Agoria is the Belgian federation for the technology industry, representing companies active in sectors such as digital technology, manufacturing, energy, mobility, and defense. The organization supports innovation, talent development, and sustainable growth by connecting industry, government, and research institutions. Agoria plays a key role in strengthening Belgium’s technological ecosystem and international competitiveness.
The City of Antwerp, the University of Antwerp and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges are joining forces to strategically position Antwerp as an international innovation hub. The Antwerp Innovation Powerhouse focuses on three strategic areas in which the Antwerp region already excels internationally: digital technology (digitech), sustainable chemistry (chemtech) and health. At the same time, the ecosystem remains deliberately open and forward-looking, with scope for emerging sectors such as media & entertainment and resilience.
The core mission of The Beacon is to foster collaboration. It serves as a hub where cutting-edge technology companies come together to connect, collaborate, and find inspiration.
To achieve our objectives, we have defined a clear and tangible range of services and benefits:
CONNECT: The Beacon facilitates high-quality connections with its founding partners and members, expanding your network and horizons.
ACT: Organizing over 30 events annually, The Beacon focuses on the practical application of digital technology in ports, cities, and industries.
WORK: Our headquarters offer 9,000m² of dedicated meeting, working, and event spaces for our members, serving as a true beacon to encourage collaboration in the physical realm.
De Blauwe Cluster is the Belgian innovation cluster for the blue economy, bringing together companies, knowledge institutions, and public partners active in offshore energy, marine robotics, aquaculture, coastal protection, and sustainable marine solutions. The cluster stimulates collaboration and innovation projects that contribute to a sustainable economic use of the North Sea and international marine markets.
The City of Antwerp is a dynamic and internationally connected city with a strong focus on innovation, sustainability, culture, and economic growth. Known for its rich history and entrepreneurial spirit, Antwerp brings together businesses, knowledge institutions, creative talent, and public partners to shape a vibrant and future-oriented urban environment. Through collaboration and forward-thinking initiatives, the city continues to strengthen its role as an important European hub for innovation, trade, and community development.
Flanders Investment & Trade plays a central role in the internationalization of the economy of Flanders, thus vigorously supporting the boundless ambitions of Flanders-based and international companies and organizations.
Flanders Make is the research centre for industrial innovation. We bring together the knowledge and expertise of more than 1,000 researchers, active across the five Flemish universities as well as in our application-oriented research division. We connect companies with our top researchers and with other companies facing similar challenges, helping them to innovate faster and more efficiently. We also provide advice and support to seamlessly integrate advanced technologies into their operations. In this way, we contribute to a resilient economy, sustainable growth, and a strong position for Flanders as a hub of innovation in Europe.
The Hamburg Port Authority manages the Port of Hamburg, one of Europe’s most important seaports and a central gateway for international trade. HPA is responsible for ensuring efficient, safe, and sustainable port operations, as well as the long-term development of the port area. With a strong focus on modernisation and collaboration, it supports the port’s role as a key logistics hub for the region and beyond.
In its 40-year existence, imec has grown into a world leader in microchip research, as the chip laboratory of the world. All leading technology companies come together at imec to partner in research programs and develop the next generation of chip technologies. And although microchip technology is at the core of what we do, our impact goes much further. We play a vital role in key application areas such as computer technologies & systems, health, automotive & automation, energy, infotainment, industry, agrifood, and lifelong learning. Our research expertise focuses on driving groundbreaking innovations within these crucial domains and far beyond.
The EU co-funded MODI project has assessed the readiness of physical and digital infrastructure for automated freight transport and has demonstrated such transport in logistics operations in Norway, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. The project paves the way for further deployment and deployment among 36 European partners.
PIONEERS is a European innovation project focused on accelerating the transition towards climate-neutral and smarter port cities. It brings together ports, cities, and industry partners to develop and test sustainable solutions in real-life environments. Through collaboration and experimentation, PIONEERS supports the deployment of cleaner, more efficient, and future-ready urban and port systems across Europe.
The Port of Rotterdam is Europe’s largest seaport and a major international hub for trade, industry, and logistics. It plays a key role in global supply chains and is widely recognised for its focus on innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence. Through close collaboration with industry and public partners, the port continues to develop future-ready infrastructure and services.
