When the Leuven Innovation Region innovates, we innovate for the world. We're a leading region in the creation of start-ups, research centers and numerous applications in the fields of health and climate. Because what sprouts in the Leuven Innovation Region usually goes beyond. That's also why Leuven was awarded the title 'European Capital of Innovation'.

1. Welcome to the
Leuven
Innovation
Region
where we go above & beyond.

2. Three things
we’d like you to
remember today.
I N T R O D U C T I O N 01
How Belgium & Flanders are at the heart of Europe.
How Leuven is at the heart of Europe, Belgium & Flanders.
How we in Leuven go above and beyond
to jointly tackle global challenges
02
How Leuven’s unique blend of being inspiringly
excellent, ambitiously collaborative and
promisingly accessible can help you.
03 How we can work together
and join forces to go beyond.
L E T’S J O I N F O R C E S T O G O B E Y O N D

3. Belgium is at the
heart of Europe.
Belgium is at the heart of Europe’s geography, culture,
commerce, productivity, research and innovation.
60% of Europe’s buying
power is within a
radius of 500km. 3rd most globalised
country in the
world.
L E T’S J O I N F O R C E S T O G O B E Y O N D
2nd in Europe in R&D
investments; 5thin the
world (3.6% of GDP) 4th in global hourly
productivity (GDP
per hour worked)

4. Flanders a region that
breathes innovation. .
.
.
Kortrijk
Ghent
Antwerp
Leuven
Brussels
. .
Hasselt
Flanders is home to the largest R&D hubs in Europe in
various tech domains.
3
top
best Gaming school in
the world (HOWEST) &
strong EduTech Hub
KORTRIJK GHENT
1st largest integrated BioClusterin
Europe & strong CleanTech, HealthTech,
DigiTech Hubs
ANTWERP
1st largest Petrochemical cluster in
Europe, 2nd largest container sea port in
Europe (ranked 13th in the world) & strong
LogisticsTech Hub.
HASSELT
1st dedicated Energy transition
research center in Belgium &
strong CleanTech, DigiTech Hubs

5. The Leuven Innovation
Region is at the heart of
Europe, Belgium & Flanders
Region east of Brussels with 600.000 inhabitants;
Leading role in the European, Belgian, Flemisch
knowledge economy;
Perfect blend of excellent universities, world-
renowned research institutions, and a thriving startup
& scaleup ecosystem;
Going above and beyond to tackle global challenges
ranging from climate change and culture to inclusive
education and healthcare.
from Brussels, NATO
& EU headquarters
20min
by train to the High Speed
International Train Terminal
2hrs
from London,
Paris, Amsterdam,
Cologne by train
L E T’S J O I N F O R C E S T O G O B E Y O N D
20min
15min
by train to the
International Airport

6. How Leuven goes above & beyond to
jointly tackle global challenges ...
Ambitiously
collaborative
02
Inspiringly
excellent
01 Promisingly
accessible
03
L E T’S J O I N F O R C E S T O G O B E Y O N D

7. Inspiringly
excellent.
01
In Leuven, innovation is fuelled by a drive
to go above and beyond.
Hard-quality work, a passion for progress, and
the pursuit of excellence inspire groundbreaking
solutions that improve daily life.

8. Inspiringly
excellent.
An inclusive city that
looks beyond today.
most
city in Europe
(iCapital Award ‘20)
of all larger cities in
Flanders when it
comes to
in the local government
1
of the 100 selected
EU Mission Cities
accelerating climate
transition towards 2030
1st
1st 1st of all larger cities in Flanders
when it comes to satisfaction
in the city’s
innovative
trust digital services

9. Inspiringly
excellent.
A top university inspiring the
outstanding since 1425.
most
University in Europe:
KU Leuven (Reuters)
1st
3.000+ 65k+ , 7.000+ PhD,
22% int’l students
innovative Ranking
1st in the World University
in the BeNeLux, 4th in EU,
45th in the world
students
R&D tech transfer
collaboration agreements per year in
151 spinoffs
& beyond

