Fundraising Foximec.istart
AcceleratorLeuven · Pre-Seed–Seed · 45 people tracked
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Investment thesis
imec.istart is the acceleration and venturing arm of imec, the R&D and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. The program supports early-stage tech entrepreneurs by providing pre-seed funding, a year of industry-specific and personal coaching, access to imec's deep-tech expertise, technology and infrastructure, and connections to a broad network of business partners and investors. Selection happens through an open call held three times a year. The program has a strong deep-tech and semiconductor orientation, backing startups across areas such as hardware, sensing, health technology and AI-driven applications.
Source: firm website, verified Sep 26, 2026.
Team · 45 people
from curated & public directories
What they invest in
from 77 of 388 portfolio companiesSaaS ×41AI & Machine Learning ×38Enterprise Software ×23Healthtech ×12Data & Infrastructure ×11Digital Health ×11Hardware ×10Medical Devices ×10
HQs:Belgium×37United States×6United Kingdom×1Netherlands×1
Who they back
founder profiles across 57 portfolio companiesFounding team size:solo founder×332 founders×123 founders×84+ founders×4
Where their founders studiedfrom 32 founders with education data
KU Leuven ×10Ghent University ×8Université catholique de Louvain ×3Vlerick Business School ×3EPFL ×2Hogeschool Antwerpen ×2University of Southampton ×2
What their founders studiedfrom 30 founders with field-of-study data
Engineering ×13Business & Management ×7Computer Science ×6Mathematics & Statistics ×4Economics ×3Finance & Accounting ×3
Where their founders worked beforefrom 33 founders with career history
BNP Paribas Fortis ×4Google ×3Robovision ×3Artesis Hogeschool Antwerpen ×2Belgium's 40 under 40 ×2DASH7 Alliance ×2Lightspeed ×2University of Antwerp ×2
Accelerator rootsportfolio companies that came through a program
3 founders hold a PhD · 1 hold an MBA (of 36 with degree data)
Portfolio companies · 388 tracked
alumni founders can tell you what the program is really likeBy year:2026 · 12024 · 12023 · 12022 · 32021 · 22019 · 19 dated
Yields provides software for managing risks and compliance in traditional and AI models across their entire lifecycle, serving regulated organizations like financial institutions and companies preparing for AI regulation.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechSaaSFlanders, BE
Jos Gheerardyn(CEO and Co-founder)inSébastien Viguié(Head of Regulatory Affairs & Co-founder)in
Co-investorsPamica NVVolta VenturesG+D Ventures
AI-Blox provides modular hardware and software infrastructure for edge AI applications, enabling companies to deploy AI solutions locally without relying on cloud infrastructure.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningHardwareLogistics & Supply ChainRobotics
Hans StevensinJeroen PlasmaninLukas van NuneninPieter Bastiaensin
Co-investorsSmartFin
AirShaper offers a cloud-based aerodynamic simulation tool where users upload a 3D CAD model and run automated CFD analyses to measure drag, lift, and other performance metrics.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingDeep TechSaaS
Aloxy develops industrial IoT solutions including sensors, gateways, and middleware for the chemical, oil and gas, and process industries.
Advanced ManufacturingDeep TechEnterprise SoftwareHardwareIoTAntwerp, BE
Maarten WeyninGlenn Ergeertsin
Co-investorsImec.xpandQbic FundDow Venture CapitalInnovation Fund sa/nv
Ambassify provides a platform for employee advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing, enabling companies to engage employees and other community members to share and amplify brand content.
Enterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkHR TechMarketing TechSaaS
An open-source design editor that allows developers and AI coding agents to collaborate on creating, modifying, and deploying UI components in real time, with changes directly converted to production code.
Advanced ManufacturingDeveloper ToolsEnterprise SoftwareRoboticsSan Francisco, US
Perbhat Kumar(CEO)inTejas Priyadarshi
Co-investorsBlast.ClubPioneer Square LabsY CombinatorAbstract Ventures
Azumuta offers a cloud-based Manufacturing Execution System (MES) that manages shop floor operations including digital work instructions, quality checks, production orders, traceability, and machine and ERP integrations.
