imec.istart accelerator program

Accelerator program

Apply here

What we do

Let's accelerate your business!

Let’s face it, building a company is tough. Especially in the beginning, with limited resources and support. When all you have is you, your co-founder and your belief that you’re onto something. That’s where we come in – to invest in your company. And more importantly, to be there for you.

As a scalable tech company with a working proof of concept, you have a natural fit with imec.istart. We prep you and your product for the market, growth and investors. Our ultimate goal? To get you into the scaleup club. To help you earn your alumni badge, get lifelong support and give back to our vibrant community.

lifecycle startup

How it works

The imec.istart program focuses on six building blocks

Coaching for tech startups

Access to COACHING

  • Personal coaching by your Venture Acceleration Manager, a sparring partner and trusted contact on a day-to-day basis

  • A broad range of workshops and one-on-one follow-up tracks, given by topnotch experts

  • Our inhouse-developed Innovatrix, the tool to monitor your progress

  • A diverse network of 100+ experienced mentors

Funding for tech startups

Access to FINANCE

  • € 100,000 pre-seed funding
  • Potential follow-up investments by the imec.istart fund (in total you can receive up to € 250K from the imec.istart Fund) 
  • An audience of 100+ investors at our biannual Investors Day
  • Our continuous support in order to secure that next funding round
Technology for tech startups

Access to TECHNOLOGY

  • Imec, a globally recognized R&D and innovation hub
  • A panel of imec domain experts to challenge your technical pitch
  • An imec.istart liaison to guide you through imec’s collaboration opportunities
Tech startup community

Access to COMMUNITY

  • A community of 300+ startups and like-minded tech entrepreneurs
  • Free office space, shared with other tech startups, during the program
  • A long list of software and service deals, tailored to startup needs
  • A wide range of various events
Hiring for tech startups

Access to TALENT

  • Our support in the war for talent
  • A dedicated Teamdynamics officer: focusing on the human aspect of entrepreneurship and offering 1-1 wellbeing sessions
  • Various ways to strengthen your founding team (expert in residence, co-founder events, ... )
  • Our guidance in developing your own talents that help your startup succeed

Access to REVENUE

  • Our broad network of corporate partners eager to get to know you
  • A dedicated internationalization officer, your advisor through our catalogue of partnerships, services and missions around the globe
  • A large network of international accelerators, experts and partners to help you touch base in new markets

Access to COACHING

  • Personal coaching by your Venture Acceleration Manager, a sparring partner and trusted contact on a day-to-day basis

  • A broad range of workshops and one-on-one follow-up tracks, given by topnotch experts

  • Our inhouse-developed Innovatrix, the tool to monitor your progress

  • A diverse network of 100+ experienced mentors

In their own words

Check out what startup Lelantos (Asylia Diagnostics) said about the imec.istart experience.

We make impact

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