INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE™ Antwerp Vol.2

Antwerp Volume 2: Discovering the ecosystems of the entire province

Following on the recent success of INNOVATE™ Antwerp Volume 1, we published the second volume, focusing on the entire region of Antwerp.

Where the first edition focused on the innovators and innovation enablers defining the City of Antwerp, the second edition focuses on the vibrant province of Antwerp. This region is recognized globally as an innovation hub and a European pole of growth and is well known for its rich tapestry of historical cities, thriving industries, and entrepreneurial spirit. We look forward to showcasing the thought leaders and companies that make this region so special.

Fast growing start-ups

Antwerp residents are digital entrepreneurs. The city is an international reference in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). With the regularity of the clock, start-ups are born. These, in turn, grow into scale-ups. Some figures? In 2020 Antwerp had around 500 start-ups or scale-ups.

These innovative companies raised an enormous amount of capital in 2020: 200 million euros, an increase of 50% compared to 2018.

From port sectors to e-health

Antwerp is the second largest port in Europe. A port, that means different industries coming together. With numerous partners, the city works on innovation in typical port sectors such as industry, logistics and safety. Moreover, it also thinks about its citizens. Antwerp also innovates on mobility and health. With the website www.slimnaarantwerpen.be and the ‘Smart Highways’ project, it provides better transport for both citizens and entrepreneurs. Digital innovation is also helping to develop the major infrastructure project ‘The Major Connection’. And the BlueHealth Innovation Center (BHIC) is responsible for digital progress in the health sector.

The Beacon

The Beacon is Antwerp’s anchor point for digital innovation. Start-ups, scale-ups, researchers and technology companies: they are all housed in the 10-storey building on Sint-Pietersvliet. They are working on innovative cross-fertilisation in the fields of industry, logistics and smart cities.

The Beacon now has 37 residents, including the founders imec, Lantis and the University of Antwerp. Most of them are specialists in cutting-edge technology, especially in artificial intelligence (AI) or the Internet of Things (IoT). The Beacon community consists of more than 80 members, who are brought together in various ways to work on solutions for the city, port and industry of the future.  That network – The Beacon Community – is still growing every day.

Leader in sustainable innovation

Antwerp stands for innovation. Digital, but also sustainable innovation. Of every 3 companies that focus on clean technology in Flanders, one is based in Antwerp. Above all, the city is a leader in sustainable chemistry. Local government, research institutes and large chemical companies work closely together on sustainable innovation. Their results are echoed worldwide.

From the treatment of raw materials to waste treatment

Antwerp masters chemistry down to the finest atoms. Technical contractors, specialists in process optimisation, safety companies: everything is in place so that chemical companies can process their raw materials into finished products. And even then it doesn’t stop. Because the companies in the port of Antwerp have also built up years of expertise in waste processing. The sustainable waste management company Indaver grew from Antwerp company to European multinational. Moreover, Antwerp is a pioneer in hydrogen technology. And another fascinating project: the turbine of the Kallo lock extracts all its energy from the water. A pilot project that is followed closely by the whole world.

BlueChem and BlueApp

To the south of Antwerp lies the Blue Gate Antwerp, a site exclusively for eco-effective businesses. There you’ll find BlueChem, an incubator for start-ups working on sustainable innovations in chemistry. BlueChem also helps them to develop that technology on an industrial scale.

Through the BlueChem Kickstart Fund, the city of Antwerp also gives a grant to companies that rent lab space in BlueChem. The University of Antwerp is also present at Blue Gate Antwerp. Together with industrial partners, they set up BlueApp. They invest in applied research into sustainable (bio)chemical processes.

Creativity as a raw material

Creativity is in Antwerp’s DNA. Antwerp also enjoys a longstanding reputation as a design centre. From the most progressive artists and cultural entrepreneurs of the 16th century to the avant-garde fashion designers and other creative businesses of today. 1 in 10 Antwerp businesses have creativity as their raw material. The city is the ideal breeding ground for creative businesses to flourish and grow internationally.

