Top 3 Startup Industries in Australia

 

It cannot be denied that Australia has one of the most stable economies of the world. It may not be a superpower like the US, but it certainly boasts of a good and high standards of living, high GDP rates and overall ranks as the 13th strongest economy in the world, as reported by Forbes.

 

Australia’s startup scene is not as rapid or competitive as its Asia-Pacific neighbors like Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong, but it does have its fair share of successes. Growing government support and a shift into a more aggressive entrepreneurial mindset are now in the country’s top agenda to ensure a booming and more sustainable startup ecosystem. Venture Capitalists are on the rise too, and are also at the forefront of promoting innovative, startup ideas.

 

The startup community in Australia is also replete with events, mentorship and coaching programs, and new funding for startup hubs and a growing number of coworking spaces to accommodate aspiring entrepreneurs, freelancers and consultants. Australia is also not short on talent and professionals, and it may even attract more as an English-speaking country in the Asia-Pacific region (which gives it a very competitive edge).

 

In 2017, Forbes noted that the majority of startups in Australia are still located in Sydney, with 35% of the companies based there. Melbourne and Brisbane come in second and third, with 14% and 9% of startup companies being based there, respectively. The most popular and successful startups in Australia are into:

 

Photography and Design Services

Ever heard of Canva? An online design platform which makes logo, banner and photo editing easy? It is the topmost successful startup from Australia according to Startup Ranking, and it garnered the number 10 spot in the worldwide rankings of startups – higher than Prezi and messaging app, WeChat.

 

Canva is not the only design tool that made it into the top 10 most popular startups in Australia, others such as 99designs, Creately and Light Stalking comes in the 5th, 7th and 8th spots respectively.

 

E-commerce

E-commerce is a highly competitive industry, but it cannot be denied that it is simply one of the most successful startup niches all over the world. Even in countries where the startup scene is not as developed as Australia, an e-commerce startup would come out as quite popular and full of potential.

 

In Australia however, Big Commerce is a big name in the e-commerce industry. It does not sell anything per se, but they help e-commerce businesses develop tools and software to make online selling easier, and also make the online shopping experience easier for buyers as well.

 

Another startup, Oneflare, operates in a special niche in e-commerce, and that’s in the home service and repair industry. Oneflare provides a place for homeowners to browse for the best repair companies and compare costs and prices of such services within their area.

 

Of course, Australia has a special shop for surfboards online – that includes Boardcave, which helps surfers find and compare different surf brands and hardware from leading manufacturers and suppliers.

 

Another one is Disrupt Surfing, which allows enthusiasts to create and design their own surfboard online, and then the company creates them via 3D printing. Turnaround time is currently six weeks – which is quite long, but the startup aims to improve their time frames sooner or later.

 

Online Community and Educational Services

Several startups in Australia also serve to strengthen community ties between a certain group of people. Gleam, which is the 4th most popular startup in Australia, aims to connect style lovers and fashion designers in their platform to improve the overall fashion industry and engagement between customers and designers.

 

Airtasker, which came in 9th place in the same Startup Ranking list for Australia, is a company which aims to connect entrepreneurs and professionals to come and work together for projects or jobs, much like Freelancer – which is actually the 3rd most popular startup in Australia.

 

Another community platform is Tinybeans, which is a family-oriented app that includes a free pregnancy and baby journal. The app helps families and parents connect from different parts of the world to witness their baby’s developments and milestones – perfect for couples and families who have kin that are constantly traveling or are living on the other side of the globe.

 

Lastly, Australia has OpenLearning – a startup which provides a social and collaborative way to teach and learn online. It has its own listing of public (or free) courses and private ones. Educators can also upload their own lessons and create a course for free.

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3 Challenges of Setting Up a Startup In Doha and How to Overcome Them

Like its neighboring Arab countries, Doha (capital of Qatar), is very rich because of its oil industry. It is a progressive, modern city with over 1.5 million residents, and the bulk of its economic power all come from its gas and oil companies. Lately, the city also intensified its tourism industry in an effort to lessen their dependence on fuel and oil reserves.

 

Despite efforts to diversify its economy, Doha is still lagging behind when it comes to entrepreneurship. To intensify such efforts, programs had been established to encourage and instill an entrepreneurial mindset among young students – one of those is the Entrepreneurship Centre at the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Q) which does not just provide mentorship for aspiring entrepreneurs, but also training as well.

