Applications are open! Apply Until Friday 21 February!!!

Application’s Rules

Find below all the information to apply to the Belgium Startup Awards

Application

Apply:

An application can only compete in one category.

On the other hand, a company can file several different applications.

It is specified that any application may be reassigned by the organizer to another category than that initially planned by the candidate, if this is considered more relevant.

Apply before Friday 21 February!

Apply Now

Application Fee:

This fee ensures commitment and covers the selection process organisation.

50€ VAT excl./ application

Participation Fee:

This fee is required for participants who succeed to pass the previous selection process.

These participants will be able to move to the next rounds of the competition.

They will get access to Masterclasses, pitch in front of top corporate and investors jury members, pitch to win the high value prizes and the first spot on the podium, pitch to win up to 100k€ in convertible note, get recognition and very high visibility + 2 tickets for the Awards Day (full day conference)!

450€ VAT excl./ application

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Definition

Startup + Scale-up

A startup is a young innovative company that offers either a technological solution or an innovative service or product and that strives for rapid growth and expansion.

In our concept, a startup, a scale-up, a VSE, a SME are all assimilated as long as the company has:

<100 employees
<10 years of existence
>25% of the capital is held by the founder(s) and/or individuals. OR for not-for-profit is a vzw/asbl + assimilated legal entities.
Headquarters are located and registered in Belgium and/or >50% of the capital is own by Belgian companies and/or Belgian residents.

Based on the applications, the organizers reserve themselves the right of assigning a startup vs scaleup special labels to differentiate the Nominees and the Winners.

Selection

A 3-step selection process:

1st stage, to determine the Nominees:

For each category, all the applications received will be reviewed by a Startup Jury, made up of partner associations and key industry leaders, in order to determine the Nominees.

Applicants will be invited to pitch their project in front of a Startup Jury. Location will be in one of the Tech Hubs (The Beacon, BeCentral, A6K, Wintercircus, …) – to be confirmed

The Nominees will be revealed by the end of March.

Application format is a 10 slides standard presentation (see below).

To guarantee commitment, quality and cover operational costs a 50€ VAT excl./application fee is asked (see above).

2nd stage, to define the Winners:

The Nominees’ will pitch in front of a Category Industry Expert Jury, composed of industry experts in each category, in order to define the Winners and their rank (in particular gold, silver and bronze).

These pitch sessions will happen in May.

15 minutes (5min presentation + 10min Q&A)

3rd stage, to announce the Winners:

The announcement of the Winners’ rank (gold, silver and bronze) will take place on June 05 at *to be defined.

To guarantee commitment, quality and cover operational costs a 450 € VAT excl. fee is asked (see above).

Apply Now

Application’s format & content

1st stage, to determine the Nominees:

Format:

Powerpoint/PDF/… max 10 slides
- To make it light for startup to prepare.
Live Pitch of 5 minutes
Live Q&A of 10 minutes

Language:

English

Content:

Slide1 – Company Purpose
- Define the company/business in a short declarative sentence
Slide2 – Problem
- Ex: Describe the pain of the customer (or the customer’s customer)
- Outline how the customer addresses the issue today
Slide3 – Solution
- Demonstrate your company’s value proposition to make the customer’s life better.
- Show where your product physically sits
Slide4 – Why Now/Market Size
- Demonstrate the right timing and potential
- Ex: Set-up the historical evolution of your category
- Ex: Define recent trends that make your solution possible
- Ex: Identify/profile the customer you cater to
- Ex: Calculate the TAM (top down), SAM (bottoms up) and SOM
Slide5 – Business Model
- Revenue model
- Demonstrate the business viability of your company
Slide6-7-8 – Case study #1
- Illustrate your tangible achievements, potential growth, scalability, innovation.
Slide9 – Team
- Founders & Management
- Board of Directors/Board of Advisors
Slide10 – Conclusion
- Extra comments if useful

2nd stage, to define the Winners and their rank:

Format:

Live Pitch of 5 minutes
Live Q&A of 10 minutes

Content:

Based on the application Slide deck.

Focused on the Case Study to relate to the industry:

Illustrate your tangible achievements, potential growth, scalability, innovation.

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Evaluation Criteria

Grade from (1-5)

1st stage, to determine the Nominees

1. Mission and Purpose:

Assess the clarity and depth of the startup’s mission. Does it effectively communicate the core purpose and values of the company?

2. Innovation:

Evaluate the degree of innovation the startup brings. This could involve novel approaches, technologies, or business models.

3. Scalability:

Consider whether the startup’s model is scalable and viable in the long term. Assess its potential for growth and expansion.

4. Financial Viability:

The startup needs to demonstrate financial viability. Evaluate its revenue model, funding sources, and financial projections to ensure it has a viable business model.

5. Traction & Growth:

Has the company achieved significant market traction? (e.g., user growth, revenue, customer acquisition). Reach key milestones?

2nd stage, to define the Winners and their rank:

1. Mission and Purpose:

Assess the clarity and depth of the startup’s mission. Does it effectively communicate the core purpose and values of the company?

2. Innovation:

Evaluate the degree of innovation the startup brings. This could involve novel approaches, technologies, or business models .

3. Scalability:

Consider whether the startup’s model is scalable and viable in the long term. Assess its potential for growth and expansion.

4. Financial Viability:

The startup needs to demonstrate financial viability. Evaluate its revenue model, funding sources, and financial projections to ensure it has a viable business model.

5. Traction & Growth:

Has the company achieved significant market traction? (e.g., user growth, revenue, customer acquisition). Reach key milestones?

6. Team and Leadership:

Evaluate the team’s experience, skills, leadership, and teamwork. Assess their relevant industry experience, technical expertise, and track record of success in previous ventures.

7. Partnerships and Collaborations:

Evaluate the value of existing partnerships and the potential for future collaborations. Assess access to distribution channels through partnerships with other companies. Evaluate the potential for integrating with complementary technologies or platforms.

8. Previous Achievements and Recognition:

Analyze significant milestones achieved by the startup, such as product launches, customer acquisition, and fundraising rounds. Evaluate any awards, recognition, or media coverage received by the startup.

Apply Now