Creative industry

Creative industry: when it comes to Antwerp, those two words fit together perfectly. The atmosphere of innovation stimulates creative companies to redesign their products. To reinvent themselves time and again. An attitude that benefits the entire economy. This creative vision is also reflected in Antwerp’s fashion and jewellery designers. With the Antwerp Six in your 80s, with every new fashion direction at the Antwerp Academy, and with the talented jewellery designers that Antwerp has to offer.

Creative networks and festivals

Antwerp as a matchmaker. The platform ANTWERP. POWERED BY CREATIVES (APBC) connects the creative industry with other sectors. APBC motivates creative entrepreneurs to innovate and grow. The same entrepreneurs you might come across on Us by Night. This is one of the many Antwerp networking events that link creativity to digital entrepreneurship. Us by Night attracts artists from all over the world. The city of Antwerp is investigating the possibilities of connecting talented fashion designers and companies in a fashion hub. With partners such as the Fashion Academy and MoMu, the Fashion Hub fits this city like a glove.

The world of media and entertainment is also looking more and more in the direction of Antwerp. A large number of media companies and their investors have their headquarters here. The city is developing the Mediaplein near the Central Station in order to boost its ambition even further.

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

IMBY

IMBY: NUTRITION THAT DELIGHTS YOUR PET & HEALS THE PLANET TURNING THE CONVENTIONAL PETFOOD INDUSTRY UPSIDE DOWN

NUTRITION THAT DELIGHTS YOUR PET & HEALS THE PLANET TURNING THE CONVENTIONAL PETFOOD INDUSTRY UPSIDE DOWN

Did you know that 20% of the global meat production is consumed by dogs and cats? And that meat is the number one cause of pet allergies? The meat industry has an enormous negative impact on greenhouse gas emissions and thereby contributes to numerous unwanted climate effects. Moreover, it harms...

DOMEIN WALTERUS, VINEYARD, WINERY, DISTILLERY

DOMEIN WALTERUS

FILLED WITH PURITY, MADE WITH PASSION.”

Your drinks, our life’s work with an eco-conscious mindsetOur vision in making drinks for you. Whether it’s our own label or your private label. We work for every brand as if it were our own. Working with respect of nature’s products, makes us enthusiastic and driven to make your label...

PFL

PERSISTS IN BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE!

innovationsoftheworld.com

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BLUE & WHITE

BLUE & WHITE- TRAINING THE BLUE AND WHITE COLLARS IN ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE SAFETY CULTURE

TRAINING THE BLUE AND WHITE COLLARS IN ORGANIZATIONS TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE SAFETY CULTURE

Do you work in construction, transport or logistics, or are you a manager or manager in one of these sectors? Then safety training has no secrets for you. From transport and logistics training to health training, from road codes and freight documents to training with rolling bridges, excavators and fire...

CROWDSCAN

CROWDSCAN- FROM TOMORROWLAND TO THE BUSIEST SUBWAY STATIONS OF THE WORLD. THIS UNIQUE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY IS READY TO CHANGE THE WORLD OF CROWD ANALYTICS

FROM TOMORROWLAND TO THE BUSIEST SUBWAY STATIONS OF THE WORLD. THIS UNIQUE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY IS READY TO CHANGE THE WORLD OF CROWD ANALYTICS

Worldwide evolutions and events show that monitoring and managing crowds has become crucial. Just think of increasing urbanisation, the rise of mega-events and the Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, there is a growing concern for privacy, resulting in ethical debates and, ultimately, appropriate legislation. CrowdScan balances both. CrowdScan originated...

LEF IS MORE

LEF IS MORE- INNOVATION HAS A FACE

INNOVATION HAS A FACE

Lef’ is the Dutch word for ‘guts’ or ‘courage’, which is the perfect description of what I do: with LEF I push organizations and their leaders to explore, examine and create business opportunities for the day after tomorrow. Not only by optimizing their strategic thinking and solving underlying problems that...

VITO

VITO-VISION ON TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD

VISION ON TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER WORLD

VITO is a leading international research centre. We focus on applied research and advice, bridging the gap between fundamental research and the industry.   We accelerate the transition to a sustainable world; we provide knowledge and technological innovations that facilitate this transition to a more sustainable society. We de-risk innovation...