 

In an interview with Wamda, Curtis Avery, a finance consultant who runs CNA-Q, says that most residents in Doha (or Qatar in general) are hesitant to risk their current income to establish a business that might be more or less unpredictable.

 

Avery says that Qatari employees are already well-paid in general. The average salary is around $100,000, and most would not risk that stability with an uncertain future in business. However, there are quite a few people who do go into entrepreneurship because it has grown to be either their hobby or some kind of passion.

 

Issues with personal stability and uncertainty is not the only obstacle when it comes to doing business in Doha. Certain laws prove to be unfriendly for startups and aspiring entrepreneurs who lack capital such as:

 

The need to set-up a legitimate office.

In Doha, it is illegal to run and manage a business from your home, unlike in the the US or Canada where small businesses can initially open up their garage or basement as a temporary office.

 

Startup entrepreneurs might see this is a huge turn-off because office spaces are expensive to maintain – and it does not help that real estate properties in Doha are more expensive compared to other countries in the world (seeing a 5 to 10% increase in 2015 alone).

 

This is a real challenge for startup entrepreneurs who don’t have a lot of capital to begin with. However, there are more affordable options now with several coworking spaces and serviced offices in Doha.

 

Registration comes with a huge initial deposit in the bank.

Another financial hurdle for startups is the requirement of an initial bank deposit before you can actually register the business. The required deposit is quite high – with the minimum pegged at 200,000 QR, which is almost equal to $55,000!

 

So even before you can start doing business (or registering it for that matter), you need a huge upfront investment to do it all legitimately. That’s because of the leasing costs (of the office space) which would usually need at least a full 3 months or 1 month advance, plus the initial bank deposit for the company account.

 

A possible solution to this is to seek help from the Qatar Business Incubation Center (QBIC). QBIC can offer mentorships, and even seed funding for qualified tech startups. They can even help with the office set-up too!

 

For foreign entrepreneurs, local partnership is necessary.

For expats who have the money and see no problem with the upfront costs to do business in Doha, there is however another problem – you need to find a Qatar-based business partner who should own at least 51% of the company.

 

Well, this does not seem much of a problem, except for the fact that entrepreneurs in Doha (or Qatar) for that matter are a rare kind, since most are not willing to risk a comfortable salary in exchange for the uncertainties of running a business. 51% co-ownership would also put-off some entrepreneurs, considering that is half of the company already.

 

Despite these hurdles, there were a few tech startups that did make quite a buzz in the local scene. One of those is QatarBestDeals, which offers  e-commerce solutions for Qatar’s retail and shopping industry. It partners with several sellers and help them get their products out on the online platform, and connect these companies to their target markets..

 

And it seems that e-commerce is fast becoming a favorite niche in Doha’s tech startup scene, with the rise of eGrab – a startup founded by Rahid Kader. eGrab makes grocery shopping possible for Qataris to do online. The company has partnered with top hypermarkets so residents can simply shop and order their groceries from home. Of course, the goods are delivered right at the customer’s doorstep.

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Top 3 Startup Industries in China

 

China is known as the manufacturing capital of the world. All from plastics, electronic, toys, glass and many more are manufactured and imported from China. However, its booming cities are now also home to numerous startups and multinational/international companies.

 

Cities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing are fast becoming tech and innovation hubs – aside from being well-known financial districts in the Asia-Pacific region. These cities can very well rival Singapore and Tokyo in terms of growth.

 

In fact, in a report by The Shanghai Daily, over 70,000 startups had been established in China by the middle of 2016 – and that number grows each year. Although Beijing is known as a startup hotspot among the locals, Shanghai also takes the cake as the startup haven for foreigners and expats, due to its internationally-friendly climate.

 

The most significant of all is that, China has a good number of “unicorns,” or startups that are already valued at $1 billion or more. That is according to CB Insights, a data company that recorded over 41 startups which attained unicorn status at the start of 2017. 15 of these companies are based in China – only 2 companies short of the US which finished 1st on the list with 17 unicorns. Europe on the other hand is lagging behind, producing only 5 unicorns by the start of 2017.

 

With a population of over 1.3 billion, China is a powerful market. But what kind of startup industries see huge success in the country? Below is a rundown of the top 3 ones:

 

E-Commerce

Like in the US, e-commerce is also a big thing in China – Alibaba’s immense success is proof of that. Foreign entrepreneurs might find it hard to break through the Chinese market – especially in e-commerce and online services, but Chinese startups know their market well. Marketing is not much of a problem when there are no language and cultural differences that can rub potential customers the wrong way.

