This document provides an agenda and information for a launch event organized by SustAIn.brussels. The agenda includes a welcome panel, presentations on digital innovation journeys and testimonies, and breakout sessions on testing ideas before investing, skills and training, and finding finance and guidance. It also provides details on various funding and support programs offered by SustAIn.brussels to help companies with innovation and digital transformation, including innovation vouchers, feasibility studies, proof of business funding, joint R&D projects, skills training, connecting with research labs, and intellectual property protection.

1. 1
LAUNCH EVENT

2. 1
4:00: Plenary
• Welcome panel
• Digital Innovation Journey
• Testimonies
4:45: Breakout Sessions
• What can SustAIn.brussels do for you?
5:45: Cocktail & closing word
AGENDA
Julie de Bergeyck
Program Manager AI & Deeptech
2

3. 2
WELCOME PANEL
Stefaan Sonck Thiebaut
Director General
Yves Paindaveine
Sr Expert Artificial Intelligence &
Digital Industry
Annelore Isaac
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
3

4. 3

5. 4
DIGITAL INNOVATION JOURNEY
Jonathan Duplicy
Innovation Advisor
5

6. Ideation
Identify the problem to be solved and how
to solve it
Need financing? Need guidance? Join the network!
Validation
Validate and test your idea in a real
situation
Development
Make your solution a reality and bring it to
market
Innovation Journey / Digital
Test before invest
Skills & training
Support to find
investment
Booster
workshops
Incubating
opportunities
in the network
Community
events
Innovation
Vouchers
Feasibility
Studies
Proof of
Business
(Joint) R&D
Projects

7. Innovation Vouchers
Financial support to SMEs for one-off technical
achievements by a research centre
The Innovation vouchers are intended to finance
one-time studies, supporting innovative projects
which will be conducted in authorised research
centres to benefit small and medium-sized
enterprises in Brussels.
Beneficiaries: SME
Project type: single partner
Project duration: <= 15 months
Subsidy rate: <= 75%
Subsidy amount: <= €10k

8. Feasibility studies
Financial support for a technical feasibility
study of your R&D project
Feasibility Studies are intended for companies (small,
medium or large) that want to verify the technical
feasibility and possibilities of their innovation. Innoviris
funds between 50% and 70% of the costs of the technical
feasibility study carried out internally and/or by a
consultant/organisation specialised in the field
concerned.
If your project is eligible, Innoviris advisors will analyse it
against the following criteria.
• level of innovation and positioning in relation to the
state of the art
• project feasibility and implementation
• business strategy and commercial prospects
• impact (economic, environmental, societal, etc.) of
the project on the Region.
Beneficiaries: companies (small, medium or large)
Project type: feasibility study for an R&D project
Subsidy rate: between 50% and 70%
Deadline: call open all year

9. Proof of Business
Funding to verify the economic and technical
relevance of your innovative project
The main challenge of this funding programme is to
demonstrate the business relevance associated with the
underlying development of an initial innovative
product/service, and its proper integration into the
overall strategy of a company, with the aim of long-term
sustainability and growth.
For one (or more) specific needs previously identified
on the market, the programme aims to validate the
working hypotheses used to demonstrate the relevance
of a value proposition and the credibility of a business
model associated with the development of a
technological product or service that will effectively
meet this need.
Beneficiaries: SME
Project type: verification of the relevance of an
innovative project
Project duration: minimum 6 months to maximum 12
months
Subsidy rate: 50 to 70%
Subsidy amount: maximum €100k
Deadline: 28 Feb 2023
2 calls per year

10. (Joint) R&D Project
Financial support for the development or
implementation of your innovative R&D project
Beneficiaries: all types of companies ; universities
and research centres if in collaboration
Project type: funding for the development or
implementation of an innovative product, process or
service
Project duration: 6 to 36 months
Subsidy rate: 15% to 70% of costs
Deadline: call open all year
We pre-finance 15% to 70% of the costs:
•Industrial research: you want to acquire scientific
knowledge to achieve a predetermined industrial or
commercial objective. The result of this project leads to
the development of a proof of business or a prototype.
•Experimental development: you want to develop an
innovative product, process or service and have already
taken steps to check the feasibility of your idea. There
are still uncertainties and risks surrounding the actual
use of the technology. The result of this project is a
prototype tested in a real environment.

