Accelerator

imec.istart

Ghent, Antwerp, Hasselt, Liège, Belgium

A high-tech/deep-tech spin-off incubator run by imec, backed by an evergreen €30M pre-seed fund.

Location:
Ghent, Antwerp, Hasselt, Liège, Belgium
Stages:
Idea, Pre-seed

What you need to qualify

  • Are developing a tech product.
  • Have a complementary team.
  • Possess a working proof of concept.

Eligibility

Eligible stages
All stages
Countries
Global, subject to the provider’s eligibility and approval

How to apply

  1. 1

    Apply inside a Belgian open call window

    Belgian intake runs in cohorts, not continuously. The Autumn 2026 call is open Sept 1 to Sept 30 (midnight); the Spring 2026 call (Jan 1 to Feb 1) and the Summer 2026 call (May 1 to May 31) are both marked CALL CLOSED. Outside a window the page offers a notify me option instead of a form.

  2. 2

    Download the application documents

    The apply page links a downloadable set of application documents, so pull those first and prepare your answers before opening the form.

  3. 3

    Submit through the imec.istart platform

    The APPLY NOW button posts to platform.imecistart.com, the shared application platform for the Belgian and Dutch programmes, so check you are applying to the Belgian cohort and not the Netherlands one, whose Autumn 2026 call runs Oct 1 to Oct 31.

Frequently asked

In one of three published call windows a year. The next one is Autumn 2026, open Sept 1 to Sept 30 (midnight). The Spring 2026 and Summer 2026 Belgian calls are closed.

imec.istart asks for startups that are developing a tech product, have a complementary team and possess a working proof of concept.

No. Intake is cohort-based: outside an open call the apply page shows CALL CLOSED and offers only a notify me option.

They share one application platform but have separate calendars. Belgium's Autumn 2026 call runs Sept 1 to Sept 30 and the Netherlands Autumn 2026 call runs Oct 1 to Oct 31.
Deep techHardware

Browse more like this: Deep tech accelerators

Related programs

Opens 1 September 2026, closes 30 September 2026.Open now

Do I qualify?

3 things decide this one. Check yourself against them before you spend time on the form.

Stage
Idea, Pre-seed
Where it runs
Belgium. In person, so you need to be able to take part there
What you give up
No equity stated
Deadline
30 Sep 2026

That is the rulebook. What we cannot show you here is whether your startup clears it, how this ranks against the other programs you qualify for, and what to fix if you do not.

Check what I qualify for

Five questions, about a minute, no account needed.

Last verified against the official page. Report an error

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