 

Aside from Alibaba, China’s startup e-commerce scene includes niche industries such as steel-making and trading. One such startup is Zhaogang which was founded in 2012 and is now valued at approximately $1 billion by June 2017. The company is founded by Dong Wang and their investors include Matrix Partners China and K2 Ventures, among others.

 

E-shang Redwood is also an online industry which focuses on the business of real estate. They develop and operate real estate properties in major urban cities in China, and they also maintain around 20 e-commerce sites. The company is already valued at $2.8 billion by July 2017 – and is currently looking to expand their business in India.

 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is yet another growing startup niche in China, and most of these AI companies have developed very interesting projects. Cambricon, which is backed by the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund, is developing a processor chip that mimics or simulates how the brain cells work, so a robot can emulate deep learning like humans can. Their AI chips are also designed to be placed on computer cloud servers and smart terminals. By August 2017, the company is already valued at $1 billion.

 

Sense Time is another AI startup which develops text and face recognition technology to mobile companies. It is a homegrown business with local-based investors, and as of July 2017, the company is valued at $1.47 billion – which is impressive, considering that the company was just founded in 2015.

 

Streaming and Online Services

A slew of entertainment, streaming and online services are included in the 15 unicorns that were listed by CB Insights. In fact, 9 out of the 15 startups belong in this category. Niches vary, but a couple of educational online services can be found on the list, such as Vipkid and Yuanfudao.

 

Vipkid is an online tutorials service that provides one-on-one video lessons to Chinese kids aged 5 to 12. Vipkid however outsources their online tutors from North America. The company is valued at $1.5 billion on August 2017, and aside from local investors, it garnered 2 Los Angeles-based investors too.

 

Yuanfudao (valued at $1 billion) is another online educational service which provides kids with “electronic exams,” or exams via digital devices such as smartphones and tablets. Like Vipkid, it also has a multinational pool of investors, with a New York-based investor.

 

Other startups under this category is Mobike – a popular app that allows bike renting for commutes. By June 2017, the company is already valued at a whooping $3 billion. Tuandaiwang, a peer to peer lending service also made the list, along with Netease Cloud music, a Shanghai-based music streaming service.

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Top 3 Coworking Spaces in Shanghai

 

As China’s biggest city, it’s a no-brainer why investors and entrepreneurs alike would set up businesses in Shanghai. The city is now home to numerous multinational and international companies, and is now even considered a startup hub too.

 

Techpreneurs and app developers have several reasons why Shanghai is a good place for business. Aside from being a well-known financial hub globally, it is also densely populated, and it is a good starting point for entrepreneurs who want to dominate the Asian scene.

 

A problem that most foreign investors and entrepreneurs could face is the language barrier. Without learning Mandarin or finding a Chinese business partner, it would be hard to create a localized version of your brand – and the harder it is to communicate with the market.

 

Aside from that, there are cultural differences to consider. Consumers in China have different attitudes and approach to buying decisions compared to the Western market. For example, most online shoppers in China would rely on Social Media shops and friend recommendations compared to Western shoppers who prefer to order from trusted and legitimate e-commerce websites.

 

These cultural and language differences need to be sorted out – especially for foreign entrepreneurs who are looking to do business in the Chinese market. To do this effectively, the first thing you need is a space where you can meet-up, talk and brainstorm ideas for the localization of your business – and the best option out there is a coworking space.

 

There are several coworking spaces in Shanghai, but below are the three most notable ones:

 

WeWork

WeWork is an American network of coworking spaces which have a strong presence across major cities in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US. A membership can give access to its network of coworking spaces – aside from Shanghai, you can get a guaranteed desk when you need to do business in a different city. That includes Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo, Australia, New York City and many other cities where WeWork coworking spaces are located.

 

WeWork’s presence is fairly new in Shanghai, but it already opened in 3 locations already. Like other coworking spaces, WeWork has a common area, private desks and offices, an open bar and kitchen/cafe that serves unlimited coffee and tea.

 

A desk starts at ¥2,200 to ¥3,200 per month. Private offices could range from ¥2,800 up to ¥3,790 per month.

 

It seems that WeWork is more suited for entrepreneurs or consultants who are quite established already. This is because the price range proves to be costly for starting entrepreneurs or freelancers, but it is quite a good bargain for entrepreneurs who needs to attend dealings and meetings in different parts of the world.

 

naked HUB

Dubbed as the trendiest coworking space in Shanghai, naked HUB claims to offer a startup community where freelancers and startup entrepreneurs can converge, exchange ideas, brainstorm, and of course – work.