Advanced ManufacturingAI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkIoTSaaSGhent, BE
Batist Leman(CEO)in
Co-investorsCapricorn Venture PartnersKeen Venture PartnersAngelwisePMV
BloomUp offers an integrated workplace wellbeing platform that gives employees access to growth programs, coaching, and therapy through smart matching, while providing HR and prevention teams with dashboards and KPIs to track wellbeing and productivity.
Digital HealthHR TechMental HealthWellness & Fitness
BookWidgets is an educational technology company that pairs teachers with technology to deliver personalized learning, aiming to make world-class education accessible to students anywhere.
EdTechSaaSKortenberg, BE
Borro provides a reusable cup system for large venues such as sports stadiums, aiming to make cup reuse fast and reliable.
Circular EconomySports Tech
Kasper Albers(Founder)in
Co-investorsSeeder FundAugmentum CapitalCanaan PartnersOurCrowdRibbit CapitalRocket Internet SE
Ambassify (formerly BuboBox, founded 2012) is a SaaS platform for employee advocacy and engagement, enabling companies to turn their employees into brand ambassadors who amplify the brand online.
HR TechMarketing TechSaaS
Cascador Health provides real-world data analytics and clinical research services to pharmaceutical companies and healthcare organizations, focusing on market access, clinical evidence generation, and therapy adoption in healthcare.
BiotechData & InfrastructureDigital HealthHealthtechMedical Devices
Philip Taillieu(Founder & CEO)Gert Mariënin
Co-investorsPMVQbic FundVolta Ventures
Clouds of Care develops EEG and electrophysiology-based digital health technology and software (including FDA-cleared/CE-marked SaMD) to provide meaningful endpoints for clinical development in CNS disorders such as epilepsy and sleep disorders.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtechMedical Devices
Co-investorsNovalis BiotechPMVWhite Fund
Companion.energy provides a software platform that connects, models, and automates enterprise energy operations and procurement for large companies.
AI & Machine LearningEnergyEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Jonas Verstraeten(Founder)inThomas Vyncke(Founder)in
Co-investorsNAPCavalry VenturesEntourage VenturesRealyze VenturesÜbermorgen VenturesCaduceus Capital Partners
CrowdScan builds a wireless sensor network using low-energy radio waves to measure and predict crowd density and movement in real time for public transport, city centers, and events.
GovTechHardwareIoT
Anton Dierickx(Founder)in
Co-investorsQbic Fund
Cybernetic Walrus is a game studio that designs simulation games focused on physical, hands-on interaction and atmospheric experiences.
ConsumerGaming
DataCamp is a learning platform for teams that teaches data and AI skills through hands-on coursework accessible via web browser and mobile app.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEdTechNew York City, US
Jonathan Cornelissen(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inDieter de Mesmaeker(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inMartijn Theuwissen(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)in
Co-investorsCOTU VenturesSpectrum EquityTechstarsAccompliceArthur Ventures
Deliverect operates a platform designed to support the food service and restaurant industry worldwide, facilitating growth and digital operations through integration with major food delivery and point-of-sale partners.
E-commerceEnterprise SoftwareFoodTechRetail TechSaaS
Zhong Xu(Founder)inJerome Laredo(Founder)inJan Hollez(Founder)Jelte Vrijhoef(Founder)
Co-investorsAlkeon InnovationAntlerCoatue ManagementNewionOMERS VenturesRedpoint Ventures+4 more
DEO.care builds an AI-backed digital twin of the operating room, collecting OR activity data to provide analytics, benchmarking, and predictive workflow modeling for hospitals, surgeons, and healthcare industry leaders.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureDigital HealthHealthtechBelgium, BE
Jeroen Dille(CEO)inTim Clijmans(CFO)in
Co-investorsCapDecisif ManagementKarista
Dockflow is a LogOps platform for freight forwarders that tracks containers, automates shipment follow-up, and lets all partners on a shipment work from shared data.
