➡️Startup.Flanders BlueChem Business in Antwerp Port of Antwerp-Bruges Thank you for all participants and organizers for such a successful week together in #Houston🇺🇸! ADLC Rayan Quintaes Aquature Ltd Ahmed S. M. Ismail David Martin Carboganic Bart Tambuyser Fluves Thomas Van Hoestenberghe iFLUX Christian Montag Oxylum Bert De Mot Qpinch Valerie Dejaeghere Triple Helix Steven Peleman BlueApp Quinten Van Avondt Liesbet Boogaerts Stephanie Verhue Olivier Van Orshoven Maarten Van Ostaeyen Barbara Veranneman Dries Van Gheluwe Liesbeth Stockman TOM PAESHUYS University of Antwerp Dirk Lanens Nathalie Mathys Ralph Moreau Filip Vandenbussche Willy Verbrugghe Debalina Sengupta #antwerp #flanders #ecosystem #startups #innovation #nasa

DAY 2 of the Antwerp-Houston Innovation Mission!🇺🇸 🚀Today was an exciting day in Houston for our delegation, as we paid a visit to both Greentown Labs and Ion Houston for a pitching event! The start-ups had a chance to pitch their companies to external guests, following by a networking session. Our colleague Sara Henni was there again today to follow them along their day in #Houston – watch her recap below! 🎥 Congrats to all the start-ups & scale-ups!👏🏼 ADLC Rayan Quintaes Aquature Ltd Ahmed S. M. Ismail David Martin Carboganic Bart Tambuyser Fluves Thomas Van Hoestenberghe iFLUX Christian Montag Oxylum Bert De Mot Qpinch Valerie Dejaeghere Triple Helix Steven Peleman 💡Interested to learn more? Make sure to follow us and our co-organizers for daily updates on this innovation mission!📣 ➡️Startup.Flanders BlueChem Stad Antwerpen Port of Antwerp-Bruges We are back tomorrow for day 3 !! BlueApp  Quinten Van Avondt Liesbet Boogaerts Stephanie Verhue Olivier Van Orshoven Maarten Van Ostaeyen Barbara Veranneman Dries Van Gheluwe Liesbeth Stockman TOM PAESHUYS University of Antwerp Dirk Lanens Nathalie Mathys  Ralph Moreau Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) Filip Vanden Bulcke Willy Verbrugghe Filip Vandenbussche #antwerp #flanders #ecosystem #cleantech #pitching #startups #innovation #energytransition

🏙️ Day 2: Stepping Into Houston’s Innovation Ecosystem! After an insightful first day exploring the Houston ecosystem, today was all about immersing ourselves in it. We began at Greentown Labs, North America’s largest climate tech #incubator, where we toured their state-of-the-art facility. Our visit also featured a compelling #panel hosted by Business in Antwerp showcasing the innovation journey in #Antwerp to inform about the thriving #ecosystem back home. The afternoon brought us to Ion Houston, Houston’s iconic innovation #hub. Here, our delegation took the spotlight as our delegates awaited one-on-one #meetings with Halliburton Labs, followed by a #pitching event showcasing their groundbreaking ideas on The Ion’s famous steps. 👏 A big round of applause for our remarkable ambassadors: ADLC Aquature Ltd Carboganic Fluves iFLUX Oxylum Qpinch Triple Helix A heartfelt thank you to Greentown Labs, Ion Houston, Halliburton Labs, and this mission's sponsors Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Stad Antwerpen and BlueChem! #MissionDay2 #ClimateTech #Innovation #Flanders #startups #scaleups #GreentownLabs #TheIon #HalliburtonLabs

🏀 Kick-Off Day: Antwerp-Houston Innovation Mission 🌍 Today marked the kick-off of the Houston-Antwerp Innovation Mission, a significant first step in forging deeper ties between two dynamic ecosystems: #Houston and #Antwerp, as Flanders Investment & Trade - USA and Startup.Flanders selected 16 delegates - 8 startups and scaleups and 8 ecosystem key players - to introduce in the Houston ecosystem. Houston and Antwerp are more than the world’s two largest petrochemical hubs. Both cities are also hotbeds for innovation and startups focusing on sustainable chemistry, cleantech, and energy transition. During the Antwerp-Houston Innovation Mission, organized and sponsored by Startup.Flanders, Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), Port of Antwerp-Bruges, BlueChem, and Business in Antwerp these two giants meet with a clear focus on #innovation, #sustainability and empowering #startups and #scaleups. We started our day at the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) with a warm welcome, underscoring the importance of international #collaboration in addressing global #challenges. Through presentations from GHP, HETI, Center for Houston's Future, and HyVelocity Hub, we gained valuable insights into Houston’s cleantech landscape, its impressive achievements, and ambitious goals. This was followed by an in-depth presentation on the Antwerp and Flemish ecosystems by the Stad Antwerpen (Maarten Van Ostaeyen) and essenscia (Barbara Veranneman), along with introductions to the entire Flemish delegation visiting Houston. The afternoon took us to the heart of #port innovation. As two of the world’s leading port cities, Houston and Antwerp share a commitment to sustainability. Discussions led by Port Houston, the Greater Houston Port Bureau, and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges highlighted ongoing efforts in emissions reduction, waste management, and energy efficiency. A lively panel discussion brought diverse perspectives on how ports can drive the energy transition forward, following some fruitful introductions! We also reserved some time to indulge our delegation in the local culture, and attended an NBA game between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. An electrifying game filled with energy, teamwork, and determination—qualities we value and strive to embody in our work every day. Here’s to taking inspiration from the court and bringing that same drive and teamwork back into everything we do! 🏀💼 💡 Day One Takeaway: Today wasn’t just about information—it was about inspiration. By understanding each other’s ecosystems, we’ve laid the foundation for meaningful collaboration in cleantech innovation. #HoustonAntwerp #InnovationMission #Cleantech #GlobalCollaboration #Sustainability #Port #Startups #Scaleups #Trade #International #Flanders #Antwerp

