Our city by the river wasn’t built overnight… And it has never been a sleepy place! Antwerp has been a leading world port, a trading metropolis, and an industrial hub for much, much longer than you might imagine. Over the centuries, our history of drive, entrepreneurship, and creativity has generated unimaginable prosperity. The world changed, but Antwerp persisted!
- ~3.5% of GDP spent on R&D
- 50,000+ students fuel a strong international talent pipeline.
- Antwerp Innovation Powerhouse with active innovative ecosystems in HealthTech, PortTech and ChemTech
- €417m+ in VC investment
- 319 VC backed companies
- #5 Happy City Index with education and innovation as pillars of Antwerp´s happiness
- 1745 startups & scaleups
- 8 accelerators and 60 locations co-spaces
- Belgium is a strong innovator ranking 6th
among EU member states and above the EU average - High English proficiency in Flanders (646 EF)
- #1 Foreign Direct Investment region in Flanders
- World class port of Europe with 1000 km pipeline in the port area
- World’s 1st GDP-certified port
- Europe´s largest integrated chemical cluster
- One of the biggest hospital network of Europe
Looking for a bird’s-eye view of the Antwerp tech ecosystem?
Visit the StartupMap by Dealroom
Ching Foe is your go-to contact for finding the right connections within and outside the municipality, unlocking the full potential of what Antwerp has to offer.
City of Antwerp
169 nationalities
55.116 students
169 nationalities
56.840 companies
Momu top 7 best museums in the world
The use of bicycles for commuter travel is higher than cars
The ability to innovate doesn’t come out of the blue. Antwerp’s rich history of innovation, from its role as a medieval trading hub to its cutting-edge diamond industry, has established a culture of experimentation and adaptation. This culture provides us with the flexibility and resilience to face modern challenges. Our entrepreneurs’ ability to evolve enables them to tackle today’s major challenges, such as climate change, the energy transition, pandemics, digitisation, and mobility. Make our entrepreneurial spirit, skilled workforce, and commitment to innovation the foundation for your innovative project.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is well on its way to transforming into the smart port of the future by embracing rapid advances. It has opened itself up to public and private partners as an innovation platform to collaborate and shape the future. Learn more about how to participate in this exciting process.
“Antwerp’s strategic location, multilingual workforce, and innovation-friendly environment create ideal conditions for international business growth.”
Eva Faict Country Manager for amazon.com & amazon.nl
“There’s so much knowledge of chemistry in Antwerp. Finding the right partners is easy here”
Steven De Laet, CEO Inopsys
“A proud and livable pocket-sized metropolis that continues to reinvent itself with respect for the pas: it is who we are and aim to be. The Big Link as a whole is the example of how we try to tackle multiple problems at once: from a better mobility, to preserving our heritage and creating more green spaces. Together with our other development projects, they will make Antwerp a more beautiful and pleasant city for generations to come.”
Els van Doesburg – Mayor of Antwerp
City as a Service: Keen on establishing or expanding operations in Antwerp? Great choice. This city contains many competitively priced locations and spaces. Meet with our team as your first stop. Consider us matchmakers who can connect you to suitable business locations. We will use our relations with real estate agencies to help you navigate the market and find the right site for your business needs. Good to know: we’re matchmakers. We do not take part in negotiations or drawing up of agreements. And our services are free.
Fill in the location request form or contact one of the account managers.
- VLAIO – is the point of contact of the Flemish Government for all entrepreneurs in Flanders.
- FIT supporting the boundless ambitions of Flanders-based and international companies & organizations.
- Startup Flanders connects your startup to international and technological growth.
- POM Antwerpen develops and redevelops sustainable business parks and innovation clusters.
-
Next Gen District is an 88ha hotspot for circular economy within the Port of Antwerp.
-
Next Gen Demo is the testing ground for innovations who want to transform traditional industry into something new, better, and -above all – sustainable.
-
Blue Gate Antwerp is the first eco-effective, water-bound business park in Belgium
- The Beacon over 100 companies and institutions dedicated to create groundbreaking digital solutions for ports, cities and industries.
- BlueChem, the first incubator for sustainable chemistry in Belgium as well as the ideal location for start-ups and scale-ups to grow and innovate.
- BlueApp, technology accelerator for sustainable chemistry and materials.
- Dunden, health hub providing office space and community building.
- Supernova festival where founders meets investors, a festival of ideas, people and opportunities.
The Antwerp metropolitan are startup ecosystem is valued at €8.1b. Antwerp is the better choice if you values physical trade, industrial cluster, port access, and a more compact business.
Flanders boasts a robust financial sector, and Antwerp, as one of its key cities, plays a significant role in this regard. As well as being home to the head offices of important Belgian private, retail, institutional and commercial banks (including Argenta, Bank Degroof Petercam, Bank Delen and Bank Van Breda), the city also houses subsidiaries of major international banks, renowned financial institutions such as Econopolis and fintech companies such as Winwinner. Moreover, Flanders is an affluent region and eager to invest in promising business opportunities. In combination, Flanders and Antwerp offer an environment that is rich in funding options. MORE
-
FIT supporting exports, attracting foreign investment and boosting the international marketing of innovation.
-
Financial support are you looking for local financial support and expert guidance for businesses
With more that 50,000 students and 169 nationalities-more than New York-, Antwerp is home to many internationals. We can offer essential backup, services and support to help your employees feel at home.
-
University of Antwerp with 23.202 students which 17,5 % are foreigners.
-
Antwerp Management School is a top-ranked business school whose mission is opening minds to impact the world
-
Antwerp Maritime Academy is an international top school and the reference for training in the maritime sector.
- Antwerp University Association is a structured of 4 higher education institutions in Antwerp to increase synchronisation of higher education in Europe.
The Belgian expatriate regime offers non-EU employees (including Japanese) a favorable framework for net allowances for up to eight years. Qualifying expatriates can receive up to 30% of their salary tax-free, with additional benefits regarding social contributions. This makes Belgium particularly attractive for attracting international management and specialized profiles.
International House Antwerp – an information point for international talent wanting to work, study or start a business in the city and province of Antwerp, and Antwerp companies looking to attract and employ international talent.
Climate Tech Summit
Climate technologies are Europe’s greatest resilience opportunity. Not just for the planet, but for our energy security, our industrial future, and our economic sovereignty. The solutions are here. The builders are here. What the ecosystem needs now is better connections, faster deals, and the right people in the right room.
OpenLivingLab Days 2026
OpenLivingLab Days is the flagship annual event organized by the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). It is the global gathering of international Living Labs that brings together living labbers, public officials, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, academics, and innovators from around the world.
Supernova 2027
SuperNova is Belgium’s largest technology and innovation festival, held annually (in the spring) in Antwerp. It is an international hub for entrepreneurs, investors, start-ups and visionaries. The event focuses on the ‘Business of Tomorrow’ and offers a mix of inspiring keynote speeches, networking opportunities and innovation demonstrations.