Create sustainable added value
Technological innovation
Technological innovation is the driving force of our sector. Our motivation to innovate stems from the ambition to continue creating economic and societal added value, also in the long term.
Why is this important?
Strengthening manufacturing as an engine of prosperity
The Belgian manufacturing industry forms the beating heart of our economy. It accounts for a significant share of exports and creates thousands of indirect jobs. Yet this engine of prosperity is under pressure from high labour costs, a tight labour market, and fluctuating energy and raw material prices. Technological innovation offers a powerful response: digitalisation, automation, and smart product design increase productivity and make processes future-proof.
Anchoring production in local ecosystems
The changing geopolitical context encourages companies to organise production closer to home. This presents the Belgian manufacturing industry with a unique opportunity to strengthen its strategic position. Local anchoring, however, requires renewed production processes and flexible design strategies. Agility, efficiency, and technological innovation are crucial assets for long-term competitiveness.
Investing in innovation with societal impact
The manufacturing industry creates not just economic value, but also societal benefits. Technology helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve road safety, and enhance healthcare. These impacts can only be sustained through structural investment in research, development, and innovation.
Initiatives of Agoria between 2023 and 2025
Make the Future: Transformation as a lever for growth
Since 2021, Agoria and Sirris have been supporting Belgian manufacturing companies through the “Make the Future” programme. This programme helps companies transition towards innovation, sustainability, and competitive growth.
The programme is structured around seven strategic transformations, guiding companies towards becoming a Factory of the Future. These transformations include digital integration, sustainable and circular business practices, smart manufacturing, talent development, customer-driven innovation, resilient organisation, and energy efficiency. Agoria and Sirris support companies at every step, from small-scale improvements to large-scale innovations.
Companies that score at least 4 out of 5 across all seven transformations are awarded the Factory of the Future label. For companies already performing strongly in certain areas, the Transformer label is available.
Throughout the 2023–2025 period, Make the Future continues to be a key driver of industrial transformation.
The positive impact of innovation is clear, but the pace of change requires companies to continuously invest in knowledge and development.
Katelijne Norga, Pantarein
Digitalization and technology are not only economic drivers but also keys to sustainability and circular processes.
Katelijne Norga, Pantarein
Innovation is not just a technological matter but also a strategic necessity to achieve climate goals and create social impact.
Stéphanie Evenepoel, PMV
Our engagements
By 2030, Belgium aims to be among the top four on the European Innovation Scoreboard.
For Flanders, the goal is even more ambitious: to achieve first place on the regional scoreboard.
Where are we today?
Between 2020 and 2022, Belgium was consistently recognised as an Innovation Leader within the European Union, with innovation performance well above the EU average. In 2023, the country maintained its position in the EU top five. However, in 2024, Belgium fell slightly below the 125% threshold of the EU average and was classified as a Strong Innovator. Its relative position remained unchanged: Belgium still ranks fifth on the European scoreboard.
This slight decline is partly statistically explainable (Belgium was already near the boundary between the two categories), but it also highlights the importance of continued investment in innovation, digitalisation, and SME support.
Belgium scores above average in: public and private R&D expenditure, international scientific collaboration, scientific publications and patents, digital skills, and venture capital. Notable strengths include government support for corporate R&D, international collaboration, and public R&D expenditure, which stands at 127.9% of the EU average. At the same time, structural challenges persist: innovation in SMEs, business digitalisation, commercialisation of innovation, intellectual property, and design applications.
Within Belgium, Flanders plays a leading role. The region belongs to the European top category of ‘Innovation Leaders’, alongside regions such as Southern Sweden, Helsinki-Uusimaa, and Oberbayern. Flanders performs strongly in: private R&D expenditure, SME innovation, public-private collaboration, and scientific output. These achievements are the result of a well-developed ecosystem of universities, research institutes, and companies, supported by initiatives such as VLAIO, spearhead clusters, and strategic research centres such as imec and VIB.
Nevertheless, challenges remain: digitalisation of SMEs and the commercialisation of innovation continue to require attention.