BNP Paribas Fortis, Partena Professional and Accountable launch Start for Free, an all-in-one platform for new entrepreneurs
BNP Paribas Fortis, Partena Professional and Accountable are combining their expertise to launch Start for Free, a platform that brings together all the essential tools for setting up as a sole trader. Thanks to a streamlined process, it simplifies the journey for new entrepreneurs, covering everything from start-up administration and financial management to accounting. In this way, Start for Free frees up valuable time that entrepreneurs can devote to their core activity.
Aspiring entrepreneurs are often put off by administrative red tape, information overload and high costs. BNP Paribas Fortis and Partena Professional, who announced a partnership in May 2025 to support existing and future entrepreneurs in Belgium, are therefore launching the Start for Free platform together with Accountable. By bringing together all the essential components of the start-up process, the ecosystem relieves new entrepreneurs of many concerns and offers both time and cost savings of around €540 or €650, depending on the chosen banking pack.
All-in-one solution
The Start for Free offer is the first on the Belgian market to combine all the essential elements required to start and manage a business. It enables new entrepreneurs to set up their own business easily. With a single application, the user gains access to the three components of Start for Free, all of which are essential for launching a business.
First, Partena Professional takes care of all start-up administration free of charge. Registration with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, which usually costs €111.50, is reimbursed to the client’s BNP Paribas Fortis bank account. They also handle the activation of the VAT number, which would normally cost €77.50. Finally, Start for Free arranges affiliation with a social insurance fund.
Second, the focus is on financial management. Entrepreneurs benefit from personalised support from the bank, either in person at one of BNP Paribas Fortis’s 247 branches or via phone or video call. With Start for Free, new businesses pay no management fees for their professional current account with BNP Paribas Fortis during the first year1. They can choose between two packs: Essential Pro and Flex Pro. These packs represent savings of €45 and €150 respectively.
Third, Start for Free offers administrative support via the Accountable app and web application. Entrepreneurs can easily manage their invoices and complete their tax returns. There is also an AI accountant available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As the applications are free of charge for one year, businesses save €312.18.
Three experienced partners
Starting a business is a dream come true for many. Start for Free now makes the first steps towards self-employment easier. Starters can rely on the experience and expertise of three well-established partners.
Partena Professional is a leading partner for self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs in Belgium, with recognised expertise in supporting new businesses at every stage of their journey. Every year, the organisation already helps over 15,000 new entrepreneurs launch their business. Partena Professional brings together a social insurance fund, a social secretariat and legal and HR advisory services, providing the self-employed with comprehensive and reliable support that complies with current legislation. This integrated approach aims to simplify administrative procedures and help entrepreneurs make the right choices from the moment they set up their business.
With 51 specialised experts at its business service desk, Partena Professional currently supports over 138,000 self-employed professionals, including both individuals and companies. Thanks to a network of 29 local offices across Belgium, complemented by digital services that are always accessible, entrepreneurs also benefit from a strong local presence.
“The first few years are often decisive for the success of an entrepreneurial project. Our role is to enable starters to focus on developing their activity by providing them with a solid administrative, social and legal framework,” emphasises Bruno Debuysscher, Operations Director at Partena Professional.
By forming partnerships with key players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Partena Professional is actively contributing to the creation of a favourable business climate in Belgium. This is achieved by removing administrative complexity and strengthening support for entrepreneurs from the outset.
Roeland Van Dessel, CEO of Partena Professional, adds: “Start for Free is first and foremost aimed at start-ups. Thanks to our collaboration with BNP Paribas Fortis and Accountable, they can smoothly establish a sustainable activity without complexity or uncertainty. Offering such a complete and free ecosystem at the start is something we can all be proud of.”
BNP Paribas Fortis has extensive experience in supporting small businesses, notably through its Easy Starters Team, made up of experts specialised in business start-ups. Each year, the Easy Starters Team supports over 6,000 businesses through the start-up process. In 2025, BNP Paribas Fortis opened more than 10,000 professional current accounts with a Flex Pro pack and over 11,000 with Essential Pro. Overall, the bank observes that Flex Pro accounts are mainly held by companies (95%), with only a small proportion held by sole traders (5%). The split is more balanced for the Essential Pro pack, with 54% held by companies and 46% by sole traders.
“Thanks to our collaboration with leading partners Partena Professional and Accountable, we can now support start-up entrepreneurs even better,” says Laurent Loncke, Head of Retail Banking at BNP Paribas Fortis. “As bankers, we are very aware that entrepreneurs’ time is valuable, and this is particularly true for those just starting out. With Start for Free, they can delegate a number of essential tasks to reliable professionals with confidence, allowing them to devote even more time and energy to realising their dream. I am proud that BNP Paribas Fortis is supporting entrepreneurship in Belgium in this way.”
Accountable is the leading software dedicated to the self-employed in Belgium: with Accountable, entrepreneurs can easily create quotes and invoices, manage their expenses, and at the end of the quarter submit all their tax returns or share their documents with their accountant. If they wish, they can also rely on partner chartered-accountants. Over 70,000 self-employed professionals use Accountable every week. In 2025, 110,000 tax returns were completed and submitted via Accountable.
Nicolas Quarré, CEO of Accountable, concludes: “This initiative perfectly reflects what we stand for at Accountable, encouraging more people to take the step into entrepreneurship. We make it easy for self-employed professionals to manage their finances by bringing accounting, invoicing, and taxes together in one place. By joining forces with BNP Paribas Fortis and Partena Professional, we aim to give Belgium’s entrepreneurial landscape a meaningful boost.”
More information
Further information is available at https://www.bnpparibasfortis.be/en/public/entrepreneurs/daily-banking/start-ups/start-a-business-for-free-belgium and at www.startforfree.be.
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Press contacts:
For Partena Professional:
Pauline Pierart
Campaign & Communication Manager
+32 (0)2 549 36 03
For BNP Paribas Fortis:
Jeroen Petrus
Media Relations Officer
jeroen.petrus@bnpparibasfortis.com
+32 (0)498 32 14 94
For Accountable:
TEAM LEWIS
+32 (0)470 58 08 70
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BNP Paribas Fortis (www.bnpparibasfortis.com) offers the Belgian market a comprehensive range of financial services for private individuals, the self-employed, professionals, companies and public organisations. In the insurance sector, BNP Paribas Fortis works closely, as a tied agent, with Belgian market leader AG Insurance. At international level, the Bank also provides high-net-worth individuals, large corporations and public and financial institutions with customised solutions, for which it is able to draw on the know-how and international network of the BNP Paribas Group.
Partena Professional is a service provider with a strong focus on entrepreneurship and personnel management. Partena Professional supports and accompanies start-ups, mid-sized and large companies in their administrative procedures and HR policy. We offer services related to the creation of companies, the social status of the self-employed, payroll and personnel management, training, legal advice and all types of consultancy (HR, legal,...). Some 1,800 employees serve more than 81.000 companies and 135.000 self-employed people and generate a turnover of 180 million euros per year. More information on www.partena-professional.be.
Accountable (www.accountable.eu) is a tax software platform that helps self-employed professionals manage their finances with confidence and control. Designed specifically for independent entrepreneurs, its intuitive mobile and web app makes accounting simple and stress-free. From tracking expenses to correctly filing tax returns, Accountable ensures that every aspect is clear and manageable. With smart bank integrations, automated tax calculations and seamless collaboration with accountants, Accountable addresses the unique challenges faced by the self-employed. Trusted by over 40,000 users across Europe, the platform not only simplifies taxation but also redefines financial independence for independent professionals.
1 Opening a current account is subject to acceptance by BNP Paribas Fortis.