 

It is indeed a community because aside from work areas and desks, the naked HUB provides amenities such as showers, yoga sessions and free weekly massages for “hubbers.” Of course, hubbers also get to enjoy free coffee, tea and beer in the premises. Moreover, their coworking offices are open for 24 hours – perfect for individuals who have irregular work hours, or are more productive during late at night.

 

Aside from that, naked HUB strengthens its startup community with monthly events and mentoring sessions such as the StartupGrind and Startup Weekend. Being a hubber gives you access to all 8 naked HUB coworking offices in Shanghai, and it also comes with discounts on other properties that are owned by the naked Group, which includes naked Stables and naked Castle.

A dedicated desk is priced at ¥1,800. For those who want a private office space, prices range from ¥3,000 to ¥5,000. They also offer online memberships for only ¥300.

 

People Squared

People Squared is one of the earliest names in the coworking space industry of Shanghai – and it still remains one of the most successful too. It first opened in 2008, and today, 10 years later, it has a total of 16 coworking spaces in Shanghai, and 3 more in Beijing.

 

People Squared has established itself as a hub where local and foreign startup entrepreneurs can meet and partner up. Recently, People Squared partnered with Google’s Entrepreneur Program – opening more resources for startups in terms of technology and funding.

 

Dedicated desks starts at ¥1,700 per month. Sadly, the place does not offer free coffee and tea, though members get to have a ¥5 discount on its in-house cafe.

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Top 3 Coworking Spaces in Paris

 

With the recent Brexit in London, many entrepreneurs are already thinking of moving investments elsewhere to enjoy the benefits of trade and tax policies by virtue of a country’s membership in the European Union (EU). One of the most viable option is of course, Paris.

 

Paris is not essentially new in the startup and innovation game. In fact, it had been listed as the 5th best European city for startups in 2016 as reported by the European Digital City Index. London still remained the first city on that list, but some anticipate significant changes in the market and business policies of the UK in the next few years, as a consequence of dropping out of the EU.

 

According to industry experts, the reason why Paris is held back in terms of innovation and entrepreneurship is because of the rather conservative approach of the majority of its professional workforce. The great minds and ultra rich would rather dabble on relatively safer professions such as banking, finance and the legal profession.

 

However, with new programs that encourage an entrepreneurial mindset plus the emergence of more aggressive angel investors and venture capitalists in the city, it seems that the landscape might change in the next five years or so. The city of love also guarantees great infrastructure, education, healthcare, tax policies and efficient governance that are key towards better business in any city.

 

Of course, Paris’s infrastructure is not exclusive to the arts and culture, but it now also includes a slew of coworking space options that are best for young and starting entrepreneurs to work and brainstorm ideas in. Below are three of the most notable ones:

 

Station F

Station F is a fairly new coworking space. It just opened last year, in June 2017 and founded by French billionaire, Xavier Neal. It garnered a lot of excitement and attention from all across the entrepreneurial scene because it is not simply any type of coworking space, it is essentially a “startup ecosystem” in one roof.

 

Aside from work desks for freelancers, students and small startups, Station F has partnered with major tech companies such as Microsoft and Facebook to easily connect them to startups with innovative ideas and products. Investors and venture capital firms are also welcomed in the same roof, so founders and startup companies can easily find sources of funding.

 

Station F is also committed to creating a clean and eco-friendly work and business hub. It also provides a hip kitchen, cafe and entertainment corners with great games and books. Station F is also very budget-friendly – even offering a 10% discount for students and unemployed individuals.

 

Rates start at €240 a month, but leasing options are very flexible. They also offer a daily rate for only €24, and an hourly rate of only €5!

 

Anticafé

Like Station F, Anticafé is also a hip and eco-friendly coworking space. However, its main target are students and young professionals/freelancers alike, although it is also a great meeting place for small teams and startups.

 

Anticafé is like a coffee shop, resto and working space all in one. It offers an alternative venue for students who cannot study in their dorm rooms, or are simply looking for a better study area aside from their school library. It’s also perfect for freelancing individuals and graduate students who are looking to finish an academic paper.

 

Their rates are very friendly. At only €4 for the first hour and €2 for every consecutive hour, individuals can enjoy a work space (with WiFi), library and games room with cards and board games. Of course, the hourly rate comes with free, unlimited coffee and a few snacks that include some biscuits and brioche.

 

Other food items are also available for an additional fee. Their juices and lemonades are also freshly pressed and homemade. Food choices also include healthy options that are sourced from the local farmer’s market.