11. 11
FINANCE & INVEST BRUSSELS

12. 12
OTHER SCHEMES OR QUESTIONS?
Sebastian Serrano
+32 2 600 50 63
sserrano@innoviris.brussels
Test your idea !

13. 12
TESTIMONY
Werner Coppye
Co-founder & CPO
13

14. 13
TESTIMONY
Gregory Verlinden
Associate Vice President AI & Analytics
14

15. 15
LET’S GET
IN TOUCH!
Are you interested?
Be among the first ones to call or email
Ludwig.Delocht@sirris.be
+32 474 96 44 89
Schedule a meeting

16. SUSTAIN.BRUSSELS, AN ECOSYSTEM OF
PARTNERS, TO HELP COMPANIES BECOME
DIGITAL AND SUSTAINABLE
Work-in-progress.
15
16

17. 16
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Test before invest The Boardroom (LEFT, SAME FLOOR)
Skills & training FARI AI Test & Experience eCentre (LEFT, GROUND FLOOR)
Finance guidance Google Digital Atelier (RECEPTION)
SEE YOU BACK HERE AT 17h50!
17

18. 17
CLOSING WORD
Barbara Trachte
Secretary of State for Economic Transition and scientific research of the Brussels Government
Minister-President of CoCoF
18

19. Test before invest
May 23, 2023
Ludwig De Locht & Ronnie Raeymaekers

20. EDIH
Test before
invest
Support to find
investments
Innovation
ecosystem
and networking
Skills and
training
19
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
AND YOUR COMPANY?
We support you with:
• Individual caoching
• Adapted to your specific needs
• Accelerate innovation with digital technology
• Assesment of environmental, social and ecosystem impact

21. 20
Digital technology creates innovation potential
Business
model
Organization
Offer
Create more value for customers
Improve employee
well-being
Improve efficiency
and flexibility
Translate added value in revenue
Improve efficiency
of resources
Reduce impact
of the
offer’s use
Create
more value
for customers
Digital transformation Sustainable transformation
Translate sustainable value
in revenue

22. 21
From idea to realisation, a real challenge!
Choice of
technologies
Knowledge
build up
Engage
partners
Evaluate
economic, social
and environmental
sustainability

23. What is the phase of your project?
Research Validation
Idea
22
Implementation

24. 23
Find your digital and sustainable journey
Idea
Digital product management
• Jobs to be done
• Minimum Viable Product/Process
Idea
Roadmap
Business and
technical risks
Economic,
environmental and
social impact

25. 24
Access 2 labs
Research
Research labs are at the forefront of innovation and
cutting-edge technology development.
• advancing the boundaries of knowledge
• promoting innovation and driving economic
growth
• addressing societal challenges

26. 25
Access 2 [AI] research labs
Research
Guidance on finding the right skills
60
INDUSTRY/UNIVERSITY
COLLABORATIONS
25
RESEARCH LABS
200
ICT SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS

27. 26
Enhancing your research journey
Research
Identify
• identify the academic skills they need to meet their innovation
needs
Find
• find funding and grants available for partnership-based research
projects (Brussels-Capital Region, Wallonia, EU programmes)
Build
• build an application dossier for funding programmes
Take
• take appropriate steps to protect intellectual property rights
related to joint research results
Define
• define a strategy to transfer research results to society

28. 27
How do you collaborate with university?
Research
• Research collaborations
• Fundings Brussels, Wallonia, EU, …
• Service provision / subcontracting
• Skills and equipment
• Licensing technologies…
• IP, patents, know-how, software, ...

