The following five venture capital firms are at the forefront of Belgium’s thriving entrepreneurial landscape, providing more than just funding to the next wave of innovation. These pivotal players contribute expertise and networks essential for Belgian startups to succeed globally. With strategic investments and a commitment to growth, they are cultivating a robust ecosystem, establishing Belgium as a standout nation for venture capital excellence in Europe.
We took into account the number of deals per year to create this list.
Hummingbird Ventures
Hummingbird VC is a global seed investment firm that primarily focuses on supporting outlier founders. Initially, they engage in early partnerships and subsequently support companies throughout their lifecycle, offering investments ranging from $500K at seed stage to $50M+ for scaling ventures. Their approach is non-intrusive, valuing entrepreneur-led guidance. Conversely, they avoid conventional check-the-box investing, instead favoring non-linear and unconventional journeys. Moreover, their portfolio demonstrates a wide range of interests without being confined to specific verticals, niches, or geographies. Furthermore, they provide long-term, patient capital, especially during challenging times.
Sector focus: Financial Services, E-Commerce, Software, Internet, Health Care
Round: Early Stage Venture, Seed, Venture
Total investments: 109
Founding Year: 2010
Notable Investments: Monumental, Bright Money, Hubflo, Amber Bio, SkorLife
Astanor Ventures
Astanor Ventures is an impact AgriFood investor that focuses on building a food system that is nourishing, regenerative, scalable, trusted, and produces delicious food for all. They align with companies sharing their vision for a resilient and healthy food system, providing supportive yet non-intrusive partnerships. Founded in 2017, Astanor connects capital, deep sector knowledge, and a diverse network, including entrepreneurs, impact investors, farmers, and food lovers, to foster a sustainable future of food.
Sector focus: Agriculture, Food and Beverage, Biotechnology, AgTech, Farming
Round: Early Stage Venture, Late Stage Venture
Total investments: 53
Founding Year: 2017
Notable Investments: Heali AI, BioFluff Inc., Umiami, Aphea.Bio, Switch Bioworks
Volta Ventures
Volta Ventures is a venture capital firm based in the Benelux region, focusing on seed and early-stage investments for software startups. They make initial investments ranging from €300K to €2M. Volta Ventures positions itself as a supportive partner for entrepreneurs, with founders praising their ambition, supportiveness, and hands-on approach without being overly intrusive. Their presence is significant in Amsterdam and Gent, and they aim to guide and empower entrepreneurs to leave their legacies, helping startups in the early stages of their journey towards product development and company growth.
Sector focus: Software, Information Technology, SaaS, Artificial Intelligence, Financial Services
Round: Early Stage Venture, Seed
Total investments: 68
Founding Year: 2014
Notable Investments: Spotr.ai, Fero Payment Science, Propellant.digital, Sprinque, Next Gate Tech
Pitchdrive
Pitchdrive is an early-stage venture capital firm run by experienced entrepreneurs, backing founders during their startup journey. They deploy a second entrepreneur-led fund of €30M and have invested in over 45 startups to date. Pitchdrive offers pre-seed and seed round investments with an average ticket size of €300k. They focus on B2B SaaS, marketplaces, e-commerce, and software-driven hardware. Founders appreciate Pitchdrive for their hands-on, insightful support and 24/7 availability, helping them tackle challenges and grow their businesses.
Sector focus: Software, Information Technology, FinTech, SaaS, E-Commerce
Round: Early Stage Venture, Private Equity, Seed
Total investments: 43
Founding Year: 2018
Notable Investments: WAY.so, Version Lens, Salus Mental, Luna.ai, introw
Angelwise
Angelwise is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments in the ICT sector, focusing on startups and young companies in the Benelux region. They offer initial equity investments ranging from approximately €200k to €600k, with potential for follow-up investments up to €3 million. Their portfolio includes a variety of innovative companies, such as Azumuta, which provides a platform to streamline work instructions, training, and quality controls in the manufacturing sector, and dScribe, a data catalog solution provider that helps businesses manage their data assets more effectively.
Sector focus: Saas, Software, Big Data
Round: Early Stage Venture, Seed, Venture
Total investments: 9
Founding Year: 2022
Notable Investments: xyzt.ai, Azumuta, cikisi, Authic Labs, Watcherr
