What Start it does

Start it @KBC is a Belgian startup accelerator program operated within the broader Start it X ecosystem and backed by KBC Group, one of Belgium's largest financial institutions. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Leuven, the program runs a 12-month, free, no-strings-attached acceleration format — accepting no equity, fees, or customer-obligation commitments from participants — and selects 65 startups per cohort each year. Participants receive 1-on-1 coaching, workshops, e-learning, networking, mentor matching, and access to a network spanning nine Belgian co-working hubs (Leuven, Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Hasselt, Kortrijk, Győr) and four international hubs in New York, Budapest, Prague, and Győr.

The underlying "platform" is a curated human-services program rather than a software product. Application flow is administered through acceleratorapp.co, candidate selection occurs through in-person pitch days, and structured milestones (Bootcamp, Accelerate, Pulse, Grow, Graduate) define the cohort journey. The Start it X umbrella also encompasses vertical-specific accelerators (Start it @CBC, Start it Fashion, Start it Hardware, Scale it Agro, Thrive, Sales Sprint), a venture investment arm (Start it Ventures), a dedicated funding program (Start it Fund, backed by €100 million from KBC Group), an educational layer (Start it Academy), and a global partnership footprint via GAN (Global Accelerator Network) that provides over $1 million in startup perks through the Global Venturs Network.

The revenue model is non-transactional with respect to founders: the program is funded by KBC corporate sponsorship rather than participant fees or equity, which the company positions as a differentiator in the Belgian market. Direct monetization, where applicable, is channeled through reduced-rate co-working access for alumni, partner contributions, and the Start it Fund's deployment into portfolio startups — though these flows and overall operating revenue are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Start it

Legal name

Start it @KBC

Website

https://startit.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Start it @KBC is Belgium's largest startup accelerator, operated by KBC Group and offering a free, 12-month, no-equity program to 65 startups per cohort across nine Belgian hubs and international hubs in New York, Budapest, Prague, and Győr.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Acceleration Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC), Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup accelerator program
• Entrepreneurship mentorship
• Venture funding support
• Co-working spaces
• Startup incubation

Headquarters

HQ city

Antwerp

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Accelerator Program Operations: Start it @KBC is a free, no-strings-attached accelerator program. The program is funded by KBC Group, which has committed €100 million to invest in Start it @KBC startups. The accelerator does not generate direct revenue from startups; it operates as a supported ecosystem initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Start it @KBC operates a free, no-strings-attached 12-month startup accelerator program for early-stage and growth-phase startups, offering 1-on-1 coaching, workshops, networking, e-learning, and access to co-working spaces across 9 Belgian hubs plus international locations. The program selects 65 participants per cohort and is funded by KBC Group through a €100 million investment commitment. Startups receive personalized mentorship, investor connections, and over $1 million in perks through the Global Ventures Network (GVN).

Product overview

Start it is a startup accelerator ecosystem offering multiple programs and support services. The core offering is the Start it @KBC one-year accelerator program, which provides free (no-strings-attached) mentorship, coaching, workshops, and networking to early-stage companies. The ecosystem also includes Start it Ventures for direct investment, Start it Fund (backed by €100M from KBC Group), Start it Academy for educational content, and Start it Hubs providing co-working spaces across Belgium and international locations (New York, Budapest, Prague, Gyor). Other accelerator programs like Start it @CBC, Start it Fashion, Start it Hardware, Scale it Agro, Thrive, and Sales Sprint offer specialized support for different industries and growth stages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Start it @CBC: Accelerator program in partnership with CBC
• Start it Fashion
• Start it Hardware
• Scale it Agro
• Thrive
• Sales Sprint
• Start it Fund
• Start it Academy
• Start it Hubs
• Start it Ventures