📣 Shimmering lights, iconic bridges, the smell of bakeries, and stunning architecture. For once, we're not talking about our marvellous #TechCapital, but Paris. Picture yourself in the heart of all this at the Hello Tomorrow conference, the premier #deeptech event in Europe! Do you know any Ghent-based start-ups or funds that should join? 🗣️ Share in the comments! In summary 🔹Global Summit: March 13-14 – Dive into workshops and sessions designed to attract both ambition and capital. 🔹Investor Day: March 12 – An exclusive opportunity for 350 selected start-ups to meet with 300 top-tier VCs and CVCs. ✨ Special offer for start-ups Be part of the Startup.Flanders delegation and, if selected for Investor Day, enjoy a reduced ticket price of €250 (instead of €990)! 🔗 Click to register: https://lnkd.in/e3mStfP5 #GhentTechies #healthcare #energytransition #industry4.0 #decarbonizedmanufacturing #climateresilience #biodiversity #sustainablefoodsystems #advancedcomputing 📸 Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT)

Antwerp: The Innovation Powerhouse Driving Flemish Startup Success 🚀 🦚 We're incredibly proud of the fast growth and strong presence of the Flemish Startup Ecosystem in Europe. Here’s why Antwerp is a true magnet for innovation and investment: 🔹 Startups thriving in Antwerp have achieved a 1.9x growth in combined enterprise value since 2019. 🔹 VC Investments: Antwerp contributes 55.3% to VC investment in Energy, 40.8% in Transportation, and 32.5% in Health sectors within Flanders. 🔹 Congratulations to Agomab Therapeutics, Sparki, and Gorilla - Energy data applications, who led some of the biggest funding rounds in 2023-2024. 🔹 A shout-out to the Universiteit Antwerpen for its immense impact, creating tech spinouts and nurturing alumni founders driving innovation forward. 🏆 Startup Awards Spotlight: A special congratulations to Gorilla, winner of Startup of the Year by Startup.Flanders. Kudos also to runners-up Henchman, part of LexisNexis and SettleMint, showcasing the remarkable talent and ambition within the Flemish and Antwerp startup ecosystem. As Luc Bertrand, Chairman of Ackermans & van Haaren, perfectly states: "Antwerp has all the assets to compete at the highest level as a hub for trade, innovation, and sustainability." #Antwerp #StartupEcosystem #InnovationPowerhouse #BusinessInAntwerp #Entrepreneurship #Sustainability BlueChem The Beacon | Innovation Community dunden Port of Antwerp-Bruges

🦾 Shaping the future of Industry? Join us for HANNOVER MESSE 2025! Claim your demo space at the world-leading industrial trade show. Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), and Startup.Flanders have plug and play demo booths for you in Hall 8 (Smart Manufacturing) and Hall 17 (Digital Ecosystems). What? Plug and play demo booths! -    A demo booth includes: 🔌  Info desk (incl. print logo) 🔌  Screen with backwall 🔌  Your own space of 4 to 5m2 to showcase your products 🔌  + you can make free use of the facilities provided by FIT (co working space on the pavilion, coffee, tea, water, soft drinks). FIT also organises a large-scale networking reception at the stand, where you can enjoy extra exposure and invite prospects yourself. -      Plug and play, as FIT takes care of the organisation, logistics and preparation of the stand. So you can concentrate 100% on making business contacts! For who? 🏭 Smart Manufacturing (Automation and Sensor technology, Logistics Automation, Process Automation, Robotics,…) 🤖 Digital Ecosystems (IT/OT Security, 5G and Wireless Technology, Cloud/Edge Computing, Business Management Software,…) Where? At the world known HANNOVER MESSE! 📍 Hal 8 (Smart Manufacturing) – your spot on the Flemish Pavilion of +100m2. The pavilion is located on the main walking aisle, in a connecting zone between two gigantic halls – in short: a location with a lot of traction! More info: https://lnkd.in/eerEjTgT 📍 Hal 17 (Digital Ecosystems) – a spot on our Satellite booth means showcasing at the heart of the Software Hall - meters away from the Microsoft booth! Update: ❌ sold out! When? Between 31st of March and 4th of April 💭 Wondering what the 2024 edition looked like? Have a look at our recap post! https://shorturl.at/b4rRo 🔻 Startup.Flanders, Empowering What’s Next   Joining Startup.Flanders means joining a community that brings you and your startup closer to destination tomorrow – in #Flanders and beyond. See you soon? Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) Dirk Smolders Olivier Van Orshoven Stephanie Verhue Janne Kindt Wim Pappaert Joachim Hendrycks Pieter De Maeght Jessica Manthey Karla Laheye Team Bedrijfstrajecten - VLAIOLeuven MindGate Start it Accelerate | @KBC Agoria Flanders Make Fiers Jeroen