 

Hubsy

Hubsy is a coworking space that offers a more homey vibe. It offers a peaceful and cosy area where freelancers can work in quiet. Sure enough, with its spacious desks, comfortable chairs and soft music playing in the background, it is an area where productivity can run high.

 

Like Anticafe, Hubsy also starts at an hourly rate of €4, but you can have all-day access for only €16 – it is probably the most affordable coworking space in Paris. It also has a snacks buffet where workers can help themselves with a fresh roasted cup of coffee, tea, biscuits, cookies, cakes and apples.

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Top 3 Coworking Spaces in Hong Kong

 

Hong Kong may be a smaller version of China, but it definitely boasts of a more efficient government and friendlier business policies and tax system. Many investors and entrepreneurs from abroad and mainland China see Hong Kong as a land of opportunity.

 

With its bustling urban life, cultural and tourism hotspots, retail centres and great infrastructure, Hong Kong is leading in terms of innovation and technology in the Asia-Pacific region. It is a competitive city along with Singapore and Tokyo.

 

Most notably, Hong Kong’s government and entrepreneurial culture are pretty supportive when it comes to startups. Grants and tax deductions are offered to startup companies that are still trying to establish a name in the industry. InvestHK, a government-funded program, even reaches out to entrepreneurs in foreign cities to encourage investments in Hong Kong.

 

With startup companies, techpreneurs and skilled professionals coming over the city, Hong Kong assures that there are enough office spaces available to fit every company’s needs – even for small companies and startups!

 

Naturally, startup companies are inclined to go to coworking spaces as they are the most affordable and convenient option. With a coworking space, founders won’t have to worry about providing desks and office equipment for a small team of employees, since most of these spaces are furnished already.

 

The city does have a slew of coworking space options over the past few years. Here are three of the most noteworthy ones:

 

WeWork

WeWork is a popular name all across different cities around the world as it is a network of coworking spaces and serviced offices already. It also established its presence in other major Chinese cities – particularly Shanghai and Beijing. It also has coworking spaces in Australia, Canada, Germany and the UK, among others. WeWork is in fact, an American company, and it has coworking office spaces in Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, New York City and other major cities in the US.

 

In Hong Kong alone, WeWork has two coworking spaces – one located in Causeway Bay, and another in Wan Chai. It had quite a grand welcome in the city due to its partnership with HSBC, which rented out 300 desks for its digital team.

 

Like most coworking spaces, WeWork comes in an Instagram-worthy interior design. Its walls are lined up with local art and music is also blasted from centralized speakers. Lessees can also get to have unlimited, free coffee and tea all day. They also have draught beer available for those who need a drink after work hours.

 

However, WeWork is also known to be quite pricey. Desks are leased out at HK$5,600 a month – not exactly a budget-friendly price for startup entrepreneurs. This membership however gives you access to its network of coworking spaces across the world.

 

That includes Beijing and Shanghai, several cities in the US, and many other major cities in Europe and Asia. Essentially, it may not be ideal for the starting entrepreneur, but it could suit entrepreneurs who are quite established, but had to make frequent trips to attend business dealings and meetings in a different city (without the added worry of maintaining several office spaces in every city).

 

The Hive

The Hive is yet another popular coworking space in Hong Kong, and it is pretty evident because of its numerous locations. The Hive has four coworking offices in the city – one each in Wan Chai, Kennedy Town, Sai Kung and Central.

 

At first glance, The Hive is basically almost the same with every other coworking space – hip and trendy interior design, free coffee and tea, and inviting work desks. However, it actually has a more customized venue for those in the art and design industry, and for those who are into agri-tech.

 

MakerHive is The Hive’s personalized workspace for designers and creators in the city. It provides an artist’s workshop and a traditional work desk where artists and clients can collaborate and exchange ideas.

 

The Hive Co Farm on the other hand is perfect for small teams and companies who dabble in green technology or agricultural technologies. It has an area for experiments and research, plus they maintain an actual farm in Yuen Long for researchers to use.

 

The Hive charges HK$2,800 for a hot desk, and HK$300 for a one-time day pass. It also has a dedicated desk which starts at HK$5,000 and a private office space that starts at HK$7,000.

 

Paperclip

Paperclip is the only coworking space in this list that only had one location so far, and that is in Sheung Wan. Despite only having one location, it offers a rather unique environment from the previously mentioned coworking spaces too.

