🇧🇪🇬🇧 Embassy Pitch Series: UK x Belgium. 7 oct 2025
36 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8QB, UK
UK x Belgium Startup Showcase
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝟭𝟯𝟮 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻?
Last week, together with hub.brussels and Startup.Flanders, we hosted a Demo Day bringing together UK and Belgian startups to pitch their businesses to a room full of investors.
We received over 190 high-quality applications, and with the help of 48 VCs, we narrowed it down to 30 top startups. Each founder had 𝟭 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵, 𝟭 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲, and 𝟮–𝟯 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗤&𝗔. Montasser Chebbah and Soma Pirityi made sure that no questions were left unanswered.
It was a dynamic, intense day for everyone — but also incredibly productive. As a result, we made 𝟭𝟯𝟮 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 between founders and investors.
I don’t know how others run their demo days, but for us, it’s all about 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹.
If we wanted big numbers just for the sake of it, we could have easily lowered the bar and received over 1,000 applications. But that’s not in our DNA. We want to be known for 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 (though we’re always trying to balance both where we can).
All founders selected to pitch went through 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 before and on the day — big shoutout to Caroline Kay for all her help 👏
We also had a 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗻𝘂𝗴 from EventWell® where founders could relax before pitching, and a 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗽𝗽 from CrowdComms that allowed founders and investors to book one-on-one meetings.
Everything ran under our 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁, created in collaboration with SafeSpace Plus ™ .
After the pitches, we continued networking over food and drinks provided by our amazing partners 🍸 Temperance AF MixtonsNooi
Also big shout out to Neverleft who made sure that no coats will be left left behind and to Pitchflix for recording all the pitching sessions on the day.
Without the help of all of our volunteers - this day would not be what it was! Thank you all!
But of course, no event is complete without a bit of drama 😜
During the ambassador’s speech, 😎 Caroline van den Bergh noticed smoke coming from one of the light bulbs on the wall — just in time before it caught fire. I was 𝘴𝘰 relieved. The last thing I need for my reputation is to burn down an embassy 😂 Pretty sure someone would’ve found a way to link it to me being Russian 😜
