B19

What B19 does

B19 is a Belgian business networking club founded in 2013 and headquartered in Brussels, operating in the position of an inclusive, SME-focused alternative to traditional elite business circles. The club serves individual entrepreneurs and small-to-mid-sized business owners primarily aged 30-65, alongside corporate members subscribing to bundled packages for their employees. Its core offering is a recurring programme of 150+ annual events spanning breakfasts, conferences, business speed dating, lunches, afterworks, and workshops held locally and across regional hubs in Antwerp, Namur, Charleroi, Liège, and Luxembourg. The community is supported by a mobile application (event agenda, one-click registration, member directory, carpooling) and the quarterly B17 'Le Club' magazine, with a members-only podcast as a complementary content layer.

The business model is subscription-driven: a Single membership is priced at €600/year (excluding VAT) for individual access, and Business memberships (minimum four seats) are sold at negotiated prices with additional visibility through the magazine and guest privileges at events. Revenue is supplemented by corporate sponsorships from premium brands, most notably Porsche, Veuve Clicquot, and Belfius — the latter of which is also the named sponsor of the B19 Young Talent Awards, an annual entrepreneurship competition across seven Belgian cities. Distribution relies on a direct sales motion via the newb19.be portal and regional contacts (Brussels/Wallonia, Flanders, Luxembourg), supplemented by a referral channel through high-profile ambassadors including the CEOs of GBL and RTL Belgium, and senior figures at Belfius, providing credibility-led member acquisition rather than paid marketing.

The organization is privately held and founder-led by John-Alexander Bogaerts, with no disclosed external funding rounds, parent company, or subsidiary structure. Stated headcount of 501–1,000 is notable and appears broadly defined given the curated-club operating model. The competitive position rests on ten years of accumulated community density, regional coverage across Belgium's three linguistic communities plus Luxembourg, and the brand associations generated by ambassador and sponsor line-ups rather than any proprietary technology stack.

Name

B19

Legal name

B19

Website

https://b19.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

B19 is a Belgian business networking club founded in 2013, serving approximately 2,000 entrepreneurs and SMEs across Belgium and Luxembourg through 150+ annual events, a mobile app, magazine, and corporate sponsorships, with €600/year individual memberships and negotiated corporate packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Networking Club & Membership Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused) (CRAEADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meeting & Event Program Technology (Registration, Apps, Badging) (THACAFAB), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK)

Keywords

• Business networking club
• Professional membership community
• SME networking events
• Business club membership
• Entrepreneur networking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Uccle

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Single Membership: Annual membership at 600€/year (excl. VAT) providing individual member access, entry to 150+ annual events, and mobile app access. This is the primary revenue stream targeting individual entrepreneurs and professionals.
2. Business Membership: Corporate membership bundle pricing (minimum 4 memberships) with additional benefits including visibility in B19 magazine and ability to bring guests to events. Price is quoted on request, indicating negotiated enterprise pricing for companies seeking multiple employee memberships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

B19 operates a national business club and networking community in Belgium offering annual memberships (Single at €600/year and Business packages) that grant access to 150+ curated networking events annually, including breakfasts, conferences, business speed dating, lunches, afterworks, and workshops. Members also receive access to a proprietary mobile application for event management and member directory browsing, a quarterly digital magazine, and a members-only podcast, all designed to facilitate professional connections among entrepreneurs and SMEs across Belgium and Luxembourg.

Product overview

B19 is a National Business Club & Networking organization offering a unified platform for business networking in Belgium. The core offering consists of weekly networking events (breakfasts, conferences, speed dating, lunches, afterworks, workshops), complemented by a mobile application for event management and member directory, an annual membership program (Single at 600€/year or Business tier), and supporting content through the B19 Magazine. Additional offerings include the B19 Young Talent Awards competition in partnership with Belfius and a members-only podcast featuring member interviews.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• B19 Membership Program Annual membership program with two tiers: Single Membership (€600/year HTVA) for individual entrepreneurs providing access to all national and international events, and Business Membership (price on request, minimum 4 seats) for companies including magazine visibility and guest privileges.
• B19 Networking Events Weekly in-person networking events including breakfasts, conferences, business speed dating sessions, lunches, afterworks, and workshops featuring prominent speakers, business leaders, politicians, and entrepreneurs for professional networking at local, national, and international levels.
• B19 Mobile Application Members-only mobile application providing access to the event agenda, one-click event registration, member directory browsing, and carpooling functionality to coordinate rides to B19 events.
• B19 Magazine (B17 'Le Club') Quarterly digital magazine (B17 'Le Club') covering club life, member stories, and business initiatives within the B19 community, distributed to members and at events.
• B19 Young Talent Awards by Belfius Annual entrepreneurial competition held in partnership with Belfius across 7 Belgian cities where young entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to a prestigious jury, culminating in a final award ceremony.
• B19 Podcast (Members Only) Members-only podcast featuring interviews with B19 members, showcasing their inspiring entrepreneurship journeys, business experiences, and innovative visions.

