26 August 2025
After welcoming more than 250 children this summer with its free NoCode school, the WAT team is launching the first version of its Brussels-based incubator dedicated to European innovation. Starting September 15, 2025, WAT(beta) will open the doors of its 1,000 m² “Imprimerie” building in Ixelles free of charge to welcome its first startups. Thanks to the support of numerous sponsors, WAT(beta) will offer the best tech teams a workspace and networking opportunities for at least four months.
While awaiting the launch of the Halles construction (10,000 m²) planned for early 2026, WAT is using part of its spaces to test its incubator concept. The “Imprimerie” building will be transformed and set up to host selected startups for a few months.
“After announcing the WAT project in June, we received a huge number of requests from entrepreneurs eager to move in. So we decided to transform one of our buildings into a temporary incubator. Inspired by the software industry, we’re releasing a free and experimental version of our concept in order to quickly gather early user feedback,” says Thibaud Elziere, initiator of the WAT project.
WAT(beta) is a free temporary occupancy project, open to Belgian and European startups active in WAT’s priority sectors: Climate, Energy, Health, Mobility, Agriculture/FoodTech, Finance/FinTech, Security, Defense, Real Estate/PropTech, Media/Entertainment.
Applications open Tuesday, August 26, 2025. The space is intended for early-stage startups and young tech entrepreneurs. The selection process will be simple and transparent, focused on the essentials: business sector, entrepreneurial background, and project theme.
In just a few days, the NoCode School will make way for WAT(beta), a space designed to welcome tech startups looking for a place to grow and a community.
Thanks to collective energy and the support of committed partners, the “Imprimerie” will become a slightly pirate but warm and generous place. More than just a workspace, it already reflects the spirit of the future WAT incubator: a living place where you can work, learn, meet, create, have fun, and take care of yourself.
“We mobilized several partners in record time who were eager to support the project and create a welcoming space for entrepreneurs,” explains Louis Langendries, member of the WAT team.
The space brings together everything needed to work in the best conditions: furniture from Enky, phone booths from Kosy, coffee by Nespresso, and ultra-fast connectivity thanks to Exabird.
It also features colorful toilets from Griffon, sports equipment from Technogym, plants from Jungl, energy drinks from Buddy Drink, craft beers from Brussels Beer Project, designer furniture from K Ø G E, and art pieces by Belgian designer Mathilde Wittock.
“We provide everything needed to work comfortably and in a stimulating atmosphere, free of charge. In return, we count on entrepreneurs to bring their ideas, energy, and creativity to spark collective synergy and a true entrepreneurial momentum” adds Thibaud Elziere.