AI & Machine LearningLogistics & Supply ChainSaaSAntwerp, BE
Pauline Van OstaeyenMichiel Valee
EdgX builds Morus, a datacenter-class compute system designed to operate in orbit, giving satellites the memory, storage, and processing capacity to run demanding workloads onboard rather than only handling raw sensor data.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechHardwareSpace TechGhent, BE
Equicty builds software for equestrian businesses to digitally manage their operations, including horse health and training, club management, and foal registration.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkSaaSSports Tech
Bram Balcaen(Founder)Samir Brahimi(Founder & CEO)Kristof Goeminne(Co-founder)
ExchangeRobotics develops generative AI applications and infrastructure for financial innovation, focusing on workflow automation, unstructured data processing, and decision-making tools for organizations.
AI & Machine LearningEnterprise SoftwareFintechRoboticsNew York City, US
Co-investorsTechstars
ExpectMe is a room allocation platform for the hotel industry that lets guests select and guarantee their preferred room from a hotel floor plan before arrival, along with optional upsell services.
PropTechSaaSTravel & Hospitality
Roeland Verhamme(Founder)in
Co-investorsSeeder Fund
Fan Arena builds custom fantasy sports and prediction games for sports leagues, media companies, and betting operators, covering sports such as football, cycling, hockey, and basketball.
GamingSaaSSports Tech
Octavian Susnea(CEO)
FibriCheck develops a regulated, AI-powered smartphone application that uses PPG measurement to detect and monitor cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation without additional hardware.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthMedical Devices
Maeve is an AI assistant for fashion retailers that analyzes product data from multiple sources—including Shopify, PLM systems, reviews, and customer service tools—to optimize decisions around pricing, sizing, returns, and range planning.
AI & Machine LearningRetail TechLondon, GB
Phoebe Gormley(CEO)in
Co-investorsEntrepreneur FirstSie VenturesAlbionVCInnovate UKJanuary VenturesSuperSeed+1 more
FixForm provides software solutions for facility management operations, enabling maintenance teams to focus on core work while the platform handles operational complexity.
Enterprise SoftwarePropTechSaaS
Thomas Vanhumbeeck(Founder)in
Co-investorsPitchdrive
Fluves develops fiber optic sensing technology — using Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) — to turn a single optical fiber into a continuous, real-time monitoring system for critical infrastructure.
CleantechData & InfrastructureDeep TechEnergyHardwareIoT
Fuse provides a single API layer that connects to multiple bank data providers like Plaid, MX, and Teller, automatically routing each bank to its most reliable provider and normalizing data across them.
FintechSaaSNew York City, US
Boateng Opoku-Yeboah(Founder)inLandon Vago-Hughes(Founder)inTunde Alao(Founder)in
Co-investorsY CombinatorAgrolimen VenturesBBQ CapitalCommerce VenturesFootworkFour Cities+7 more
Geosparc builds data and Web GIS solutions, integrating IoT and geospatial information into applications that support decision-making for ports and shipping, insurance, utilities, and government bodies.
Data & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareGovTechSaaS
Go Vocal (formerly CitizenLab) is a B Corp certified SaaS company that builds a community engagement platform used by governments and organizations to run participatory decision-making initiatives such as urban planning, climate action, and participatory budgeting.
AI & Machine LearningGovTechImpact & Social GoodSaaS
Co-investorsCapital Mills
Hylyght provides a platform for collecting, analysing, and reporting data for physiotherapists, doctors, trainers, and coaches, built on sports science research.
Digital HealthHealthtechSaaSSports Tech
Kristof(Founder / Sports Science / Sports Physio)
IntelliProve builds facial scanning software that extracts clinically-validated physiological and mental biomarkers from a 30-second camera scan, delivering health insights and AI-generated recommendations.
AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthHealthtech
Kadonation provides a corporate gifting platform that lets commercial and marketing teams automate sending gifts, incentives, and digital gift cards tied to CRM and campaign actions.
E-commerceEnterprise SoftwareHR TechMarketing TechSaaSSales Tech
Karomia develops ESG reporting software that helps sustainability leaders create insights and manage corporate responsibility reporting with greater efficiency.
AI & Machine LearningClimate TechEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
Luc M.(Founder)in
Co-investorsEntourage Ventures
Belgian company behind A-Inside, an AI-driven customer data platform for life sciences, acquired by DLI Market Intelligence.
Co-investorsVolta Ventures
Limecraft operates a cloud-based collaborative video workspace for Media Asset Management, covering video ingest, content sharing, remote editing, subtitling, and localisation.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingMedia & EntertainmentSaaS
Luzmo IQ is an AI-powered analytics tool that enables software companies to embed natural language data querying and visualization capabilities into their products.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareSaaS
KarelHaroenHaroen Vermylen(Founder)Karel Callens(Founder)Thomas De Clerck(Founder)
Co-investorsAxeleo CapitalSmartFinHi Inov
LynxCare enables hospitals and life sciences organizations to generate clinical insights from harmonized real-world health datasets.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureHealthtechBrussels, BE
Co-investorsHeran PartnersMatterwave VenturesElaiaFlare Capital Partners
Minze Health develops solutions for diagnosing and managing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), such as those caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or overactive bladder (OAB).
Digital HealthHealthtechMedical Devices
Co-investorsCapricorn Venture PartnersPMVWhite Fund
Mobito provides Origin-Destination data that captures the start and end locations of individual vehicle trips, sourced from millions of connected vehicles and telematics-equipped fleets, with privacy-safe anonymization using H3 hexagonal grids.
AI & Machine LearningB2B MarketplacesData & InfrastructureIoTLogistics & Supply ChainMobility & Transportation
Other
Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.
3State8SecondsAbelcareAddrelevanceAdshotAdunioAeroCountAetechAiRobotAlexandriaAliaAmeratatAortexArcanixArcher & SummitAscensciaAsylia DiagnosticsAtSharpAuraSensaeAva & TrixAxsmateBimefyBIMPROFITbingliBiotacticalBjörnboxBobby NeonatalBrailsportsBrainphonicsBrighterBinsBufflBuildEyeBusonlineCallticCalqiCamargusCaramblaCavenCerebroCeriterChestnoteChuuchuuCitylegendsClickCareClipidoClonableCloud NinjasCloudknifeCo-medicCodeGlassCommon Sense RoboticsComprovedConductivConstell8Constellate ProteomicsContour LabContractoConversation StarterCoryCoshCreative Therapyd!NKDatachaperoneDatavillageDaymakerDELTARAYDeonticDetecteDexrDiGiConsulDigital Driving PassDimension4DisplayDissoDitarDjubbleDrobotsdScribeDYAMANDE-TorchEarn-eEcomoniEctosenseEdufaceEisphorIAEndareEnfoilepconepic blueEpihunterEVappeXiaExsensiaExtra HorizonFarmDeskFarowFavsyncFermetFinvictumFirmalyzerFlockscoreFoamPrint3DForcebitForesighteeFullupG-FluxGloriaGraphineGratiagoGrimoireGrizitHappyClientHealthblocksHelloMyDearHelloTriangleHerontrackHippocreatesHooblerHyghlyneidronectIMChipImplicitMeasuresInLableInnofluidicsInspectigenceInstadealIntuoIP MetroIQ RoomJ58Jump EnergyKaramelKaratonKnowledgeFlowKNR BiotechKOIOSLedsReactLevels DiagnosticsLevelUP SportsLibaroLindaCareLinguineoLocaNestLoposLucidWebLuxeedLynqoM3NephronMaevemaikyMarpleMatvisionmealheroMedical RobotsMetagemMindSpeller
