New consortium 'Hubs4growth' boosts success chances of startups and scaleups in Flanders

Hangar K, The Beacon, Leuven MindGate, WinterCircus Ghent and Limburg Startup are joining forces under the name Hubs4Growth. With this collaboration, this new consortium aspires to create a significant impact on the startup ecosystem in Flanders. Besides an extensive network and a lot of entrepreneurial expertise, Hubs4grotwh unpacks with a strong offering of joint events, workshops and accelerator programs with the support of VLAIO, with the aim of helping startups move faster through the typical growing pains and smooth the transition from local player to (inter)national player.

Hubs4Growth unites Flanders' leading startup and innovation hubs, with the joint mission of strengthening the competitive position of Flemish startups and scaleups and promoting future-proof innovation. “Besides benefits such as a larger network and more available expertise, the collaboration at the Flemish level provides other important benefits for startups and scaleups,” said Jan Paesen, Managing-Director Leuven MindGate.

Marc Beenders, sr. corporate community manager Limburg Startup: “We worked out a nice offer for startups and scaleups. For example, we are now rolling out 'Pitch your seat' at the Flemish level. That's a 6-month program where 30 participants can count on 4 expert sessions, with a focus on product-market fit. Furthermore, during this period they receive a permanent spot at one of the 5 incubators from the Hubs4growth network as well as individual coaching.” Start-ups that want to participate in Pitch your seat can apply through the www.Hubs4growth.eu website until September 15. Pitch your seat is the first concrete collaboration launched today. There is room for 30 startups to be taken under the wing of Hubs4Growth for six months.

International incubator network

Furthermore, Hubs4growth collaborates with incubators abroad, such as Brightlands and Brainport in the Netherlands, Budding Innovation in Singapore, EuraTechnologies in France, Digihub in Germany, Belcham in the US and Brinc in China. “Through our Take a Seat program, startups and scaleups can operate from a foreign incubator for 30 days. There too, we then provide the necessary guidance, support and contacts from Hubs4growth,” explains Valerie Hellebuck, manager at Hangar K.

Brand new are the Spark! sessions in which 10 startups each get to pitch to a jury of tech entrepreneurs. Startups looking for funding, customers or talent can pitch during these sessions. Finally, Hubs4growth will also host 12 content sessions annually under the name “Techxperience".

Ines Sylverans, General-Manager The Beacon: “You can therefore say that this collaboration at the Flemish level is an important step towards a more integrated and powerful support system for innovative startups and scaleups that also explicitly focuses on experience exchange.”

“By joining forces, we indeed want to help strengthen the Flemish economy. On the one hand by guiding startups and scale-ups in overcoming the growing pains that come with strong and rapid expansion, on the other hand by supporting them in the transition from the more local market to the international market,” confirms Bruno Vandegehuchte Head of Startup Campus Winter Circus Ghent.

VLAIO, proud partner of Hubs4Growth

That Hubs4Growth has great ambitions is also clear by its partnership with VLAIO. Marc Andries, Administrator General VLAIO: “VLAIO wants to help entrepreneurs grow. Thanks to the partnership with Hubs4Growth, we can now also offer our services to start-ups from now on through a network of incubators.”