INNOVATE™ Flanders

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE™ Flanders

Introducing INNOVATE™ Flanders 🇧🇪

Discover the Innovation Hub of Europe’s Heartland!

Flanders, the Dutch-speaking northern region of Belgium, has emerged as a powerhouse of innovation, setting the stage for groundbreaking advancements and transformative discoveries. In our latest addition to the Innovations of the World global network, INNOVATE™ Flanders, we delve into the dynamic ecosystem driving innovation in this vibrant region.

Here’s a glimpse into the key facets of innovation shaping Flanders:

  1. Government Support: The Flemish government’s unwavering commitment to innovation is evident through its diverse policies, programs, and funding initiatives. Organizations like Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO) play a pivotal role in providing financial support, expert guidance, and networking opportunities for pioneering projects and startups.
  2. Research and Development (R&D): Flanders boasts a robust network of world-class research institutions, prestigious universities, and industry clusters dedicated to R&D. Institutions like imec (Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre) stand at the forefront of nanotechnology, digital innovation, and semiconductor research, driving progress on a global scale.
  3. Clusters and Ecosystems: Flanders nurtures specialized industry clusters in biotechnology, logistics, materials, and ICT, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation within specific sectors.
  4. Startup Ecosystem: With thriving startup scenes in cities like Ghent, Antwerp, and Leuven, Flanders offers a supportive environment for emerging ventures. Incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, and ample venture capital funding fuel the growth of innovative startups, driving economic dynamism and job creation.
  5. Open Innovation: Embracing open innovation models, Flanders encourages collaboration between companies, research institutions, universities, and startups to co-create novel solutions, products, and services, driving collective progress and competitiveness.
  6. Sustainable Innovation: Flanders prioritizes sustainable innovation, championing clean technologies, circular economy practices, and environmentally friendly solutions to address pressing global challenges and promote responsible stewardship of resources.
  7. Digital Innovation: Flanders’ strategic investments in digital innovation propel industries forward, fostering digital transformation, smart city initiatives, and the cultivation of digital skills essential for future success.
  8. International Collaboration: Actively engaged in international research and innovation collaborations, Flanders leverages partnerships with global industry leaders and participation in EU-funded projects to amplify its impact and drive innovation on a global scale.

Join us as we celebrate Flanders’ remarkable journey as a beacon of innovation, fueled by visionary leadership, cutting-edge research, and a dynamic entrepreneurial spirit. INNOVATE™ Flanders showcases the region’s unwavering dedication to shaping the future and reaffirms its position as a pivotal player in Europe’s innovation landscape.

Ecosystem Champions

We Celebrate The Partnership With Living Tomorrow Largely Contributing To The Success Of This Book, They Are The Voice And Champion Of INNOVATE™ Flanders That Unifies The Community!

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

MOTRAC

SUSTAINABLE INTRALOGISTICS AND CLEANING, IN EVERY POSSIBLE SENSE

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM MOTRACSimply put: whether you’re a small starter company or an industry giant, you can expect Motrac to offer tailor-made solutions in the fields of intralogistics and cleaning. As an Antwerp-based products & services provider with over 50 years of experience, they use their expertise to assist...

Maria Middelares

Innovation at the Heart of Patient Care

Maria Middelares, a non-profit organisation that comprises two general hospitals, two medical centres and a logistics center, has evolved from a centuries-long tradition to a center of innovation, prioritizing organizational excellence and enriched patient experience. With a clear and straightforward objective, Maria Middelares is committed to keeping people healthy through...

ADPO

REVOLUTIONIZING CHEMICAL LOGISTICS IN EUROPE

Future-forward. Future-focused. ADPO is committed to accelerating the energy transition by decarbonizing the supply chain for its customers. “If you want to begin to reduce your environmental footprint, the quickest way to start is to find those suppliers who’ve already reduced theirs,” says Filip De Dijcker, Managing Director at ADPO....

CHEP

HOW ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY TRANSFORMS THE WAY TO GET PRODUCTS TO PEOPLE

The way the world makes, moves, and sells goods is changing. While technology has increased consumer choice, society expects businesses to reduce the environmental impact of meeting that demand. The time has come to transform how we get products to people. CHEP built one of the world’s most sustainable logistics...

Antwerp City

Antwerp is a city in full change, once again, as it has been so many times over the past centuries. Now it is mobility shaping the future of the city, in the form of the Oosterweel works. For about two decades the plans for the completion of the ring road...

LIVING TOMORROW

A BEACON AND LANDMARK OF INNOVATION

The Living Tomorrow Innovation Campus in Vilvoorde, Brussels, is one of Europe’s leading innovation centers. Along with a vast network of partners, they create ideas and visions that make living in the future more comfortable and enjoyable. A massive blue tower reaching 50 meters into the sky literally lifts you...

AZ Zeno

Innovation with a heart: Merging Technology and Compassionate Care

In a constantly evolving healthcare environment, the general hospital AZ Zeno takes a resolute, forward-thinking approach in which innovation and humanity go hand in hand. From robotic surgery to integrative care, from artificial intelligence to health hubs – AZ Zeno combines cutting-edge technology with genuine attention to the human being...

THE UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP

GATEWAY FOR FUTURE INNOVATIONS

The University of Antwerp serves as a gateway for future innovations, playing a pivotal role within Antwerp’s thriving innovation ecosystem and beyond. It contributes significantly to driving innovation and fostering societal and economic impact, further solidifying its position as a pioneer in cutting-edge research and innovation. A key driver in...

