# IMEC.ISTART FUTURE FUND — Full Content > Early-stage venture capital fund focused on alumni of the imec.istart accelerator and exceptional tech founders building in Applied AI, Spacetech, Healthtech, and Deep Tech. Based in Antwerp, Belgium. Founded 2024. URL: https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com Contact: info@imecistartfuturefund.com Address: Sint-Pietersvliet 7, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/imec-istart-future-fund Substack: https://imecistartfuturefund.substack.com --- ## About IMEC.ISTART FUTURE FUND is an independent early-stage venture capital fund managed by Kris Vandenberk and Ruth Janssens. imec is one of the fund's investors (Limited Partners) and the fund has a privileged relationship with the imec.istart accelerator — one of Europe's leading deep tech accelerators — but the fund operates independently. The fund's tagline is: "Early Conviction. Long-term Partner." The fund invests in technical founders at pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages. It focuses primarily on alumni of the imec.istart accelerator but also considers exceptional technical founders outside of the program when there is a strong fit. --- ## Investment Thesis ### Stages - Pre-seed - Seed - Series A ### Check Size - Initial ticket: €500,000 – €1,000,000 - Follow-on investments: up to €3,000,000 - Comfortable both leading and co-investing ### Focus Domains - Applied AI - Spacetech - Healthtech - Deep Tech ### Geography - Belgium (primary) - Netherlands - Italy ### What the fund looks for The fund is technology-focused and industry-agnostic within its domains. It invests in software, hardware, AI, medtech, healthtech, spacetech, and cybersecurity. What matters is technical depth and category-creating potential. The fund is drawn to teams that combine deep domain expertise with a builder mentality — founders who grind through hard problems, have clarity of vision, and know how to sell it. --- ## Team ### Kris Vandenberk — Managing Partner Email: kris.vandenberk@imecistartfuturefund.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisvandenberk/ Background spans software engineering, consulting, product development, and venture capital. Started as an R&D engineer at Siemens, moved through consulting roles at PwC and Accenture, led product development at Mastercard, then spent several years in venture at PMV — where he invested in and served on the boards of companies including CoScale (acquired by New Relic), PieSync (acquired by HubSpot), Teamleader (acquired by Visma), THEO Technologies (acquired by Dolby), and Waylay (acquired by Vertiv). At imec.istart future fund, Kris invests in early-stage founders building at the intersection of software, AI, and frontier tech. He is an active board member and sparring partner on product, strategy, finance, and hiring — helping founders navigate decisions and connect to the right people and capital. ### Ruth Janssens — Managing Partner Email: ruth.janssens@imecistartfuturefund.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-janssens-543ba31/ As a former startup founder, Ruth brings first-hand experience of the realities behind building a company — from navigating uncertainty and pressure to making the countless trade-offs that shape a business. In 2016, she was recognized as one of the most promising female entrepreneurs in Belgium, reflecting her drive to build and create from the ground up. At imec.istart future fund, Ruth focuses on go-to-market strategy, building the right teams, and unlocking growth through partnerships. She works closely with founders to sharpen their positioning, find early traction, and make the key hires that define a company's trajectory. She is particularly energized by early-stage companies — where the path is still being defined and every decision matters — combining strategic clarity with a bias for action. --- ## Portfolio ### Companion.Energy - Website: https://companion.energy - Domain: Applied AI - Geography: Belgium - Description: AI software optimizing industrial energy consumption and flexibility - Tags: AI, SaaS, Energy ### VEOWARE - Website: https://veoware.space - Domain: Spacetech - Geography: Belgium - Description: Enabling next-generation satellite agility via advanced motion control - Tags: Space, Hardware ### Minze - Website: https://minzehealth.com - Domain: Healthtech - Geography: Belgium - Description: Home-based digital diagnostics and therapeutics for male urology - Tags: MedTech, Digital Health ### Karomia - Website: https://www.karomia.eu - Domain: Applied AI - Geography: Belgium - Description: AI platform automating CSRD-compliant ESG reporting workflows - Tags: AI, SaaS, ESG, CSRD/VSME ### Prismos - Website: https://prismos.ai - Domain: Applied AI - Geography: Belgium - Description: AI-driven regulatory and policy intelligence - Tags: AI, Policy ### Nuclivision - Website: https://www.nuclivision.com - Domain: Healthtech - Geography: Belgium - Description: AI software improving PET imaging - Tags: AI, SaaS ### EDGX - Website: https://www.edgx.space - Domain: Spacetech - Geography: Belgium - Description: Onboard AI for satellites - Tags: Space, Edge Computing, AI ### NXGSAT - Website: https://nxgsat.com - Domain: Spacetech - Geography: Belgium - Description: Software-defined 5G satellite modems bridging space and terrestrial networks - Tags: Satcom, 5G, Space ### Webclew - Website: https://www.webclew.com - Domain: Privacy - Geography: Belgium - Description: Audit your websites and apps for privacy risks - Tags: Privacy, SaaS --- ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can we apply if we are not an alumni of the imec.istart accelerator? Our focus is on imec.istart alumni and other exceptional technical founders across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy when there is a strong fit. ### Do you only invest in software? We are technology-focused and industry agnostic. We invest in software, hardware, AI, medtech, healthtech, spacetech, cybersecurity. What matters is technical depth and category-creating potential, not the specific domain. ### What is the relationship between the imec.istart future fund and imec? imec.istart future fund is an independent early-stage venture capital fund managed by Kris Vandenberk and Ruth Janssens. imec is one of our investors (also called LPs / Limited Partners) and we have a privileged relationship with the imec.istart accelerator. ### What is your check size? We invest between €500K–€1M as an initial ticket with follow-on investments up to €3M in Seed and Series A rounds. We are comfortable both leading and participating. ### How can I invest in the fund? We are not raising capital at the moment. If you are interested in investing in the fund, please contact us at info@imecistartfuturefund.com. --- ## Site Structure | Page | URL | Description | |------|-----|-------------| | Home | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com | Fund overview, investment thesis, portfolio highlights, team, FAQ, contact | | Portfolio | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/portfolio | Full portfolio with domain and geography filters | | Team | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/team | Managing partner bios and contact details | | Publications | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/publications | Articles and insights (syndicated from Substack) | | Contact | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/contact | Investment inquiries and office location (The Beacon, Antwerp) | | LP Reporting Portal | https://portal.imecistartfuturefund.com | Secure portal for Limited Partners (LPs) to access fund reporting and documents | | Privacy Policy | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/privacy-policy | Privacy policy | | Cookie Policy | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/cookie-policy | Cookie policy | | CSRD Policy | https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/csrd-policy | CSRD sustainability reporting policy | --- ## Legal & Policies - Privacy Policy: https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/privacy-policy - Cookie Policy: https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/cookie-policy - CSRD Policy: https://www.imecistartfuturefund.com/csrd-policy