The Startup Ecosystem of Leuven
Leuven has 63 startups in our sample database. This represents about 6% of Belgium’s startups. Leuven is the 4th best startup ecosystem in Belgium.
CITY RANKING
In 2024, the startup scene of Leuven shows much promise after advancing in the Global Ecosystem Index by 14 spots.
National Ranking
In Belgium
Regional Ranking
In Western Europe
Global Ranking
Worldwide
Ecosystem
Startup Ecosystem Overview
Startups
Leuven Top Startup Industries
25 startups
9 startups
10 startups
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Ecosystem HealthCheck
Leuven Ecosystem Health Check
The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Leuven 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
ECOSYSTEM
Browse the startup ecosystem database of Leuven
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Startup Ecosystem Charts
Startup Funding in Leuven2017 - 2024
Startup Funding in Leuven 2017 - 2024
From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Leuven has increased by 7.39%. During this period, the number of deals in Leuven has increased by 18.75%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Leuven exceeded US$ $676.77M.
Average Funding in 2023
$5.45M
Funding in 2023
$103.50M
Deals in 2023
19
USD
Amount of Funding (USD)
Number of Deals
Ecosystem
The Startup Ecosystem in Leuven
Global Rank
Leuven is ranked within the top 300 startup ecosystems globally.
Top Industries
Leuven’s startups excel particularly in Software & Data where it ranks 186 and in Healthtech, and Hardware & IoT. Find out more
Top Cities for Startups in Belgium - Ranked by StartupBlink
2024 National Rank  | City | Global Rank |  | | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
Startups
Notable Startups in Leuven
ECOSYSTEM
Why should you join Leuven's Startup Ecosystem?
Overview
Within Leuven there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Software & Data, Healthtech, Hardware & IoT. These three industries represent about 70% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Leuven.
4th
National Rank
73rd
Regional Rank
Overview
Leuven is Belgium's 4th best startup ecosystem and is ranked 73rd in Western Europe. With a population of 0.1M - 0.5M people, Leuven is ranked 275th in the world. The city has some notable startup success stories including GuardSquare.
ECOSYSTEM
Startup Infrastructure in Leuven
Accelerators
Coworking Spaces
BLOG
Recent Posts
Mon Apr 14 2025
From Service-Based to Product-Based Economy – Lessons from North Macedonia
In this special episode of the Startup Ecosystem Podcast, we revisit a conversation from two years ago, recorded during a visit to North Macedonia. Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, sits down with Igor Madjov, founder of Startup Macedonia, to explore how Skopje is evolving from a service-based IT outsourcing city into a product-driven startup […]
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 […]