MEDIA OFFICE

MEDIA OFFICE -AUDIO VISUAL FULL SERVICE

AUDIO VISUAL FULL SERVICE

Founded in 1995, Media Office has evolved and grown into a System Integrator. Our aim is to offer our clients a ‘one-stop-shopping’ experience, where we design and integrate audio-visual solutions not only for meeting rooms and training classrooms, but for any area in your building. Over the years, we have...

AVIA GIS

SOFT WARE TECHNOLOGIES FOR A HEALTHIER WORLD

“OUR RESEARCH DOESN’T STOP AFTER WRITING THE CONCLUSION.” – GUY HENDRICKX, FOUNDING MANAGING DIRECTOR, AVIA-GIS Ever heard of the proverb “better safe than sorry”? Well, Avia-GIS sure has. Even better: they built their entire business around it. Founder and CEO Guy Hendrickx started Avia-GIS in 2001 as a company with...

PUXANO

PUXANO- ACCELERATING STRUCTURE-BASED PROTEIN RESEARCH

ACCELERATING STRUCTURE-BASED PROTEIN RESEARCH

PROTEIN STRUCTURESProteins are key building blocks and fulfill many essential roles within all living organisms. They are involved in processes such as immunity, metabolism, perception, etc. As many diseases are the result of malfunctioning proteins, understanding what they look like and how they work is essential to develop better therapeutic...

Q-LITE

Q-LITE -THE SMARTEST KIND OF ATTENTION

THE SMARTEST KIND OF ATTENTION

Q-lite is specialised in designing, producing and maintaining digital information systems and the accompanying software. Their wide product range includes pharmacy crosses, the zone-30 traffic signs that slow you down, the digital scoreboard of your favourite football team, transparent LED screens and parking guidance systems for cars and bicycles from...

ELIXIR D’ANVERS

ELIXIR D’ANVERS-ARTISAN LIQUEUR. UNIQUE TASTE. UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY. 160 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

ARTISAN LIQUEUR. UNIQUE TASTE. UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY. 160 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

19th of March 1863, in a house in a suburb of Antwerp, François-Xavier de Beukelaer – after finishing his studies as a doctor and pharmacist – discovered early in the morning after years of research, the recipe for a delicious liqueur: Elixir d’Anvers. Elixir d’Anvers soon became famous for his...

KOMMA BOARD

KOMMA BOARD -BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

In 2013, Komma Board started out as a consulting company in ICT & Finance. Our business model is atypical, as we act as a subcontractor to main ICT or Finance contractors for multinational or international Fortune 500 companies. Acting as an independent partner, this specific market position allows Komma Board...

IBEVE

IBEVE BETTER MEASUREMENT FOR BETTER PREVENTION – HOW IBEVE REINFORCES ITS MISSION THROUGH INNOVATION

BETTER MEASUREMENT FOR BETTER PREVENTION – HOW IBEVE REINFORCES ITS MISSION THROUGH INNOVATION

Thanks to our Scanning Electron Microscope and the Nano Harmony Project, we will be able to advise companies even more effectively on healthy working environments. To measure is to know – a law that applies to IBEVE’s objectives more than most. As a consultancy firm, it specialises in providing advice...

PREBO INVEST / PCB SOLUTIONS

PREBO INVEST/ PCB SOLUTIONS:PROTOTYPING & MORE

PROTOTYPING & MORE

PCB Solutions is a Geel-based company, specialized in PCB-prototyping and assembly.   A PCB or printed circuit board contains all sorts of different electronic components that are connected through copper tracks, also called rails. On these print boards the components are placed through which they can execute certain functions. PCBs...

THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR

THE ECOLOGICAL ENTREPRENEUR- THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS

THE PATHWAY TO YOUR CLIMATE NEUTRAL BUSINESS

The “Why” of sustainability is clear for most, the “how” and “what”, unfortunately much less. For many, sustainability remains an utterly vague, complex, and confusing concept. And even without confusion, questions concerning usefulness of actions and impact arise.   The Ecological Entrepreneur translates complexity to concrete guidelines, policies, and activities...

