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The Startup Ecosystem of Brussels

Brussels has 327 startups in our sample database. This represents about 33% of Belgium’s startups. Brussels is the highest-ranked startup ecosystem in Belgium.

CITY RANKING

While Brussels decreased by 12 spots in its global rank in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index of 2024, its ranking in Belgium remained stable at 1 nationally since 2023.

National Ranking

1st
0
In Belgium

Regional Ranking

17th
+
1
In Western Europe

Global Ranking

84th
-
12
Worldwide

Ecosystem

Startup Ecosystem Overview

Startups

Brussels Top Startup Industries

Software & Data icon
Software & Data
#56 worldwide

99 startups

Social & Leisure icon
Social & Leisure
#73 worldwide

20 startups

Transportation icon
Transportation
#73 worldwide

4 startups

Ecosystem HealthCheck

Brussels Ecosystem Health Check

The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Brussels has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...

  • Overperformance
  • Performance equal to global ranking
  • Underperformance
IndustryGlobal rankMomentum YoYNumber of Startups
Global840327
Software & Data56-8121
Social & Leisure00.0000.0000.00
Transportation00.0000.0000.00
Marketing & Sales00.0000.0000.00
Healthtech00.0000.0000.00
Hardware & IoT00.0000.0000.00
Foodtech00.0000.0000.00

ECOSYSTEM

Browse the startup ecosystem database of Brussels

Download list
Itsme startup logo
Software & Data | Cybersecurity
Unranked
Unranked
Proxyclick startup logo
Software & Data | SaaS
Unranked
Urbantz startup logo
Software & Data | Enterprise Technology
Unranked
Nillion startup logo
Fintech | Blockchain
Unranked
Cowboy startup logo
Software & Data | Apps
Unranked
AppTweak startup logo
Software & Data | Apps
Unranked
MobileXpense startup logo
Software & Data | Enterprise Technology
Unranked
Explore-Share.com startup logo
Social & Leisure | Social & Leisure-Other
Unranked
/_next/static/images/no_logo-8d6edbd64d3c596416a8ea98e6861a9e.png UnifiedPost startup
Software & Data | Enterprise Technology
Unranked
Cohabs startup logo
Social & Leisure | Communities
Unranked

Browse 316 more startups in Brussels with the pro account.

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Startup Ecosystem Charts

Startup Funding in Brussels2017 - 2024

Startup Funding in Brussels 2017 - 2024

From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Brussels has decreased by 67.52%. During this period, the number of deals in Brussels has decreased by 37.14%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Brussels exceeded US$ $2.95B.

Average Funding in 2023

$4.63M

Brussels
Belgium
-48.32% YoY

Funding in 2023

$203.81M

Brussels
Belgium
-67.52% YoY

Deals in 2023

44

Brussels
Belgium
-37.14% YoY

USD

Amount of Funding (USD)

Number of Deals

20172018201920202021202220232024$0.00$15.00B$30.00B$45.00B$60.00B0306090120

Ecosystem

The Startup Ecosystem in Brussels

Our startup ecosystem map for Brussels includes a sample of 327 tech companies. We have identified as unicorns 2 startups that have passed the USD 1 billion valuations. Contributing to the vitality of this startup ecosystem are the 3 pantheon member entities. Get the Pro account for unrestricted insights on this ecosystem.

Global Rank

Brussels is ranked within the top 100 startup ecosystems globally.

Top Industries

Brussels’s startups excel particularly in Software & Data where it ranks 56 and in Social & Leisure, and Transportation. Find out more

Top Cities for Startups in Belgium - Ranked by StartupBlink

StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of more than 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
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2024 National Rank CityGlobal Rank
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Total Score

Access subscores for 1000 cities and 100 countries

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Quantity Score
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Quality Score
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Business Score
1st
0
84th
-
12
9.205
00.00
00.00
00.00
2nd
0
126th
+
5
5.646
00.00
00.00
00.00
3rd
0
221st
+
20
2.116
00.00
00.00
00.00
4th
0
275th
+
14
1.488
00.00
00.00
00.00
5th
+
1
464th
+
87
0.572
00.00
00.00
00.00
6th
-
1
492nd
-
45
0.504
00.00
00.00
00.00
7th
0
592nd
-
30
0.337
00.00
00.00
00.00
8th
+
1
602nd
+
27
0.323
00.00
00.00
00.00
9th
-
1
675th
-
111
0.265
00.00
00.00
00.00
10th
0
967th
-
105
0.127
00.00
00.00
00.00
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Download CSV file
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Startups

Notable Startups in Brussels
Itsme startup icon
Itsme
Wooclap startup icon
Wooclap
Proxyclick startup icon
Proxyclick

ECOSYSTEM

Why should you join Brussels's Startup Ecosystem?

Overview

Within Brussels there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Software & Data, Social & Leisure, Transportation. These three industries represent about 38% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Brussels.

1st

National Rank

17th

Regional Rank

Overview

Brussels is Belgium's 1st best startup ecosystem and is ranked 17th in Western Europe. With a population of 2M - 10M people, Brussels is ranked 84th in the world. The city has some notable startup success stories including Itsme and its startup ecosystem infrastructure is strengthened by organizations such as GDPR and Spaces - Brussels, Tour & Taxis.

ECOSYSTEM
Startup Infrastructure in Brussels
With a large variety of initiatives, Brussels's startup ecosystem stands out from other cities in Western Europe. Brussels offers a number of funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups. Below is a list of Brussels's most prominent support initiatives:

BLOG

Recent Posts

Wed Apr 02 2025

Corporate Startup Activity Index 2025

For the first time ever, 372 corporations across 30 countries, 11 major industries, and 10 sub-industries have been ranked based on how actively they engage with startups. StartupBlink’s Corporate Startup Activity Index  is the world’s first benchmark for corporate startup engagement — powered by real data, global partnerships with top corporations, governments and data sources, […]

Thu Mar 06 2025

The Impact of Government Support on Startups

A robust startup ecosystem creates a sense of community that brings entrepreneurs together and helps them feel less isolated. It gives them access to mentors, advisors, fellow entrepreneurs, and talents. The foundation of such an ecosystem largely relies on government support. Good policies create a fair and supportive environment that helps startups grow. Bad policies […]

Thu Feb 20 2025

Learning from Bulgaria: Stakeholder Engagement in Startup Ecosystems

In this episode of the Startup Ecosystem Podcast, we’re traveling back in time by revisiting an old recording to explore the state of Bulgaria’s startup ecosystem in 2022. This episode features an interview by Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, with Momchil Vassilev, the Managing Director of Endeavor Bulgaria, discussing how different stakeholders’ engagement in […]