 

Paperclip is more of like a “startup ecosystem” where people don’t just come to work, but they also come in to learn and mentor as well. It holds events, workshops and short courses to keep freelancers and entrepreneurs informed about new tech and trends in the market that can help improve their model.

 

The best part is, Paperclip is open all week for 24 hours each day. This is perfect for freelancers who have irregular work hours or those who are simply more productive throughout the night.

 

Hot desks starts at HK$2,600 per month, and the management can also give out a free trial for anyone who’s interested to experience the place.

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Living and Working in Brussels

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and is situated in the northern region of the country. It is also the de facto capital of the European Union and houses numerous international organisations. The city is located 97 km away from the North Sea and is bordered by Wallonia and the Flemish regions.

 

In terms of weather, Brussels has an oceanic climate and receives frequent rainfall. July and August are the warmest months with temperatures averaging around 22ºC. These months are also the wettest. Skies are mostly overcast but mid-spring (April-May) is generally sunny and dry.

Living in Brussels

Brussels consists of 19 municipalities or communes each with its own postal code. Generally, the city can be divided into two parts i.e. Upper Town and Lower Town. Upper Town holds the seats of government and is also a residential area while Lower Town is the commercial, historical and business hub of the city.

 

Choosing where to live depends on your preferences and way of life. The city centre is popular with young professionals and has an array of cafes, antique shops, restaurants, art galleries and retail outlets. The commune of Ixelles is home to a large number of expatriates with residences ranging from townhouses to trendy apartments.

 

Etterbeek offers affordable housing options while Schaerbeek boasts a multicultural population consisting of 140 different nationalities. Tervuren is ideal for raising a family and has excellent transport links to the city centre. Uccle has several international schools and is a beautiful green-leafy area because of its proximity to the Forest of Soignes.

1. Transport

The public transport in Brussels consists of the metro, bus and tram service. The metro operates on 4 conventional and 3 underground lines and connects with various bus, tram and railway stations throughout the city. Buses run from the centre to the outer areas of the city and also link to the rail service.

 

Brussels sports the largest tram network in Europe with tracks covering a length of 139 km. A MOBIB chip-card can be used to pay fare on public transport. A single trip costs €1.60 and multiple-trip or multiple-day cards can also be purchased. Paper cards or tickets called JUMP are also available and cost €2.10 if purchased outside the vehicle and €2.50 if bought inside the vehicle.

 

The city is served by three airports namely the Brussels-National Airport, the Brussels South Charleroi Airport and the Melsbroek Air Base. The first two airports are the main airports operating in Belgium.

2. Leisure

Brussels offers a wide variety of leisure and entertainment activities. It is the greenest city in Europe and has a multitude of parks and gardens. This includes the Botanical Gardens, Leopold Park, Parc du Cinquantenaire, Egmont Park and Square of the Small Sablon.

 

The Grand Place, the Notre Dame Du Sablon, the Palais Royal, Manneken Pis and the Old England Building are well-known landmarks and receive numerous visitors every day. The city is also famous for its collection of unique museums such as the Comic Strip Museum, the Toy Museum, the Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate and the Museum of Belgian Brewers.

Working in Brussels

1. Jobs Prospects

The European Parliament employs a large number of expats in the city. Landing a job here involves going through several examinations and the procedure can take up to a year. Jobs are also available for professionals in sectors such as real estate, finance, education, accounting, administration, health services and engineering.

 

Many jobs require good command in French or Dutch and sometimes both. Knowing English can be a plus point or a mandatory requirement depending on the nature of the job.

2. Starting a Business

In addition to great job opportunities, Brussels is also an ideal city for starting a business. You can structure your venture as a private limited company, a public limited company, a cooperative company or through various types of partnerships.

 

The next step involves registering your business and getting a company number. You might have to provide proof of your education or skills and then register with a social security fund.  You will also need to open a business bank account.

 

Information regarding taxes and registration is freely available and is even provided by the Belgian Government. It is also advisable to get in touch with a good notary and accountant so that they can take care of all the essential paperwork early on.

3. Finding Office Space

The most renowned areas for offices in Brussels includes the European Quarter and Avenue Louise.

 

The institutions of the European Union and offices of numerous multinational corporations can be found in the European Quarter. The area is well served by all means of public transport and has various amenities including restaurants, museums, retail outlets and art galleries. Avenue Louise is 20 minutes away from the airport and houses embassies, international companies and luxury retail brands.

 

FindMyWorkspace makes it easy to search for an office anywhere in Brussels and in different cities across Europe. Start your search by going here.

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