SCANBIE

Bringing Ideas to Life

At Scanbie, we blend cutting-edge technology with creative vision to transform ideas into reality. From lifelike 3D visualisation, 3D scanning and Digital Twins solutions  to design of stunning VR worlds, AR and resonant storytelling, editing & VFX, capturing your projects with our cinematic drones, we create solutions that are bold,...

DIGITRANS

REVOLUTIONIZING LOGISTICS

REVOLUTIONIZING LOGISTICS DIGITRANS UNVEILS ONE OF THE FIRST AI-POWERED APPLICATIONS FOR THE TRANSPORT SECTOR IN ANTWERP In a world where efficiency is paramount and time is of the essence, the transport and logistics sector stands as a beacon of constant movement and coordination. Amidst this bustling industry, DigiTrans emerges as...

CITY OF GHENT

Imagine a city where centuries-old architecture seamlessly blends with cutting-edge innovation—where creativity, dynamism, and growth are the norm. Welcome to Ghent, the European technology capital that attracts entrepreneurs from around the globe. Ghent’s strength lies in its strategic alliances across biotech, healthtech, digital tech, and cleantech. This collaborative community is...

NOVELYEAST

SUPERIOR YEAST AS A TARGET AND A TOOL

NovelYeast is an R&D company with world-leading expertise in the design and development of superior industrial yeast strains. Our superior yeast strains for bioethanol and isobutanol production support the transition to a more sustainable bio-based economy in the sectors of automobile and aviation transport. Superior yeast strains for production of...

Antwerp City

Antwerp is a city in full change, once again, as it has been so many times over the past centuries.

Antwerp is a city in full change, once again, as it has been so many times over the past centuries. Now it is mobility shaping the future of the city, in the form of the Oosterweel works. For about two decades, the plans for the completion of the ring road...

BEDENK

BOOST YOUR INNOVATION CULTURE LET YOUR EMPLOYEES DRIVE CHANGE

In our fast-evolving business landscape, organizations must consistently innovate to remain competitive. However, true innovation isn’t just about investing in new technologies or launching groundbreaking products; it’s about building a culture that empowers employees to be the driving force behind that change. “Innovation can improve the financial results of an...

University of Antwerp

A driver for innovation ecosystems.

The University of Antwerp plays a central role in driving innovation in Flanders. Located in the heart of Europe, Antwerp is a prime economic hub, powered by its second largest port, and the largest chemical cluster in Europe. As a result, its university is uniquely positioned to provide well-trained professionals...

NEW VALMAR BV

INNOVATION BY AUTOMATION

Our core business is big distribution of baby items in- and outside the EU in a multi-channel setting. That means a lot of requirements by country legal systems and specific customer demands. Customers in more the 45 countries have different needs and requests. They must be reached to be successful....

KNAPP

MAKING COMPLEXITY SIMPLE INNOVATION AND KNAPP ARE INSEPARABLY LINKED

In a world where everything is constantly changing, strong values and trust matter. Partnerships matter. The KNAPP Group provides intelligent logistics solutions for data-driven value chains, uniting technological know-how with its long-established experience in diverse industries. KNAPP brings new technology to warehouse logistics, working with its customers globally to develop...

BETTERFLYBOX

BIODIVERSITY RESTAURATION

Biodiversity Biodiversity, short for ‘biological diversity’, refers to the variety and variability of life forms on Earth. It encompasses the full range of species of plants, animals, micro-organisms and ecosystems, as well as the genetic differences within these species. Biodiversity encompasses not only the diversity of species, but also their...

FOUR & FIVE

Business Advisors Disguised as Lawyers

In a rapidly evolving world where technology consistently outpaces the law, bridging the divide between legal frameworks and innovation has become more critical than ever. At the heart of this intersection lies Four & Five, a boutique law firm founded six years ago by Dimitri Coun and Anneleen Vander Elstraeten...

B4PLASTICS

Redesigning tomorrow’s plastics. Today.

B4Plastics is a Belgian Biopolymer Tech Company specialised in: Creating (R&D), Producing (up to kton), Selling and Licensing novel biomaterials, based on a unique range of Bio Based Building Blocks (hence the B4), tailored to an extended variety of applications. This Belgian-based company, located in Limburg, is a pioneer in...

Future Health

Ten Years of Innovation at ZOL at the Crossroads of Clinical Care and Science

Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg (ZOL) is a large general hospital in the east of Flanders. It was established in 1995 after the merger of three hospitals and expanded in 2021 through the integration of ZOL Maas en Kempen. ZOL is currently the largest hospital in Limburg, with four sites located in Genk,...

RAVAS MOBILE WEIGHING

revolutionizing efficiency and accuracy in material handling

Established in the 1970s, RAVAS Mobile Weighing (RAVAS) is a pioneering organization at the forefront of revolutionizing efficiency and accuracy in mobile weighing in material handling. RAVAS started as a small-scale operation in the Netherlands. The company’s founder recognized the need for mobile weighing solutions that could enhance productivity and...

LOG!VILLE

Where logistics and innovation meet

In the fall of 2021, VIL (Flanders Innovation Cluster for Logistics –http://www.vil.be/) opened its demonstration center Log!Ville at the Science Park in Niel, centrally located between Antwerp and Brussels. It was founded by VIL to accelerate the transfer/dissemination of innovative technologies and concepts in the field of transport and logistics...

voco™ - Brussels City North

Experience Unmatched Hospitality at voco ™ Brussels City North, Where Innovation and Sustainability Meet

Nestled in the heart of Vilvoorde, just outside Brussels, voco™ Brussels City North offers a unique stay at the Living Tomorrow Innovation Campus—the innovation hub for futuristic developments and forward-thinking technology. Whether you’re visiting for business or leisure, voco™ Brussels City North provides a welcoming atmosphere designed to make your...

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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