Browse all 388 investments with full details →
▶188 more tracked companies
ModelhealthMolecubesMonytrMoonbirdmosathermmyClustersMyelin-ZMyGamePlanMyJobboxMypitchNebula4neoScoresNephroFlowNeuroventisNextbookNextSDSNGraveNoisyChannelsNotebleNova ReplyNova SportNovableNovio SoundNowMaxNuclivisionNutrinomicsNXGSATO-boyOctaveOctopinOKeezOn-HertzOnlinewerkroosterOntoforceOntracxOptiBuildOptioryxOptisuiteOrbion TechnologiesOTIVPathomationPayflipPeakyPermission MachinePieSyncPillasPingPricePlann3rPlanOpSimPlay it SafePolyPerceptionPOSIOSPreAccPrediCubePrismosPrixoPronectProteoFormiXPUFormPurayQ 1.6QualenicaQuamotionQviroRaceAlertsRada-HRRaymonRebinRedBeaver MediaReeplyRentagaReqConRevisionRevividalRewingRisoltoRobosanRotionSalesflareSaplySAVRSCARAB SportsSCIMMSDNsquareSeatersSemacticSenciliaSenhiveSetleSewermapperSfinx insideShavatarShaypSign2PaySitemanagerSkinetixSmall TeaserSmall Town HeroesSmart SymbolsSmartgrid OneSmartSpokenSmashitsmashvisionSmoovedsnapTonicSNEEZZSolutioSolviceSoulCenterSoundsafe CareSparkerSpecifixSpectarSpineWiseSpottStarWardenStimaliaStolpStreetwavesSummoSurgiprintSwaveswugoSymplSyncroT-MiningTactsimTaglayerTagTagCityTalentguideTaxeoTeachBuddyTekstTelemediTelephonTenguThe RightsTinkerListTinkerTouchTiroTokenPKIToolmasterToquaTouchwavesTrack4CTrackboxTractonomy RoboticsTreeSpokeTrickleTripfairTripodmakerTurbulentTwente Medical OpticsTwikitUgenTecUltra PicturaUmaumanUnblndUXprobeUZEValid8FoodVenlyVenlyVeowareVicancyVilocVolcainoVoxelSensorsVyuuWalklywaylayWee CareweGroupWenetWeniteWestrayWheelkeepWhizzgolfWillowWintroWirelensWobbyWUKXR4IndustryYeatZeal RoboticsZeticon
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesCompanion · thesaasnews.com · Jun 8, 2026
Tekst · finsmes.com · May 8, 2026
Dockflow · dockflow.com · Jan 12, 2026
azumuta · azumuta.com · Nov 13, 2025
Luzmo · luzmo.com · Nov 5, 2025
Fit Collective · eu-startups.com · Nov 4, 2025
NXGSAT · satcom.digital · Oct 21, 2025
EDGX · tech.eu · Aug 11, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has imec.istart made?
- imec.istart has 388 tracked investments, 2 of which have exited, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
- What stage does imec.istart invest at?
- imec.istart invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is imec.istart's typical check size?
- imec.istart typically writes checks of $100K – $300K.
- What sectors does imec.istart focus on?
- imec.istart focuses on AgTech, AI & Machine Learning, Climate Tech, Crypto & Web3, Deep Tech, Energy, Hardware, Healthtech, Sector Agnostic, Semiconductors.
- Where is imec.istart located?
- imec.istart is headquartered in Leuven, BE.
- Who does imec.istart co-invest with?
- imec.istart most often shares deals with Seeder Fund, PMV, SmartFin, among 55 tracked co-investors.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
featuring the teamSuperHero Conversations EP3 | Sven De Cleyn - imec.istart & Niels Van Damme - OTIV
SuperNova · Sven De Cleyn
Sven De Cleyn, Program Director of imec.istart welcomes everyone to WIS23 Part 1
UBI Global - Interactive Learning Community · Sven De Cleyn
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