10. Innovators going beyond
industry standards.
Health Tech
• Materialise - world pioneer
in 3D printing, additive
manufacturing
• Strong ecosysteem of
hardware engineering &
design innovators (ex SEW
Eurodrive, Comate, …)
Nano Tech
FOCUS INDUSTRIES
• HQ of imec, pioneer &
world leader in nano
electronics & chip design
• A world class deep tech
start-up fund imec.xpand
Manufacturing Tech Digital Tech
• UZ Leuven - Europe’s 2nd
largest academic hospital
• Rega Institute - world autority
in drug research against
bacterial and viral infections
• HQ of imec’s digital technologies
R&D centre
• University R&D spinoff in a variety of digital
technologies (AI, digital twinning, …)
• Vibrant ecosytem of start-up incubators (KU
Leuven R&D and Kick, Startit@KBC, imec iStart,
UCLL Start Minds, Voka Bryo, Le(j)on, SO2 …)
Inspiringly
excellent.

11. Ambitiously
collaborative.
02
The Leuven Innovation Region is a place for
smart minds, creative hearts, and purpose-driven
souls who believe that collaboration
is key to all great achievements.
We’re known for the Leuven Model that’s
characterized by its open and inclusive outlook,
allowing for smooth and productive collaborations
between government, businesses, education and
our many diverse citizens.

12. innovation climate transition
education
Leuven MindGate
collaboration platform activating 400+
organisations to stimulate & rethink
innovation in Health, High Tech &
Creativity in the Leuven Innovation
Region.
Leuven 2030
collaboration platform that activates
400+ organizations and citizens to make
Leuven an EU pioneer city in climate
neutrality.
SOM (Making Education Together)
collaboration platform that activates all
Leuven schools & knowledge institutes to
improve & rethink education.
Ambitiously
collaborative.
Purpose driven collaboration
beyond silo’s & disciplines.

13. Diversity & inclusivity
beyond the checkbox.
nationalities
having 195 countries
in the world
Leuven MindGate
India House
International House
International School
7th
4
dedicated organisations servicing
foreign investors, talent and their
families
+
best non-native
speakers in the world
English
Ambitiously
collaborative.
165
38 citizens (avg 26% in
Flanders)
% foreign origin

14. Promisingly
accessible.
03
Everything you need is within reach,
both in distance as in affordability.
You’ll find yourself in a multicultural city with
the charm, intimacy and accessibility of a
village, complemented by the facilities, talent
and international allure of a metropolis and
connected to the world thanks to Leuven’s
strategic location.

15. Quality of life beyond
its price.
of citizens are satisfied
with the
facilities in the city
(avg 64% in Flanders)
€1.571
89%
6,8 businesses per 1.000
inhabitants (avg 5,6 in Flanders)
quality of life
cultural
index, more than
cities like Barcelona
& Milan average monthly
(outplaying Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels).
86%
Promisingly
accessible.
cost of living
hospitality

16. Priceless life facilities
beyond quality.
€1.000
Promisingly
accessible.
average annual tuition fee for higher
education for EEA citizens, in a world
class university (highest ranked in
Benelux, 4th in EU)
1st best ranked
hospital in Belgium,
48th in the world (UZ Leuven)
of citizens are satisfied
with the
facilities in Leuven
(avg 88% in Flanders)
health care
94%
of citizens are satisfied
with the
facilities in Leuven
(avg 88% in Flanders)
93% education

17. L E T’ S J O I N F O R C E S T O G O B E Y O N D
Let’s connect
to jointly go
above &
beyond.
MORE INFO
an &-beyond collaboration between
Jan Paesen
Managing Director
Leuven MindGate
jan@leuvenmindgate.be
Han Vloeberghs
Economic Policy Advisor
City of Leuven
han.vloeberghs@leuven.be
& 400+ www.leuvenmindgate.be members