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Loop Earplugs becomes first ever to win Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 twice

2024 Technology Fast 50

Brussels - October 25, 2024
Antwerp-based company Loop Earplugs wins Deloitte's 2024 Technology Fast 50 award, becoming the fastest-growing tech company in Belgium. Following a previous win in 2022, Loop Earplugs is now the first company to secure this prestigious title twice. Despite challenges posed by COVID-19, the company sucessfully reinvented itself and achieved sustained growth, reporting an extraordinary revenue increase of 11,164.21% over the past four years. 

The Fast 50 and Rising Star awards were presented at the ceremony held on October 24, celebrating Belgium's fastest growing technology companies and the most promising start-ups. The event brings together leaders from the Belgian start-up and scale-up community. 

Press release downloads:

Loop Earplugs: The fastest growing tech company in Belgium 
 

With a remarkable 11,164.21% revenue growth in the past four years, Loop Earplugs not only topped the Fast 50 list, but also received the award for the fastest-growing company in the Life Sciences & Health Care category. Founded in 2016 by childhood friends and engineers Maarten Bodewes and Dimitri O, Loop Earplugs was born from their search for stylish, high-quality and comfortable earplugs. The company’s products have been named “the best earplugs for concerts” by The New York Times. 

During the pandemic, Loop Earplugs successfully diversified its high fidelity earplugs beyond festival and concerts, adapting them for everyday use, including for people sensitive to noise, and those seeking better concentration or sleep.

We’re beyond thrilled to be recognized as Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 overall winner for the second time. Achieving an incredible 11,164% revenue growth over the past four years is a testament to our team’s passion and dedication. What started as a simple idea between childhood friends has now transformed into a global movement, with Loop Earplugs becoming an essential accessory, like sunglasses for your ears. With exciting innovations ahead, we’re just getting started.


Dimitri O and Maarten Bodewes, co-founders of Loop Earplugs

After a year of tracking promising Belgian technology companies through the Technology Fast 50 program, it is inspiring to see entrepreneurs from various sectors developing innovative solutions that positively impact daily life. Loop Earplugs’ achievement of winning the title for the second time is remarkable, highlighting their exceptional innovation and the passion driving their business forward.


Yannick Van den broeke
, Program Director Deloitte's Technology Fast 50

We are seeing a trend in the Fast 50, companies that have been nominated or won before are re-entering the list. This reflects the strength of the Belgian technology sector, which not only excels in creating start-ups, but also in scaling them sustainably. Loop Earplugs’ growth and continued innovation set a powerful example, inspiring the Belgian tech community, and enhancing the international visibility of our technology companies.


Sam Sluismans
, Program Leader Deloitte's Technology Fast 50

Additional Awards
 

Bicycle leasing company o2o won the award for “Most Sustainable Growth”, an award presented to the Fast 50 participant that has achieved the highest average ranking over the past four consecutive years.

Sector awards
 

The Technology Fast 50 also awards the fastest-growing companies in eight different categories. In addition to Life Sciences & Health Care, which was won by Loop Earplugs, the following category awards were presented:

  • Communications & Networking: Hoplr – Lokeren – 511.71%
  • Digital Commerce: Just Russel – Ghent - 4483,19%
  • Electronic devices, Hardware & Semiconductor: Diabatix - Leuven - 334,27%
  • Enterprise Software: Vertuoza - Nivelles - 2008,66%
  • FinTech: Keypoint – Gistel – 2418,78%
  • Media & Entertainment: Funkey - Ghent - 773,66%
  • Mobility: Lizy - Brussels - 3674,41%
  • Sustainability: Inopsys - Mechelen - 789,66%
Aikido Security elected Rising Star 2024
 

The Rising Star 2024 was given to the most promising company that has been operating for less than four years. An independent jury, chaired by Lorenz Bogaert, Co-founder and CEO of the start-up studio StarApps, evaluated the ten nominees based on the scalability of their business models, overall market potential, management quality and the disruptive nature of their innovation. 

The 2024 Rising Star winner is Aikido Security, a start-up that created a no-nonsense, developer-facing software security platform. 

The process and eventual award of the Rising Star has been an insightful journey. We have had the opportunity to get to know amazing companies, existing and future partners, and prospective customers. Above all, this award is a remarkable recognition of the hard work of all Aikido employees. Our team operates with optimism, customer obsession, self-belief, and raw horsepower. They are the reason we can achieve this success. A big thank you to them.


Roeland Delrue, Cofounder Aikido Security

D-CRBN was named Most Disruptive Innovator. This award recognises the Rising Star nominee that has developed the most revolutionary concept or product within a specific technology segment. D-CRBN is a climate tech company providing industrial solutions to mitigate carbon emissions.

Deloitte's 2024 Belgian Technology Fast 50 competition is organized in collaboration with our partners Euronext, Fortino Capital and Vlerick Business School.

For more information about Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50, please go to www.fast50.be or send an email to the Fast 50 team at befast50@deloitte.com