🌟 Recapping Startup.Flanders at Slush 2024: Innovation, Networking, and Belgian Beer! 🌟 Despite the cold and the snow, Startup.Flanders made a big splash at Slush in Helsinki, showcasing the best of Flemish #innovation and entrepreneurial spirit on the global stage. Our #booth was buzzing with energy, featuring some of Flanders’ most promising startups across tech, sustainability, and health sectors. These startups truly demonstrated why Flanders is one of the fastest growing startup ecosystems in Europe. It was inspiring to witness the enthusiasm and curiosity they sparked among international investors and partners. Amongst them a large delegation from Stad Leuven, headed by mayor Mohamed Ridouani. One of the highlights of the event was the Belgian Beer Night, our yearly #sideevent, as always brilliantly organized by Hanna Tuohino from our office in Helsinki. It was the perfect blend of business and pleasure—bringing together startups, investors, and partners for meaningful connections over some of Belgium’s finest brews. 🍺🙌 A massive thank you to all the Flemish startups, our Helsinki team, and everyone who contributed to making this year’s participation such a success. 💡🤝 Leuven MindGate Invest in Ghent VITO4STARTERS Scaleup Flanders Start it Accelerate | @KBC The Beacon | Innovation Community PwC Deloitte Stad Antwerpen Pitchdrive | Early-stage VC 🚀 Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) Flanders Investment & Trade - Nordics

🇧🇪 Six Reasons Why #Ghent Could Be Europe’s Next Tech Hub 1️⃣ Rapid Growth Ghent, with a population of 300,000, has a startup ecosystem valued at €34 billion, outpacing major hubs like Berlin and Amsterdam in venture capital growth. The city now draws over 60% of all Belgian tech funding, primarily from international investors. 2️⃣ A Tight-Knit “Ghent Mafia” Ghent’s tech scene is interconnected, with founders often reinvesting in new startups. Companies like Showpad exemplify this, fostering a local cycle of innovation and mentorship that’s helping to build Ghent’s tech “mafia.” 3️⃣ Focused Work Culture Ghent is quieter than tech-heavy cities like London or Berlin, allowing startups to stay focused. With fewer social distractions and a close-knit community, tech professionals here can focus on building rather than constant networking events. 4️⃣ Strategic Location Despite no airport, Ghent’s central position puts London, Amsterdam, and Paris just a two-hour train ride away, making it ideal for startups looking to scale across Europe. 5️⃣ Pro-Entrepreneurship Initiatives With its pro-tech culture, Ghent has potential to become a testbed for startup-friendly policies, akin to what Estonia achieved on a national level. 6️⃣ Strong Talent Retention While larger cities often face talent drain, Ghent is cultivating a stable workforce that’s committed to staying local, helping to retain and recycle expertise within its tech ecosystem. Ghent’s growth model shows that European tech hubs don’t need to be megacities to foster innovation. By nurturing talent, maintaining a focused environment, and promoting pro-business policies, Ghent is challenging the status quo and redefining what makes a tech powerhouse. Madeline Lawrence, CBO of Aikido Security, recently transitioned from VC to a leading role in security, joining Aikido, a startup now delivering no-nonsense security to developers worldwide.

Jouw game op de @Game Developers Sessions 2024 in Praag? Dat kan! 🎮 De oudste en meest prestigieuze conferentie van Centraal-Europa op het gebied van gameontwikkeling, technologie en marketing nodigt indie-creators uit om deel te nemen aan de Indie Expo. Of je nu alleen werkt of in team, of je game al af is of nog in ontwikkeling, met meer dan 3.000 bezoekers is dit jouw kans om je game in de kijker te zetten. Netwerk met industrie-experts, presenteer je werk te en krijg erkenning binnen de gamecommunity. Neem deel aan via Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) en ontvang alvast één gratis toegangsticket! 13 & 14 december 2024 | Prague Congress Center What's in it for you?  ✔️ 1x GRATIS All Access Pass voor één teamlid (extra tickets beschikbaar) ✔️ Een dedicated expo-plek bij de Indie Expo en pitch live aan investeerders en uitgevers in de Game Pitch Arena  ✔️ Maak kans op een award met de Indie Expo Awards en Community Vote Awards ✔️ Vergroot je zichtbaarheid op de GDS-website, Steam-pagina en via live gameplay ✔️ Connect met de community via een exclusief Discord-kanaal en livestreams van je game Meer weten? Deelnemen? ➡️ Mail dan naar FIT Praag via prague@fitagency.com #GameDevelopersSessions2024