Leuven has always been an active promoter of entrepreneurship. More than 85 spin-offs have evolved from the exhaustive research activities in Leuven. They can rely on solid financial guidance and an excellent infrastructure.

In the past two decades, more than 85 spin-offs have developed from the K.U.Leuven and IMEC. Next to that, over 300 knowledge enterprises have esta-blished their sites in the Leuven region. These are the actual proofs of entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer that distinguish Leuven from many other university towns. In Leuven, spin-offs can rely on structural and systematic support, which foster knowledge creation and successful innovation.

On top of structural guidance, spin-offs can count on a solid financial structure. To this respect, the two Gemma Frisius funds of the university and the two venture-capital funds of IMEC play a decisive role. Also the University Hospital Gasthuisberg is gaining importance as growth centre for entrepreneurship. In addition, local and international venture-capital groups have invested more than 500 million euro in Leuven enterprises in the past few years. All this ensures that knowledge companies in the Leuven region can find adequate financial help in each stage of their development. The number of foreign companies interested to invest in Leuven’s knowledge-intensive industry rises as well. This tendency shows that Leuven has found its place among knowledge regions like Silicon Valley, Route 128, Sophia Antipolis or Cambridge.

• More than 300 knowledge companies with a 4.5 billion euro turnover and more than 15,000 jobs
• 7 new spin-offs each year
• More than 500 million euro of venture capital has been invested in Leuven enterprises
• 6 venture capital groups reside in Leuven
• Two venture capital funds at the university, and two at IMEC

The Leuven knowledge regions possess an excellent incubator infrastructure to support young and innovative companies during their challenging first years. As a result, investors don’t need to pay for expensive infrastructure or lab space for the young companies. In the south of Leuven, a genuine ‘Technology Corridor’ has developed. By 2010, this corridor will consist of three science parks. The research park Haasrode already houses several high-tech companies. In 2005, the science park Arenberg, near IMEC, will mainly house ICT- and biotech companies. By 2010, also the science park Termunck will be completed.

Entrepreneurship is impossible without networking. Several networks are active in the Leuven region. Leuven.Inc, a multi-disciplinary network for knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship, is a permanent bridge between the various actors that promote innovative entrepreneurship in Leuven. For several years now, the Chamber of Commerce has been providing Leuven enterprises with administrative and legal support, as well as with helpful information. The regional development society GOM (Gewestelijke Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij) also promotes entrepreneurship in the region. L-SEC and DSP-Valley are two vertical innovation networks, respectively focussing on e-security and digital signal processing.

• Three science parks by 2010: Haasrode, Arenberg en Termunck
• Innovation and incubation centre with infrastructure for starting companies
• Approximately 550,000 m² of infrastructure in Leuven
• 150,000 m² research space
• Several networks, including Leuven.Inc, The Chamber of Commerce, GOM, L-SEC, DSP-Valley