29. 28
Intellectual property [IP] protection!
Research The provisions related to the intellectual property generated
during the collaboration will be defined in a collaboration
agreement, which will cover aspects such as copyright, patents
and licences, terms of operation and publication and
confidentiality when contracting. These provisions can change
depending on the type of research (collaboration or
subcontracting), as well as on the field of science in which the
research is conducted.
Data
protection
[GDPR]

30. 29
Your project is unique !
Research
Each situation is different and may change
in time, the TTO/KTO’s advisors are there
to offer support tailored to your
needs. For instance, different types of
collaboration could emerge, this is
precisely what makes collaborations with
university researchers so valuable!

31. 30
Feel free to reach out!
Research
Do you want to get in touch with
researchers for a future project or to learn
more about the various forms of
partnership available?
Contact
Scientific Advisor ICT/AI
Ronnie Raeymaekers

32. 31
Design your Proof of Concept
Validation
Build
Measure
Learn

33. 32
Guidance towards a digital offer
Implementation
Find successful collaborations
• Solution/service providers
• Development partners

34. What is the phase of your project?
Coaching adapted to your needs
Free for start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs and MidCAPs
Research Validation
Idea
33
Implementation

35. 34
LET’S GET
IN TOUCH!
Are you interested? Call or email
Ludwig.Delocht@sirris.be, +32 474 96 44 89
Schedule a meeting

36. Skills and training
May 23, 2023
Marie-Mo VAEYENS
Responsable TechSci, lifelong learning center Science &Technologies @ULB
Johan LOECKX
Head lifelong AI learning programme & applied research, professor @VUB

37. EDIH
Test before
invest
Support to find
investments
Innovation
ecosystem
and networking
Skills and
training
36
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
AND YOUR COMPANY?
We support you with:
• How to choose and test technology solutions?
• Which skills to acquire?
• What type of investments are needed and where to
find them?
• How to establish local or international partnerships?
• How to transform in a sustainable way so that it positively
impacts our society and environment?

38. 37
Skills and training services
Sustainable digital for sustainable transition:
TWIN transition training portfolio
Digital for the sustainable transition:
Upgrade your individual skills
AI Learning Network on sustainability
Bring coaches and trainers up to date in
sustainable AI

39. GROW YOUR DIGITAL AND SUSTAINABLE AMBITION
38
Digital technologies can contribute significantly to the fulfilment of every SDG
Skills and training in digital can contribute significantly to the fulfilment of every SDG
17 Sustainable development goals – To leave no one behind we must all lead

40. 39
Educational framework for sustainability transformation and main steps: (1) A participatory vision of sustainability, (2) enabling conditions for
sustainability, (3) competences for sustainability transformation, (4) pedagogies and learning strategies for Education for Sustainable Development
(ESD), and (5) monitoring and evaluation of ESD competences and distance from sustainable state.
By Kioupi and Voulvoulis 2019, adapted from Voulvoulis and Burgman 2019.
SKILLS AND TRAINING FOR SUSTAINABILITY

41. 40
> All ages, continuous education, lifelong learning
> Everybody! engages in lifelong learning – but not everybody realises it/ reflects on it.
Even in AI a hot topic! 
Occurrence « lifelong
learning » in PubMed
> doubled in 20 years
Laal, M., & Salamati, P. (2012). Lifelong learning; Why do we need it? Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 399–403.
Parisi, G. I., Kemker, R., Part, J. L., Kanan, C., & Wermter, S. (2019). Continual lifelong learning with neural networks: A review. In Neural Networks
(Vol. 113, pp. 54–71). Elsevier Ltd.
Baus, E., Berghman, E., Parent, F., Hertveldt, V., Pesesse, X., & Termonia, A. Health and life sciences digital learning for various target audiences
within innovative university ecosystems: case studies.
SKILLS AND TRAINING FOR SUSTAINABILITY

