At the core of this approach is an “innovation pipeline” that illustrates how ideas progress from early-stage research to full-scale implementation. Four anchor initiatives support this framework and provide delegates with direct exposure to practical applications.
BlueApp offers university researchers and companies access to specialised labs and a pilot hall for joint development in areas such as water reuse, CO₂ valorisation, hydrogen, and advanced materials. Conference technical programmes can integrate site visits and demonstrations.
BlueChem provides an environment where startups work alongside industry partners, using high-tech laboratories and receiving business support and mentorship. This gives event organisers access to emerging innovators in circular chemistry, waste-to-value solutions, and water-related technologies.
Antwerp
NextGen Demo positions the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as a real-world testing ground. Pilot plants can validate technologies such as advanced electrolysis for green hydrogen and bio-based chemistry derived from food waste streams. Technical tours allow delegates to observe scale-up processes in operational settings.
NextGen District brings these developments closer to commercial deployment, offering event spaces and clustering circular manufacturers and sustainable chemistry companies. The goal is to accelerate adoption by co-locating organisations working on related technologies.
“Antwerp doesn’t just host conferences, we are building communities that connect people to the places and partners that make change happen,” said Tadeja Pivc Coudyser, CEO of Antwerp Convention Bureau. “When event organisers choose Antwerp, their community has the opportunity to connect with our community, including key industries and the blue-economy. This allows us to welcome congresses and summits that want to shape a programme in a city that is truly relevant to their attendees.”
The city’s meeting philosophy positions Antwerp itself as part of the event. Organisers can link plenary sessions with lab visits at BlueApp or BlueChem, arrange boat tours across the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and NextGen District, or highlight technologies such as hydrogen-powered tugboats. This approach has already attracted sector gatherings, including the Annual Summit 2025: “Uncharted Waters.”
“Delegates want relevance and real-world learning,” added Pivc Coudyser. “Here in Antwerp we can create opportunities that mean they can meet experts in the morning and see an industry in action that afternoon. That is the kind of tangible value that grows communities, strengthens research-industry ties, and leaves a lasting legacy for society.”
Antwerp Convention Bureau provides structured support for event organisers, including venue guidance, programme development, technical tours, and legacy planning. Organisers focused on the blue economy are invited to explore how their events can benefit from Antwerp’s integrated innovation landscape.
Tags: Tadeja Pivc Coudyser, Antwerp Convention Bureau
