Record number of start-ups in Belgium

The number of start-ups in Belgium last year reached a record high, according to Datanews. The increase is concentrated in the Flemish region.

The figures were presented on Monday during the annual Starters Atlas set up by employer organisations UNIZO and UCM and trade information office Graydon. In total, 82,571 entrepreneurs started their own business in 2015, an increase of 1.8% percent compared to the previous year, and beating the record from 2011 (81,220).

"Belgium has never before had as many start-ups as in 2015," confirms Eric Van den Broele of Graydon. "But the rise can only be seen in Flanders."

The statistics show that the number of start-ups in the Flemish region rose by 4.1% last year, while in Brussels (-0.3%) and Wallonia (-0.1%), there was a slight decline.

"We note that Flanders is always quick to pick up on international economic developments. This has a lot to do with the international nature of the region, thanks in part to the Port of Antwerp," Van den Broele explains. The increase is even more pronounced in Antwerp province (+6.9%).