Where can you find coaching in Belgium as a starter?

Starting up your own business, however small, takes preparation and time. Luckily, you can fall back on a wide range of coaching and guidance, which you’d do well to jump at. 

UNIZO and UCM

At the small businesses federation UNIZO and its French-speaking counterpart UCM, you are in the right place as a new entrepreneur. They help you develop your business idea step by step into a business ready to be launched. With brochures full of useful facts, an online step-by-step plan, information sessions, personal guidance and more. Plus they can tell you all you need to know about financial and other support measures for starters. 

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Agency

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Agency is the Flemish government’s contact point for entrepreneurs. Together with a whole range of partners, the agency helps SMEs through their (pre)start and growth process. They invest in environmental factors, too. Think about the development of business premises and business accommodation. 

Startup Weekend

Startup Weekend is one of the most well-known and approachable coaching initiatives. All over the world – including regularly in Brussels – events lasting several days are organized, which we warmly recommend to all starters. A Startup Weekend is the ideal way to be primed for entrepreneurship fast. You learn to draw up a business plan and you can submit your plan to a specialized panel of leading business people. So be sure to keep an eye on the Startup Weekend calendar.

Co.Station

Looking for a place to network and learn? Then the hypermodern Co.Station hub is the place for you. The organization aims to stimulate entrepreneurship in Belgium, among other things with its trilingual Virtuology Academy. The assistance available includes starter coaching. 

You will find an overview of Flemish co-working spaces in this free Xerius e-book.
For co-working spaces in Wallonia, go to the CoWallonie website.

Business Angels

Business Angels Network Flanders puts fledgling entrepreneurs in contact with private investors: the so-called Business Angels. Very interesting for those in search of starter capital, but you can go to them for coaching and advice, too. 

Curious about how to persuade an Angel to invest knowledge and money in your startup? Business Angel Cédrick Donck explains.  Or assess your own business plan free on www.pimentomap.com.

Crowdfunding

More and more start-up companies are resorting to Kickstarter and other crowdfunding platforms. Not only can you collect the funds you need here, but it’s also an extremely interesting school for every starter. Anyone who launches a campaign on Kickstarter learns all about entrepreneurship with the greatest of ease.