ULTRAZONIC

ULTRAZONIC- MEDICAL SCOOP TACKLES CURRENT CONTAMINATION WOES

MEDICAL SCOOP TACKLES CURRENT CONTAMINATION WOES

UltraZonic has received a true (medical) world premiere. This Belgian company, specialized in innovative medical cleaning devices, has developed the first semi-automatic pre-cleaner for flexible endoscopes. Not the biggest luxury invention, knowing that endoscopes are popular hotbeds for several bacteria. “Due to great time pressure, staff often miss important cleaning...

ATHOMA

ATHOMA -STANDS FOR “AT HOME IN ANTWERP”

STANDS FOR “AT HOME IN ANTWERP”

ATHOMA is the name of the building where Antwerpen Zuid Kliniek is located. It is a new construction project with a central location in a very visible place due to its distinctive architectural design. It is easy to reach by car, bike, train, tram, bus and even Antwerp airport is...

ARCO INFORMATION

ARCO INFORMATION - OPTIMISING DOCUMENT DIGITALISATION

OPTIMISING DOCUMENT DIGITALISATION

Across the enterprise arena, digitalisation has empowered accounting and budgeting teams to view their information in an all-new light. From billing automation and procurement to legal signings and contract management, computational products have changed the way firms engage with customers. As information across digital channels continues to create a buzz...

THOMAS MORE

THOMAS MORE-EMBRACING THE GLOBE

EMBRACING THE GLOBE, STIMULATING SUSTAINABILITY

Thomas More Research: collaborations to stimulate innovation in the bioeconomy We stimulate & support innovationThomas More’s research group RADIUS has years of experience with innovation in the field of the bioeconomy. Bioeconomy refers to all the economic aspects of the use of natural resources, more specifically biomass. With our innovations...

OMC

OMC-OPEN INNOVATION: THE WAY TO PRODUCE LOCALLY

OPEN INNOVATION: THE WAY TO PRODUCE LOCALLY

Marc is a passionate engineer who has been active for more than 40 years in first-of-a-kind product development from the first multi-media computers to DVD recorders to smartphone chipsets and EUV light sources for the newest chip making machines of ASML. Marc spent most of his international career in The...

HERAN PARTNERS & THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

HERAN PARTNERS & THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE -HERAN PARTNERS WAS LAUNCHED IN 2020 WITH THE MISSION TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE BY FOCUSSING ON DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION ON THE VERGE OF LIFE SCIENCES AND DATA

HERAN PARTNERS WAS LAUNCHED IN 2020 WITH THE MISSION TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE BY FOCUSSING ON DISRUPTIVE INNOVATION ON THE VERGE OF LIFE SCIENCES AND DATA

HERAN empowered and took the investment experience and track record of its founders into the future. As an investment firm active in the Venture Capital space, HERAN aims to fuel growth of innovative technologies by supporting start-ups & scale-ups. HERAN’s sole focus lies within the healthcare market with investments ranging...

PORT OF ANTWERP-BRUGES

PORT OF ANTWERP-BRUGES- BUILDING THE PORT OF THE FUTURE

BUILDING THE PORT OF THE FUTURE

Major challenges on energy transition, climate, mobility, and digital transformation are ahead of us and are closely linked to the activities of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, being the 2nd largest port in Europe and the 2nd largest integrated chemical cluster in the world. The recent merger between the ports of Antwerp...

TECHNOPOLIS

TECHNOPOLIS- EVERYTHING STARTS WITH WOW

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH WOW

Meet the new Technopolis. Bold, never afraid to reinvent itself and ready to blow everyone’s mind away. Everything starts with WOW is not just a tagline, it’s a promise to face the challenges of the future together. Not by waiting for the next Einstein, Marie Curie or Stephen Hawking to...

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The Publisher

Freddy Arnauts

International networking was a logical result of my profession during my long career mainly in the Pharma and Medical World. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to start B19 Antwerp, a selective business club in this city, allowing me to get in touch with many visionary enablers, entrepreneurs, politicians, and other key opinion... click to read more

The Publisher

Freddy Arnauts

International networking was a logical result of my profession during my long career mainly in the Pharma and Medical World. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to start B19 Antwerp, a selective business club in this city, allowing me to get in touch with many visionary enablers, entrepreneurs, politicians, and other key opinion... click to read more

Other Ecosystems