42. 41
HelSci
HuSci
TechSci
Certificate number recognised by ULB
> 5000 Participants/year
> 160 Certificates
Solvay
Enseignants
Summer Schools
#
 Newest section: TechSci
LIFELONG LEARNING @ULB

43. 42
ENERGY PROGRAMS

44. 43
SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS

45. 44
EARTH & ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMS

46. 45
Executive Master in Digital and IT essentials
[48 ECTS]
PROGRAMS FOR YOU?
> no STEM background needed
> next session starting January 2024

47. 46
Are you?
• Data Analyst: predictive analytics, data cleaning
• Software Engineer: integration of Machine Learning
• Marketing Specialist: Customer segmentation, Campaigning
• Risk Financial Analyst: Fraud detection, Risk assessment
• HR Manager: Applicant screening, retention analysis
• Supply Chain Manager: Inventory & demand forecasting
• Research Scientist: Experiment data analysis
• Business Analyst: Sales forecasting, trend analysis
• Customer Service Manager: Sentiment analysis
• Cyber Security Specialist: Intrusion and anomaly detection
…
PROGRAMS FOR YOU?
> First experience with Python required
> Session starting September 2023

48. 47
AI?
Cybersecurity?
IoT?
SIG?
Big data?
IT strategy?
Blockchain?
Machine
Learning?
Photogrammetry?
What is your top 3 of
topics?
Which difficulty level
are you in for?
Let us know at
techsci@ulb.be
PROGRAMS FOR YOU?
> University courses for sustAIN.Brussels (in development)
> 1 to 3 days for each course
> Co-creations with you, topics & difficulty levels on demand to be considered
https://techsci.ulb.be/

49. Skills and training
May 23, 2023
Johan LOECKX
Head lifelong AI learning programme & applied research, professor @VUB

50. But in reality...
It was so bad that they stopped the
experiment...
Computers employ very simplistic learning
mechanisms, outdated with what we know
about the brain. And that is still very little...
It concerns a narrow definition of answering –
answering without understanding! Correctness
= overlap in words...
DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU READ...
49

51. 50
BUT... AI IS EATING THE ENTERPRISE!
It is happening now, but not always visibly
AI delivers
economies of
functions in the
enterprise are
replaced by
intelligent services
certainty
performance
complexity
scale
scope
action
data
cloud
open source
computing power
internet & servitization

52. 51
IMPLEMENTATIONS ARE TRICKY
application
domain
mathematics
computer science
philosophical
foundations
abstract
hands-on
hard
soft
https://incidentdatabase.ai/

53. 52
WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP IN AI?
How will you make sure that your AI / data products
• are designed by knowledgeable people?
• are trustworthy & robust?
• respect causality?
• respect semantics?
• are reproducible?
• transfer to new environments?
• respect ethical standards
• fulfil legal requirements

54. 53
WE WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH
YOUR AI TRANSFORMATION

55. • Hands-on coding oriented
(for software developers)
• Learn new concepts &
paradigms within a mission
• Develop a critical & creative
mindset
TRAIN-THE-technical-TRAINER
For academies, coding schools, individuals
54

56. 55
LET’S GET
IN TOUCH!
Schedule a meeting

57. Finance guidance
May 23, 2023
Gwen Gillard, BeCentral

58. EDIH
Test before
invest
Support to find
investments
Innovation
ecosystem
and networking
Skills and
training
57
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
AND YOUR COMPANY?
We support you with:
• How to choose and test technology solutions?
• Which skills to acquire?
• What type of investments are needed and where to
find them?
• How to establish local or international partnerships?
• How to transform in a sustainable way so that it positively impacts
our society and environment?

59. 58
• Digital campus that hosts sustAIn.brussels team and
another 1000 residents coming from digital schools,
startups and NGO’s
• Place where we can learn new technologies, grow a
startup, impact society and be an actor of the digital
revolution.
• Cofounded in 2017 and backed by more than
60 investors, 2 family offices and
2 government-owned funds
First, do you know where you are?

