Start it Chemtech

A 6-month accelerator program for chemtech startups

Grow your network & business
Join our Chemtech ecosystem

Applications for 2026 will launch in October 2026, subscribe to the waitlist for the next cohort.

Waitlist

Program details

Key data

Start: October 2026

Location

Start it @KBC Antwerp hub

Investment

FREE (no strings attached!) - Thanks to the support of the City of Antwerp

We only expect your 100% commitment

Format

6 months

Specialized program with workshops, networking and peer-to-peer coaching.

Helping startups transition from pioneering to structuring

A 6-month track with 32 hours of coaching for chemtech companies working on go-to-market, funding and scaling the organisation around their technology.

This is a hands-on collaboration between Start it @KBC and City of Antwerp.

Why apply?

Expand your network, business, skills, and market reach with personalized coaching and go-to-market support, all with no strings attached. Join our Chemtech community.

Coaching & peer learning

A dedicated business coach, a maturity assessment and clear OKRs at month one, then alternating 1:1 coaching and peer-coaching sessions with the rest of the cohort every month after.

Academy Days

Three half-day modules built for chemtech's real bottlenecks, combining expert input with testimonials from founders who solved the same problem.

Mentor Matching

Sector-specific mentors matched to what your maturity assessment actually turns up, from IP and capital-intensive financing to international market entry.

Network & community

Full access to the Start it @KBC community for the duration of the track: events, partner discounts, and a growing bench of alumni who've solved this exact problem before — plus the international network for companies ready to take the next market abroad.

Who is it for?

Exclusive program with 6 available startup spots.

Chemtech Domain:

Chemical processes starting from sustainable raw materials (e.g., bio-based, waste, CO2)
CO2 capture technologies
Storage of renewable energy and H2 technologies
Electrification of chemical processes that fit within a circular value chain

Business Readiness:
Startups with potentially high impact on climate and environment
Startups with strong scaling potential
Startups with an innovative character

Chemtech in Antwerp

The City of Antwerp is becoming the place for chemtech to scale. We run the commercial half of that climb.

One coach, with you for all six months.

Raf Seymus | Business coach, Start it @KBC — ICF-certified executive coach

Raf built and grew Exellys to more than 170 people and €12M in revenue before its acquisition, then founded Stellar Labs, an AI-driven learning platform built with the University of Antwerp, raising €3.5M in funding and grants along the way. That mix of founder experience, fundraising and R&D know-how is exactly the terrain most chemtech founders are about to walk into — he coaches on strategy, fundraising and investor conversations, and matches each company to the right mentors and experts inside the network.

Get in touch

6 month program

01 Bootcamp & Academy 1Program kick-off, the first Academy session on go-to-market & sales, and the maturity assessment that sets each company's OKRs.

02 Coaching & mentor matchFirst individual coaching session, and mentors matched to each company's specific gaps.

03 Academy 2 & OKRsSecond Academy session on funding & cashflow, plus the first OKR group session with the full cohort.

04 CoachingSecond individual coaching session to track progress against the OKRs.

05 Academy 3 & OKRsThird Academy session on organisation & leadership, plus the second OKR group session.

06 Coaching & GraduationFinal individual coaching session, closing growth plan, and access to the network.