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Brussels, 30th September 2026 – Artefact, the global consulting firm dedicated to accelerating data and AI transformation, today announced its partnership with Startup World Cup Belgium 2026, supporting the first-ever Belgian regional final of the global pitch competition in Brussels.
Through Women@Artefact, Artefact will support the Belgian startup ecosystem, celebrate entrepreneurial ambition and innovation, and present the Women@Artefact "Coup de Cœur" Award to recognise an outstanding female-led project.
The partnership comes at an important moment in Artefact's development in Belgium. Following the opening of its Brussels office in March 2026 and the acquisition of Belgian data and AI consulting firm Agilytic in July, Artefact is continuing to strengthen its presence in the Belgian market and its broader Benelux platform.
Supporting Belgium's next generation of innovators
Startup World Cup, initiated by Pegasus Tech Ventures and brought to Belgium by the global Startup&Angels network, connects startups with investors, entrepreneurs and the wider innovation ecosystem. The inaugural Belgian regional final will take place in Brussels on 30 September 2026, with the winning startup progressing towards the Grand Finale in San Francisco.
For Artefact, supporting the event goes beyond sponsorship. It reflects a broader ambition to contribute to the Belgian entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem and to create more opportunities for diverse founders.
"Belgium has a vibrant entrepreneurial and technology ecosystem, and Brussels is increasingly an important hub for innovation in the Benelux and Europe. As Artefact continues to build our presence here, we want to contribute not only through the work we do with established organisations, but also by supporting the founders and entrepreneurs shaping what comes next." — Julien t'Kint de Roodenbeke– Consulting Director, Artefact Belgium
Bringing Data & AI expertise to the jury
As part of the partnership, Berber Rienks, Partner at Artefact, will join the Startup World Cup Belgium jury.
With more than 20 years of experience across technology, data, AI and business transformation, Berber will bring her perspective to the startups presenting at the regional final, contributing to the evaluation of the ideas, teams and businesses competing for a place at the global final.
"I'm happy and grateful to be part of the jury for the very first Startup World Cup Belgium. What I love about working with technology and AI is seeing what happens when new ideas meet human curiosity and creativity. I'm looking forward to meeting the founders, hearing what drives them, and discovering the ideas they are bringing to life. And I'm particularly pleased to be part of an initiative that puts a spotlight on women entrepreneurs and creates more space for diverse perspectives in the innovation ecosystem." — Berber Rienks, Partner, Artefact Benelux
Celebrating women-led innovation
Women@Artefact will also present the "Coup de Cœur" Award, recognising an outstanding female-led project at the Belgian regional final.
The award reflects Women@Artefact's broader commitment to supporting greater diversity in technology and entrepreneurship and to creating visibility for women building businesses and shaping innovation.
"Supporting diverse founders is an important part of building a stronger innovation ecosystem. Through Women@Artefact, we want to help create more visibility and opportunities for women entrepreneurs and celebrate the ideas, ambition and impact they bring to the ecosystem." — Women@Artefact representatives: Karen Rieger & Safaa Mussa
Building a stronger Benelux platform
The Startup World Cup partnership is part of Artefact's continued investment in Belgium and the wider Benelux region.
In July 2026, Artefact announced the acquisition of Agilytic, a Belgian data and AI consulting boutique founded in Brussels in 2015. The acquisition strengthened Artefact's local capabilities and expanded its ability to support Belgian organisations across data science, analytics, data engineering, AI and governance.
Together with the opening of Artefact's Brussels office earlier this year, the acquisition represents a significant step in the company's ambition to build a strong local platform while connecting Belgian organisations to Artefact's international network and expertise.
Supporting the startup ecosystem is a natural extension of this ambition: helping Belgian organisations and entrepreneurs turn technology, data and AI into tangible value; from early-stage innovation to large-scale transformation.
About Startup World Cup Brussels
Startup World Cup Brussels is the Belgian regional edition of Startup World Cup, a global pitch competition connecting startups with investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovation ecosystems around the world.
The inaugural Belgian edition brings together ambitious founders and members of Belgium's startup ecosystem for a regional final in Brussels, providing participating startups with visibility, networking opportunities, and access to an international community of entrepreneurs and investors.
Initiated by Pegasus Tech Ventures and brought to Belgium by the Startup&Angels network, Startup World Cup Brussels is hosted through Le Village by CA Brussels, powered by Degroof Petercam, and co-hosted with BeCentral. The winner of the Belgian regional final will advance to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco, competing alongside regional winners from around the world.
For more information, visit: https://www.startupworldcup.io/belgium-brussels-2026
About Artefact
Artefact is a leading global services company dedicated to accelerating the adoption of data and AI to positively impact people and organisations. We specialise in data and AI transformation at the intersection of consulting, data science, AI technologies and marketing, helping organisations drive tangible business results across the enterprise value chain.
With more than 2,500 employees across 27 countries, Artefact delivers end-to-end solutions, from data strategy and governance to the deployment of AI solutions at scale.
For more information, visit www.artefact.com.
Media contact
Safaa Mussa
Marketing Manager, Northern Europe
Artefact
safaa.mussa@artefact.com