When it comes to starting a business abroad, business owners are often extremely cautious about their choice of location, and for obvious reasons too. Since nobody is really interested in establishing a startup, only to be compelled to close it up after a few years due to low revenue generation or instability in the region, exercising caution in your choice of location might seem like the best line of action.
In the end, how do they find the perfect foreign destination to take their businesses to? You may wonder! Well, there are some already established regions that boast the sort of economic and political stability that most entrepreneurs are looking for.
Amongst the best cities entrepreneurs head to for their startup launch is Brussels. As the capital city of Belgium and a cultural hotspot for Europe, Brussels ticks many of the boxes entrepreneurs are always looking at. Not only is it a politically stable region, but it also boasts some of the best combinations of support networks and international mindedness.
Whether you’re already a city resident or you’re just like most entrepreneurs, and you’re looking for a place to launch your startup, Brussels startup ecosystem has a ton of resources available for you and your company.
But in case you still need convincing as to why Brussels is such a magnificent business hotspot, we’ve put together a list of reasons to answer any lingering questions you may have.
Perfect Location
When it comes to location, I doubt whether there is a city in Europe that can rival Brussels. Located at the center of Europe, Brussels enjoys a large influx of crowd from the locals and the different neighboring European countries too. In addition, thanks to the awesome transportation systems in the city, there is great ease of access to other European hubs. And this fact is reflected in the 2-hour ride to London and the 90-minute ride to Paris. But that’s not even all; Brussels’ airports also offer direct flights to many European countries, making the transportation of both goods and humans simple and smooth.
While all these might seem not so exciting to a random traveler, they are actually a great point of interest for business minds. On the one hand, is the nearness to potential markets and prospective customers. And on the other hand is the ease of goods deliveries, especially when you’re looking to break into or become recognized in other European countries too.
Ease of setting up
One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs often face while trying to set up in a foreign land is the issue of logistics, language barrier, and legalization. From office apartments to business legal structure, staff hiring to goods distribution system, cultural differences to the language barrier, and everything else in between, most foreign businesses often falter when they are not able to measure up with any of these. Brussels, on the other hand, presents no such challenge. Are you amazed to hear that? Oh, you need not be. As expected of a city considered as the central European hub, Brussels doesn’t run on just one language.
Typically, you’ll find people speaking French, English, Dutch, German, and Flemish, which means that the chances of language becoming a barrier for you are quite slim.
Furthermore, thanks to the large influx of people from other European cities and the amazing transport systems, too, the process of hiring the right set of personnel and distributing your goods is never going to be a challenge.
Additionally, Brussels also present startup businesses or businesses that are low on budget the opportunity to rent office spaces. Wow, for a city of Brussels stature, that’s such a great gesture! And for a foreign business that’s just starting up, renting an office space is a no-brainer for you. However, before you proceed with your office space rental plans, be sure to contact the right serviced office broker in Brussels to get the right type of space that suits your business purpose.
Political and business satisfaction
So great is the economic stability in Brussels that even the EU and NATO call Brussels their capital location. Along with being regarded as the administrative capital of Europe, Brussels is also home to the headquarters of several companies and corporations, including Swift and Banksys.
Again, the prospect of running your business close to the center hub of Europe is enough to excite anyone, not to mention the benefit of launching your startup close to many established and emerging brands. With so many reputable companies and corporations around, it is clearly evident that you need not search for a pool of customers again, as the market is already there for you to tap into.
Welcoming entrepreneurial environment
As a city dedicated to business and commerce, Brussels offers many programs and events to support and empower entrepreneurial minds in the region. Some of the best ones include:
- Entrepreneurship Happy Hours
- Startup Pitch Night
- BetaGroup
- Google’s Startup Weekend 2014 and so much more
Multicultural government support
As a way of promoting Brussels’ multicultural inhabitants, both the Flemish and French governments provide regular financial and networking supports to entrepreneurs in the city. Some of the best resources around include:
- iMinds
- Green Crowding
- Startup Europe
- StartupEuropeHub
- The Participation Fund
Lots of growth potential
If you’re looking to build your brand stature and become a force to be reckoned with globally, then I doubt whether there is any better place to take your brand name into other than Brussels. More than anything else, Brussels is a business hub that is focused on international trade and networking. So, if you want to make an impact globally, generate more revenue, and become globally competitive, this is where your business needs to be.
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