The Innovation Hub: your growth partner at every stage of your business
3 - 5 min
To grow, every entrepreneur must secure finance, surround themselves with experts, and build a network. In our 9 Innovation Hubs, we examine your figures and, above all, listen to your ambitions and growth desires.
Your first step into the bank
Is your company ready to enter the market? Open the door to one of our 9 Innovation Hubs. From the moment you step into the bank, you'll be surprised. Alternatively, ask ecosystem partners to introduce you to us.
Are you familiar with imec.istart, a growth accelerator for tech start-ups? We’ve been a partner since 2017, and are also part of the jury that selects the start-ups to join the imec.istart community. The goal is to provide promising start-ups with a boost, ranging from €100,000 to €250,000 as early as possible, and to support them within the ecosystem.
Whether you're a start-up or scale-up, we want to be easily accessible to you, just as you would expect from a partner. You can contact an Innovation Hub for your project through your relationship manager or reach out to us directly via our website.
"We’re here to support entrepreneurs, wherever they are on their journey, even if they are not yet customers, do not qualify for a traditional loan or are not yet operationally profitable," says Geneviève Vanassche, Innovation Hub Manager.
Where are you in your project? How can we help you grow? These are the questions we always try to answer with you.
The Innovation Hub in figures
- 9 Innovation Hubs in Belgium
- 5 priority sectors: Life Sciences, ICT & Digital, FinTech, Green & Clean Tech, Agri Food Tech
- A team of relationship managers specialised in each province
- Over 500 start-ups in the portfolio
The entrepreneur's needs come first
BNP Paribas Fortis bases its decisions not only on traditional solvency ratios. It also examines the quality of the start-up, the team's capabilities, and the extent to which it is supported by an ecosystem.
In each Belgian province, we provide companies with a team of bankers who are experts in innovative business models. They evaluate business plans and analyse market potential.
"Our vision of partnership goes far beyond that of just being a financial institution. Our experts see themselves as supporters who back entrepreneurs in their projects," says Geneviève.
The bank does not charge for this type of service, which is entirely tailored to the entrepreneur’s needs.
Financing request: the benefits of selecting the right funding options
Business owners are often geniuses when it comes to their product, but they don't always have the necessary financial expertise. This is where the Innovation Hub specialists come in. They support companies in their financing scenarios and provide advice on how to make the best use of existing resources.
“Before raising funds, think about optimising what you already have,” says Stéphane Vermeire, Head of Corporate Banking. This is why the bank generally advises you to shorten your customers’ payment terms. Need some extra equipment? Lease instead of buying and don’t consume capital too quickly. Avoid financing with your cash reserves when you need to invest in a long-term project.
In this regard, relationship managers play a role of coach and critical advisor. Geneviève Vanassche: "A technician paired with a CFO, or a numbers person, can really form a winning team."
A long-term relationship that goes far beyond the figures
First and foremost, the bank builds a relationship of trust with entrepreneurs: one that is both human and professional, and above all authentic.
"Our employees always provide a highly professional view of the steps to be taken to continue growing in the market. Honest advice is worth its weight in gold. And our relationship managers continue to support their entrepreneurial clients, even once they have succeeded and become major players," explains Geneviève.
From start-up to scale-up: spreading your wings internationally
Once a start-up wants to move to adulthood, it often pushes its boundaries. To support entrepreneurs in their international expansion, BNP Paribas Fortis draws on its global network to reinforce the bank’s services.
"For many companies, expanding abroad marks the time when complexity increases significantly. We remain close to our customers to support their thinking, assess the situation and protect their business, if necessary," confirms Geneviève.
Trade Development's network of experts raises entrepreneurs' awareness of the legal, contractual, and tax aspects of their international expansion. They also assist entrepreneurs in objectively assessing their commercial ambitions for the future and evaluating their feasibility.
What you will find at BNP Paribas Fortis
What sets our bank apart is its combination of human touch and proximity, with financial expertise and an international network.
BNP Paribas Fortis sees itself not only as a financial institution, but as a strategic partner that supports all Belgian companies in anticipating and preparing for new calls for funds.
With a view to growth, our mission is to put you in touch with the right people and the right source of funding at the right time.
Growing together?
Whether you’re starting out or are already ready to take the leap into the international arena, at BNP Paribas Fortis you’ll find a partner who thinks with you, challenges you and supports you at every key moment of your journey.