Wallonia located in southern belgium has a rich history of entrepreneurship dating back to the 19th century the region is known for its diverse geography ranging from rolling hills to industrial cities with a population of over 35 million wallonia has a thriving startup scene that is fueled by technological innovations and a supportive business environment some of the most successful companies founded in wallonia include evs broadcast equipment a leading provider of live video production systems and materialise a pioneer in 3d printing technology the region is also home to several multinational corporations including gsk and caterpillar wallonia is known for its worldclass universities including the university of lige and the universit catholique de louvain these institutions provide a steady stream of highly skilled graduates who are eager to join the local startup ecosystem the living wage in wallonia is 1593 per month and the unemployment rate is currently at 75 the city level gdp is 775 billion and the rate of new companies starting and ending is relatively stable despite these positive indicators the startup scene in wallonia faces several challenges the region has struggled to attract venture capital investment and many startups struggle to scale beyond the local market however the government has taken steps to address these issues including the creation of a 50 million investment fund for startups overall the startup scene in wallonia is thriving thanks to a combination of talented entrepreneurs supportive institutions and a favorable business environment while there are certainly challenges to overcome the region is wellpositioned to continue its growth as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship
PrizesHuge thanks toHubSpot for sponsoring this Award!