As Belgium’s main economic driver, Flanders is highly industrialized and responsible for over 80% of Belgian exports. But that’s not all you will learn in the Cofondateur podcast episode dedicated to doing business in Belgium and Flanders. You’ll also discover various reasons why Flanders is:

• an ideal gateway to the Benelux market, with a language border at the intersection of two cultures (Germanic/Anglo-Saxon and Latin); 
• a bridge between two business worlds, i.e., the more direct northern European style and the more relationship-driven southern European approach. 

It’s clear that investing and doing business in Flanders as a French startup takes effort and dedication: adapting your business approach and/or product is essential if you want to be successful in the region. But why bother? The Cofondateur podcast zooms in on precisely that question. Some of the reasons highlighted:

• Flanders is home to strong, innovation-driven industries with plenty of business potential for French startups specializing in B2B solutions: the digital, life sciences, chemicals and food industries are just some examples.
• Flanders offers an ideal test market for startups with pan-European ambitions: the perfect first step to find out how internationalization-ready your business is before exploring the rest of Europe.

To help startups kickstart their success in Flanders in the most optimal and cost-effective way, the FIT experts invited to the podcast also tackle some of the main practical questions you may have:

• How do I take my first steps in Flanders and which sectors deserve my attention? 
• How do I find local talent to support my startup in Flanders? 
• What should I look out for in terms of labor and payroll laws and how do I optimize wages without encountering tax surprises?
• Which tax incentives are out there to support setting up a business in Flanders?