60. Finding investments can be challenging but:
Belgium has developed an
enabling environment for
funding opportunities
SustAIn.brussels is the
best support to make you
succeed
Investors embrace new
technologies and require
sustainability
59
1. 2. 3.

61. 60
Market potential
High Potential
Returns
Environmental and
social impact
Innovation
and
competitive
advantage
Regulatory frame
works, incentives
and policy
support
1.
d
Investors embrace new technologies and require
sustainability

62. Private equity and VC firms Business angels
Government agencies
61
2.
d
Belgium has developed an enabling environment
for funding opportunities

63. 3.
x
sustAIn is the best support to make you succeed
Our 3 objectives are:
Help you identify
investors that match
your needs and
culture
Introduce you to
relevant investors
Train you to
successfully present
yourself and your
needs to investors
62

64. Concretely, we propose to:
Guide you towards investment
- Practical workshops: attracting fund,
estimate funding needs, choose funding
instruments, look for the right partners
- Pitching competition
63
Meet your investors
- Detect your investment needs
- Identify investors that match your profile
and culture
- Guide you towards the meeting

65. SUSTAIN.BRUSSELS, AN ECOSYSTEM OF
PARTNERS, TO SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY
BECOME DIGITAL AND SUSTAINABLE
64

66. 65
LET’S GET
IN TOUCH!
Are you interested?
Contact gwen@becentral.org
Apply now!

67. Are you ready for the next
life-changing
innovation?
Looking to improve
your offering
with experts in the field?
Want to develop
academic-corporate alliances
on ground-breaking research projects?

68. What do we offer?
- Innovation
- Expertise
- Experience
- And much more …
How?
- Collaboration (funded by
Innoviris, Europe, …)
- Service agreement
- Licensing

69. Curious?
Interested?
Feel free to reach out!
Qing.Cai@vub.be
Qing Cai
www.vubtechtransfer.be
Ronnie
Raeymaekers
Ronnie.Raeymaekers@ulb.be
www.ulb.be/kto

70. Access to Labs – AI Experience tour
May 23, 2023
Diana Remache & Alice Demaret

71. EDIH
Test before
invest
- Access to labs
Support to find
investments
Innovation
ecosystem
and networking
Skills and
training
70
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
AND YOUR COMPANY?
We support you with:
• How to choose and test technology solutions?
• Which training and skills to acquire?
• What type of investments are needed and where to
find them?
• How to establish local or international partnerships?
• How to transform in a sustainable way so that it positively impacts
our society and environment?

72. SUSTAIN.BRUSSELS, AN ECOSYSTEM OF
PARTNERS, TO SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY
BECOME DIGITAL AND SUSTAINABLE
71
Work-in-progress. Certain partners still need to be confirmed!

73. Test before you invest - Access to labs
This state of the art facility allows companies, institutes, policy-makers, and citizens to test, learn and
experiment AI technologies. It is operated by FARI, the AI Center for the Common Good institute
jointly set up by ULB and VUB, and supported by Innoviris and Paradigm.brussels. The visit will include
an introduction of the research groups, demonstrations and access to labs services:
Brubotics, Electronics and Informatics (ETRO), Law, Science, Technology & Society (LTST) Research
group, Media, Innovation and Technology (SMIT), AI lab, Solvay Business School, Perelman centre,
Machine Learning Group, IRIDIA and SAAS from Vrij Universiteit Brussels and Universite Libre
Bruxelles. To find your way to more labs, TechTransfer will guide you and answer your questions.
Discover, learn and get inspired in the FARI Experience Center. Connect with representatives, researchers
and TechTransfers from VUB and ULB.
72

74. 73
LET’S GET
IN TOUCH!
Contact us:
Diana Remache
diana.remache@vub.be
Alice Demaret
alice.demaret@ulb.be
Schedule a meeting