Products and services

• Start it @KBC A 12-month flagship startup accelerator program offering free, no-strings-attached support to 65 selected startups per cohort. Includes 1-on-1 coaching, workshops, networking, e-learning, pitch training, and co-working space access across 9 Belgian hubs plus international hubs in New York, Budapest, Prague, and Győr. Targets committed, innovative, and scalable startups at all growth phases.
• Start it @CBC Accelerator program operated in partnership with CBC, part of the Start it X ecosystem offering specialized startup acceleration.
• Start it Fashion Sector-specific accelerator designed for fashion industry startups, providing tailored mentorship and growth support within the Start it X ecosystem.
• Start it Hardware Hardware-focused accelerator program tailored for startups developing physical products, providing specialized mentorship and resources within the Start it X ecosystem.
• Scale it Agro AgTech accelerator program tailored for agriculture sector startups, offering specialized support, mentorship, and ecosystem access for agricultural innovation.
• Thrive Acceleration program operating within the Start it X ecosystem, providing startup growth support and business development resources.
• Sales Sprint Short-term sales acceleration program designed to help startups rapidly accelerate revenue growth and commercial traction.
• Start it Fund Investment program through which KBC Group is deploying €100 million to invest in startups that go through the Start it @KBC accelerator, providing capital access for portfolio companies.
• Start it Ventures Venture capital arm of the Start it ecosystem providing direct equity investment and follow-on funding support to startups beyond the initial accelerator program.
• Start it Hubs Co-working and innovation workspace hubs operating in Antwerp, Brussels, Budapest, Ghent, Győr, Hasselt, Kortrijk, Leuven, New York, and Prague, available to accelerator participants and the broader startup community.
• Start it Academy Educational and training arm of the Start it ecosystem providing structured skill development, workshops, e-learning, and capacity-building content for startup founders and teams.
• Post Coaching Offer Personalized post-graduation coaching offer available to Start it @KBC alumni, providing continued mentorship and business guidance after the formal 12-month program concludes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to over $1 million in startup perks through GVN
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Antler: Global early-stage VC and accelerator operating in 30+ cities, with active presence in Belgium and the Netherlands. Targets founders from ideation through pre-seed with cohort-based programs and follow-on capital — directly comparable to Start it @KBC's stage and structure.
• Founders Factory: Venture studio and accelerator backed by corporate partners (Standard Bank, Aviva, etc.), operating a model of building and scaling startups alongside corporate sponsors. Highly comparable structure to Start it X's multi-program, corporate-backed ecosystem.
• MassChallenge: Global non-equity accelerator operating in multiple countries. Most comparable to Start it @KBC in its no-equity model and global hub network, though larger in scale and more sector-diversified across healthcare, fintech, and emerging markets.
• Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator network running vertical and geographic programs (including a fintech-focused program historically sponsored by banks). Operates a similar model to Start it @KBC with corporate sponsor backing, cohort-based selection, and structured 3-month programs.
• Wayra (Telefónica): Corporate-backed accelerator run by Telefónica, one of Europe's most established CVC accelerator programs. Closely comparable model — corporate sponsor, multi-hub European footprint, sector-agnostic cohorts — making it a direct analogue to Start it @KBC's KBC sponsorship.

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: World's most prestigious startup accelerator. While it takes equity and is much larger, YC sets the benchmark against which all accelerators — including Start it @KBC — are evaluated by founders, particularly for international ambition and follow-on capital access.
• Station F: World's largest startup campus based in Paris, hosting multiple accelerator and program partners. Comparable as a hub-and-program operator at scale, though its model is more of a real-estate-and-ecosystem platform than a single corporate accelerator.
• Techstars: One of the world's largest accelerator networks, running 50+ programs globally. While Techstars takes equity (in contrast to Start it @KBC), it competes for the same cohort of early-stage founders and offers similar mentorship, networking, and demo-day formats.

Regional players

• imec.istart: Belgium's primary deep-tech / semiconductor-focused accelerator, run by imec (Leuven-based research hub). Comparable as a Belgian-headquartered accelerator, but differentiates via deep-tech focus versus Start it @KBC's vertical-agnostic positioning.
• The Co.Station: Belgian startup hub and accelerator based in Brussels, offering co-working and acceleration services. A regional peer competing for the same Belgian early-stage founder pool, though with a smaller program footprint than Start it @KBC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10111215
• Instagraminstagram.com/startitkbc
• Xx.com/startitkbc
• Facebookfacebook.com/startitatkbc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Start it