Finding capital fornew businesses in Belgium

Prepared by Wouter Bogaert, Leo Exter

Traditional approach

• Friends, Fools, Family• Business angels

• And eventually… Venture Capital

Funding isn’t easy for anyone

Don’t waste time hoping it will just happen!

Funding in Belgium will be harder for you

• Your different mentality and experiences may be difficult to follow for locals

• You might not have the references that make sense to local investors

• You might pick up and leave from one day to the next

BUT: Investment is a rational

decision.

Prove yourself, and it’s possible.

Good news:

4 ways to prove yourself

Bootstrap

• You likely need less money than you think

• Keywords: – “lean startup”– “minimum viable

product”– “shipping”

Earn your stripes

• Experience– Join a startup as

co-founder

• Business degree from Belgian school– Vlerick– Solvay

Friends, Fools, Family back home

Aim for FFF with business background: they serve as reference

Partner up with a Belgian

Seems obvious, doesn’t it?

It’s tough, but not impossible!

• Web: www.westartup.eu • Email:         wbogaert@gmail.com

leo.exter@westartup.eu • Twitter: @westartup• Facebook: www.facebook.com/westartup