Named customers6 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• GBL (Groupe Bruxelles Lambert)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 September 2023CEO Ian Gallienne serves as B19 Ambassador. GBL logo appears on B19 materials as partner, indicating mutual visibility and networking benefits.
• PorscheflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium sponsor of B19, hosts exclusive breakfast events at Porsche Centres across Belgium (Brussels Motor Show, Oost-Vlaanderen, Louvain-La-Neuve). Aligns B19 brand with luxury and automotive excellence.
• Veuve ClicquotflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium sponsor providing champagne and prestige to B19 events, reinforcing the club's positioning as a quality business networking destination.
• BelfiusflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead sponsor of B19 Young Talent Awards - annual entrepreneurship competition across 7 Belgian cities. Belfius provides prize support and branding, B19 provides platform for showcasing young entrepreneurs.
• InterparkingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParking services partner supporting B19 events and member convenience at venues.
• Group SminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHR solutions partner visible at B19 events, providing services to members.
• SecurexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLegal and business services partner supporting B19 member ecosystem.
• KBCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanking partner with logo presence on B19 platform.
• Chant d'EoleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWine/spirits partner providing products for B19 events, including exclusive aperitifs at events like Brunch du 15 août.
• hello7minorOthersDigital agency responsible for B19's digital strategy and website development (credited in footer).
• RTL BelgiumcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCEO Philippe Delussinne serves as B19 Ambassador. Media partnership providing exposure and event coverage.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Soho House: Members-only club for creative and business professionals combining physical locations, events, and a global member network. Comparable to B19 in the membership-club model and event-led value proposition, though more premium-priced and physical-venue-led.
• EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization): Global membership community for entrepreneurs built around peer-learning forums, events, and conferences. Directly comparable to B19 in offering recurring paid membership, structured events, and networking for business owners, though at a higher price point.
• Vistage: CEO and executive peer-advisory membership organization with paid annual dues, monthly group meetings, and speaker programming. Closely comparable to B19 in subscription-based membership, event cadence, and SME/owner-operator target customer.
• BNI (Business Network International): Global referral-based business networking organization with structured weekly meetings and paid membership. Highly comparable to B19's chapter/event model and SME target audience, though operates on a chapter-franchise rather than centralized model.

Broad incumbents

• Rotary International: Global membership-based civic and professional networking organization with local chapters. Comparable to B19 in membership-club model and event programming, though much larger, non-profit, and civic-mission-driven rather than business-networking-focused.
• Chamber of Commerce (Belgian network): Institutional Belgian business membership bodies representing companies at regional and federal levels. Comparable to B19 in business-membership services and SME audience, though more advocacy- and institutional-focused versus B19's event-driven social networking.

Regional players

• Marketers Belgium: Belgian professional community for marketing professionals offering events, awards, and member programming. Comparable in member-based Belgian business community format and event-driven engagement, though vertical-focused rather than cross-sector like B19.
• The Network (Belgian business club): Belgian invite-based business networking organization for executives. Comparable to B19 in paid-membership networking-club model, though smaller and more elite-positioned than B19's inclusive SME DNA.
• BNI Belgium: Belgian chapter of BNI's referral-networking organization. Directly comparable to B19's networking-club model and Belgian SME audience, and a direct in-market competitor for member mindshare and weekly-meeting time.
• Cercle de Wallonie: Belgian French-speaking business leaders' networking circle. Comparable to B19 as a paid Belgian business-membership organization serving decision-makers, though more exclusive/elite in positioning versus B19's SME focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/b19be
• Instagraminstagram.com/b19_official

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 B19