Belgian incubator Biotope secures €5M to back early-stage biotech startup founders

Biotope, a biotech incubator based in Ghent, Belgium, has raised €5 million in the first close of its second fund. The target is €9 million over the next 18 months, with plans to invest €250,000 each in up to 30 international early-stage biotech startups.

Backing this new round are several key players, including Belgian bank BNP Paribas Fortis, the Agri Investment Fund (AIF), SFPIM Relaunch, Anacura, and biotope’s founding institution, the Flemish Biotechnology Institute (VIB). Family offices, The Nest, and Edaphon also joined in.

Startups that make it into the biotope program receive €250,000 in funding and hands-on support. The incubator runs two selection rounds per year, choosing three startups each time. These teams go through a 3-week “basecamp” focused on refining their scientific and tech foundations before pitching to biotope’s investment committee. From there, they get tailored support that includes business model development, IP and regulatory planning, and fundraising preparation.

Annick Verween, Head of biotope by VIB, called the fundraise “an amazing milestone,” adding: “It means we can keep saying ‘yes’ to early, brave and diverse biotech founders creating positive impact. The funding we provide is about more than just runway — it’s about freedom. With €250K cash investment, founders can focus on unlocking the potential of their technology without being distracted by short-term fundraising pressure.”

Commenting on the funding, Jérôme Van Biervliet, VIB’s Managing Director, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to announce the launch of Biotope Ventures 2. Thanks to the investors, we can continue to tackle the sustainability crisis through technology and entrepreneurship. At VIB, we witness firsthand the significant impact and leverage biotope creates.”

Biotope’s first fund backed 16 European biotech startups across food, agriculture, and materials. So far, four—Zymofix, AmphiStar, B’Zeos, and PFx Biotech—have gone on to raise seed rounds. In total, the portfolio has brought in €30 million in follow-on funding, nearly half of which came from grants. That’s a more than 10x return on invested capital.

SFPIM Relaunch CEO Céline Vaessen said biotope’s performance over the past three years has led to an easy one. “The team has not only attracted top international talent to Ghent but has also played a key role in accelerating the go-to-market strategies of the incubated start-ups. We are particularly impressed by their commitment to supporting diverse founding teams.”

Vincent Vliebergh, Managing Partner at Edaphon, added: “We are proud to invest in Biotope Ventures 2 as it offers a rare combination of deep scientific expertise, hands-on entrepreneurship support, and access to a powerful ecosystem of experts, investors, and facilities. For Edaphon, backing biotope means helping to provide the conditions that early-stage biotech ventures need to grow into companies with a tangible, lasting impact on agriculture, food, and materials.”

Diversity is a core part of Biotope’s model. So far:

• 75% of startups have mixed-gender founding teams, compared to an industry dominated by all-male teams

• 58% of startup employees are women

• 48 full-time jobs have been created

Barbara Berckmans, Investment Manager at AIF, said: “Our investment in Biotope Ventures 2 underscores our strong commitment to innovation for the benefit of the agricultural sector. We are particularly proud to support a fund that is deeply rooted in our local ecosystem, successfully attracting entrepreneurs from around the globe to catalyze their transformative solutions.”

Anacura Managing Director Felix Van Camp summed it up simply: “A thriving biotope is essential for an ecosystem to flourish, and the ecosystem is paramount for Anacura’s growth.”

By backing ambitious founders early, the incubator is trying to lay the groundwork for bigger bets to come.