ICT is a key driver of innovation in Flanders. Some key facts about the ICT sector in Flanders are that it generates €8.1 billion in added value, employs 59,400 people, and consists of 765 companies with over 10 employees. The ICT sector focuses on application domains like automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and energy. To further support innovation, the document recommends prioritizing the Digital Agenda for Flanders, defining ICT as a key policy domain, stimulating promising SMEs to become global companies, supporting large pilot projects, and strengthening connections between ICT companies and academic institutions.

1. ICTthe keydriverforinnovation Christian Vanhuffel iMinds conference 13 oktober 2011

2. The Flemish ICT sector in numbers 2 8,1 billion € addedvalue = 4,4% of Bruto Regional Product of Flanders 59.400 employees = 2,3% of totalemployment of Flanders 765 companieswith more than 10 employees = 2,1% of the totalFlemishcompanieswiththissize Numberone as knowledge intensive and innovative sector and high techindustry Bron: Agoria

3. 3 application domain ICT application domain automotive automatisation, manufacturing healthcare transport, mobility, logistics, services energy quality requirements thematic innovation service platform secure economical user-friendly energy efficient basic technologies nanoelectronics and microsystems software communication networks and infrastructure

4. Extraction of Flemishinnovative ICT companies 4 1a. Semiconductor:ONSemiconductor Belgium, Advanced Circuit Boards, Jabil Circuit Belgium, Elprinta, More@Mere (Dekimo), Page Electronica, … 1b. Embeddedsystems: NXP Semiconductors Belgium, Philips/PITS, ST-Ericsson, Barco, Transics International, SAIT Zenitel, Niko, QinetiQSpace, Vasco Data Security, Televic, Traficon International, Newtec, Septentrio, EuropeanDatacomm, Essensium, Ansem, Fifthplay, ICsense , Option, Triphase, OIP, … 2. Software: LMS International, Esko, DFC Software Engineering, ICMS Group, IndieGroup, Luciad, Geosparc, Spikes, ADAM Software, … 3. Communicationnetworks, Infrastructure: Alcatel-Lucent Bell, TE Connectivity, Technicolor Belgium, …

5. Actions 5 Give priority to the Digital Agenda Flanders (i2020) with sufficient attention to innovation and growth of the ICT sector Define ICT as one of the key domains within the Flemish policy Stimulate those instruments which support promising SMEs to become global ICT companies in their niche technology – IBBT should play a prominent role in this direction Give attention to large scale pilots and test infrastructures, and more large scale “innovative public procurement” Create more coherence between the ICT sector and the academic institutes concerning education and research Keep in mind when promoting instruments that the ICT sector acts within a global world, and that instruments should line up with very rapid evolution

6. ICTthe keydriverforinnovation Christian Vanhuffel iMinds conference 13 oktober 2011