HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium will lead a high-level Belgian delegation, involving over a hundred companies, to the US West Coast. The Belgian Economic Mission has been organised by the Wallonia Export & Foreign Investment Agency (AWEX) in collaboration with the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency (BFTA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and two other regional agencies: hub.brussels and Flanders Investment & Trade.
“Belgium creates more than 80,000 direct jobs in the United States and punches above its weight in terms of foreign direct investment, with more than $73 billion flowing into the US. Walloon companies play a key role in this story, bringing technological and industrial expertise to California that complements the local innovation ecosystem,” stated the American Chamber of Commerce in Belgium. Among the participating companies, there will be six standouts that will highlight Wallonia’s innovation, resilience and diversity.
#AEROSPACE
AEROSPACELAB: walloon trailblazer
Established in 2018, Aerospacelab has become a key European player in the space industry and a heavyweight in the making. It boasts of a strategic site in Louvain-la-Neuve, a Megafactory under construction in Charleroi, sites in Switzerland and France, and its latest location opened recently in California. The Megafactory will become the first satellite-producing plant in Europe, with the capacity of producing up to 500 satellites every year. For Célia Berlemont, Senior Communication, Marketing & PR Manager, the Californian mission is “a promising nod and a key opportunity to raise awareness among our American partners and to consolidate our projects with them.” Having already signed deals with clients such as Xona Space Systems and the prestigious Japanese company JAXA, Aerospacelab features a dynamic model involving 300 employees and €94 million in recently raised funding, and is valued at almost half a billion euros. “This is the perfect opportunity to prove that we are pioneers capable of providing a European solution to global satellite needs.”
#ICT
TONOMIA: solar energy powering AI
A young start-up founded in 2023 in Battice, Tonomia transforms parking lots into smart solar power plants which can power not only EVs but also AI data centres. With their eParking and eCanopy solutions, Tonomia has already become a part of the Nvidia Inception programme and is also collaborating with Supermicro and MiTAC Computing. “Our mission is to offer innovative solutions that enable our clients to tap into renewable energy,” says founder Mustapha Belhabib.
Having established themselves in China and the Silicon Valley, “this Belgian Economic Mission is a great occasion for us to not only sign new industrial and economic partnerships, but also to strengthen the credibility of our model and offer solutions that can be deployed in just a few days.” With over 30 employees and numerous patents, Tonomia was honoured with an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival by Forbes Magazine to tell their inspiring story to the world. The Liègebased
start-up is currently in the process of finalising its Series A fundraising round based on a valuation of approximately 300 million euros, a first in Belgium for such a young start-up.
#MEDICAL
eCLINICA: expertise in digitising clinical trials
Established in 2009 in Waterloo, eClinica are specialists in the digitisation and optimisation of clinical trials for the pharmaceutical, biotech, veterinary and academic sectors. Thanks to its extensive expertise, the company has developed several specialised software programmes that have been used in more than 165 international clinical trials, especially in the field of vaccines. Their technology uses AI “to predict side effects to improve patient safety,” says CEO Vincent Wautelet. “It also includes a secure blockchain that guarantees data integrity.” In collaboration with Google, eClinica hopes to increase its visibility and enter into trustworthy partnerships, with the longer-term goal of carrying out its first pilot projects in the USA.
#EQUIPMENT
LASEA: using lasers to innovate
Created in 1999 in Liège, LASEA has established itself as Europe’s leader in femtosecond laser micromachining. Their machines are used in the medical, electronics and luxury watch industries, replacing environmentally unfriendly processes and offering the possibility to miniaturise with precision. “Our technology has paved the way for increasingly sustainable and efficient production methods,” says founder Axel Kupisiewicz. With 180 employees spread over 6 sites, including one in San Diego since 2016, the USA is LASEA’s second biggest market. Their goal during the upcoming Belgian Economic Mission will be “to consolidate relationships with prestigious Silicon Valley clients and to showcase new products. Innovation is in our DNA, as it is the only way to make our excellence stand out in a globalised market.”
#FOOD & DRINK
Neobulles: festive non-alcoholic drinks
Based in Herve, Neobulles is, unsurprisingly, Europe’s top producer of non-alcoholic drinks, thanks to its brands Vintense and Bière des Amis. Owned by the Stassen family whose expertise
traces its roots back to 1895, Neobulles sells festive drinks in over 40 countries. “California is a strategic market, as it is a wellness pioneer,” says Anne Stassen, who co-founded the company along with her father and brother in 2014. With a turnover of 18 million euros and 6 million bottles sold every year, Neobulles is developing increasingly innovative products. “During this mission, we aim to strengthen our good relations, meet up with other partners, retailers and importers, and gain a better understanding of the market.”
Dely Wafels: belgian waffles in californinan stores
Based in Estaimpuis, the Dely Wafels factory produces 1 million frozen Brussels waffles every day. Now a worldwide leader, this family-owned SME has been present in the American market for over 15 years. “This Belgian Economic Mission will enable us to bolster our relations with our long-standing clients and attract new partners,” says CEO Thibault Lacroix. “Our secret recipe? It is the authentic taste and the high quality that makes all the difference,” says Davy Van Poucke, founder and CCO.
WAB Magazine
