imec.istart
imec.istart is the business accelerator of imec, the Belgian nanoelectronics and digital technology research centre. It invests €100K pre-seed in tech startups with a working proof of concept and supports them for 12 months (18 for deep tech) with a dedicated coach, workshops, in-house finance, legal, HR and sales experts, and access to imec researchers. Founders do not need to relocate, but need a Belgian link and must attend meetings in Ghent or Antwerp.
At a glance
imec.istart key facts
- Investment
- $116K
- Deal terms
- €100,000 (about $116K) pre-seed through a single convertible loan agreement that converts at the next round using a valuation cap and discount; imec.istart no longer takes a fixed 6% stake. Total investment can reach €300,000 including follow-on. Deep tech variant: €5M conversion cap, 20% discount, 18-month maturity. No more than 30% of the €100K can go to product development, and none to founder salaries.
- Duration
- 12 months (18 months for deep tech)
- Format
- Hybrid
- Headquarters
- Leuven, Belgium
- Cohort locations
- Ghent, Belgium; Antwerp, Belgium; Brussels, Belgium; Leuven, Belgium
- Stage
- pre-seed, seed
- Sectors
- general, hardware, b2b saas, deep tech
- Application cycle
- 3 calls a year (January, May, September)
- Next deadline
- January 31, 2027
Verified November 4, 2026 against the sources below. Terms change; confirm on the official site before applying.
Timing
The Belgium Spring 2027 call is open January 1 to 31, 2027 (closes 23:59 CET). An info session is on January 7, the jury pitch on February 23 to 24, and kick-off on March 2, 2027. Later 2027 calls: May 1 to 31 and September 1 to 30. The Autumn 2026 call (September 2026) has closed.
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Notable alumni
- Deliverect
- Lightspeed (formerly POSiOS)
- Ontoforce
- UgenTec
- Twikit
FAQ
Applying to imec.istart
- How much does imec.istart invest?
- imec.istart's standard deal: €100,000 (about $116K) pre-seed through a single convertible loan agreement that converts at the next round using a valuation cap and discount; imec.istart no longer takes a fixed 6% stake. Total investment can reach €300,000 including follow-on. Deep tech variant: €5M conversion cap, 20% discount, 18-month maturity. No more than 30% of the €100K can go to product development, and none to founder salaries.
- When is the imec.istart application deadline?
- The next published deadline is January 31, 2027. Application cycle: 3 calls a year (January, May, September). The Belgium Spring 2027 call is open January 1 to 31, 2027 (closes 23:59 CET). An info session is on January 7, the jury pitch on February 23 to 24, and kick-off on March 2, 2027. Later 2027 calls: May 1 to 31 and September 1 to 30. The Autumn 2026 call (September 2026) has closed.
- Where is imec.istart based?
- imec.istart is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. The program runs hybrid. Cohorts run in Ghent, Belgium, Antwerp, Belgium, Brussels, Belgium, Leuven, Belgium.
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