Janne Kindt (Startup.Flanders/FIT): “The Start2Scale Avenue is an interesting ‘showcase’ for foreign companies”

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Startup.Flanders, an initiative of Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) to support Flemish start-ups in their international growth, has recently become a partner of LogiVille. “Through this collaboration, Flemish start-ups will have the opportunity to present their products and services to foreign companies and accelerate their international growth, while foreign start-ups will get to know Flanders as an attractive place to do business,“ says Janne Kindt, Ecosystem Expert at Startup.Flanders.

Perhaps needless to say, but could you introduce FIT and its core tasks?

FIT has two core tasks. The first is to support Flemish companies that want to internationalise. We help them by guiding them through export, market exploration and international expansion. We do this through targeted advice, networking events, participation in joint stands at trade fairs and access to our global network of more than 60 offices. We also support them with subsidies, so that the step towards internationalisation becomes feasible.

Secondly, we encourage foreign companies to invest in Flanders. To this end, FIT offers them tailor-made guidance, information about establishment opportunities and support throughout the entire investment process. We even assist them in opening an office in Flanders, so that they can continue to grow from there.

FIT thus acts as a bridge between Flemish companies and foreign customers, distributors and partners.

How does Startup.Flanders fit in with FIT’s missions?

Startup.Flanders was officially launched in June 2023 by FIT and has been fully up-and-running since 2024. The platform positions Flanders internationally as a leading hub for innovative start-ups. It fits seamlessly with FIT’s core tasks: Flemish start-ups can receive targeted guidance for their international growth. This includes access to foreign markets, matchmaking with investors and support at international events.

In addition, it aims to attract foreign investment by targeting foreign start-ups and venture capitalists who are interested in establishing themselves in Flanders or investing in the Flemish ecosystem.

Where does Startup.Flanders stand now, some two years after its launch?

Startup.Flanders was launched in 2023, but we already started preparations in 2022 under the impetus of the previous Prime Minister, Jan Jambon. We started cautiously, first with a few tests and a low-key participation in a foreign economic mission, namely to Japan in November 2022. This was a first: for the first time during a Belgian mission, a specific programme for start-ups was organised by FIT. Around fifteen Flemish technology start-ups were able to pitch in Japan, hold B2B meetings, participate in workshops and visit incubators.

The idea of presenting ourselves as an ecosystem was therefore a success, and we have stepped up our efforts since then. Startup.Flanders now has a specialised team of four employees in Brussels, each with their own focus. One focuses on strategy, one on events, one on account management and one on creating an ecosystem in which start-ups and organisations can find each other. Think of Agoria, VOKA, KBC Start-it, Imec i.start, The Beacon, VILT and, of course, VIL. By working with these organisations, we help Flemish start-ups to better identify markets and make useful contacts.

One challenge that many start-ups face is finding financing. Is that also one of your tasks?

Absolutely. It is not only important that we support start-ups in tapping into the right international markets, but also help them find foreign financiers. In October, for example, we are organising an event in London for start-ups seeking financing, where we will bring them together with financiers who want to invest.

Why are you doing this in London and not in Flanders?

There is certainly capital available in Flanders. It is rather when large amounts are involved that foreign investors become interesting. That is why we help Flemish start-ups to raise money internationally, not only in the UK but also in the Nordics or the US. An additional advantage is that such financing also gives them a boost to break through internationally.

Can you give an example?

Suppose a Flemish start-up developed software to help supermarkets predict demand. It would increase the chances of getting into a chain like Tesco if that start-up gained the confidence of an established British investor. In countries with a more closed economy, such as Japan, that certainly helps.

Our report “The State of Flanders’ Startup Ecosystem 2024” shows that early financing rounds are chiefly supported by domestic investors, while foreign investors (mainly European and American) play a greater role in larger breakout and later financing rounds. This emphasises the importance of combining local anchoring in the early stages with international access to capital for actual growth.

How many start-ups are there in Flanders today?

Today, Flanders has around 2,760 start-ups, with the largest concentrations in Antwerp and East Flanders.

They are mainly active in the core sectors of Health/Healthtech (by far the largest sector in terms of number of investments and value), Enterprise Software/SaaS, Energy & Greentech, Transport & Logistics (including EV charging infrastructure, logistics management software and mobility solutions), Food & Agritech, and Robotics & Deep Tech.

Classifying start-ups into specific sectors is a difficult exercise, as their products and services can often be applied in different sectors.

Why did Startup.Flanders become a partner of LogiVille?

FIT and VIL have been working together structurally for many years. Through VIL’s LogiLaunch event, we came into contact with start-ups offering logistics-related products and services. These encounters taught us a lot: who are these start-ups, what do they offer, what do they need and do they have sufficient funding? We noticed that VIL can connect them with the right companies, while we at Startup.Flanders can support them with our broad knowledge and experience as a generalist, focused on international growth.

Through VIL, we have therefore become a partner of LogiVille. We make it possible for Flemish start-ups to present their products and services free of charge in the Start2Scale Avenue. This makes it an interesting ‘showcase’ for foreign companies. We can schedule visits for them so that the start-ups can present themselves to them. LogiVille appeals to interested companies much more directly than, say, a brochure.

A second objective is to point out to the start-ups already present on LogiVille that Startup.Flanders can help them grow internationally more quickly.

Conversely, we offer foreign start-ups the opportunity to introduce themselves to Flemish companies on LogiVille and thus persuade them to continue their growth from Flanders.