By 2050, nine billion people need access to healthy and nutritious food. To ensure this goes hand in hand with the livability of our planet, it is essential that we fundamentally rethink and adjust our food consumption and production. Both by making the existing value chain more sustainable (from field to fork) as by developing alternatives (e.g. protein transition).
Centrally located in the green Kempen region of Flanders (B), Geel positions itself as a hotspot for innovations for the future of food and feed. Already, Geel and its immediate surroundings are home to a number of renowned knowledge institutes and several fast-growing companies with an international client portfolio that are active in this domain.
Think of:
- Thomas More: Flanders biggest university college with relevant educational specializations and applied R&D expertise centers on:
- Sustainable biomass and chemistry (RADIUS);
- Energy in greenhouse horticulture;
- Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI).
- KU Leuven: Belgium’s oldest and largest university, with 14 faculties, houses its bio-and industrial engineering faculty at Campus Geel, including R&D groups such as:
- Sustainable Crop Production and Protection (SusCroPP);
- Insect Production and Processing (IP&P);
- Livestock technology;
- Soil and Environment.
- Several research institutes, funded by the province of Antwerp and other public and private stakeholders:
- Experimental Poultry Centre for applied poultry research in Belgium;
- Hooibeekhoeve, an independent experimental farm dedicated to dairy farming, forage crops and rural development.
- Research Centre Hoogstraten, a practice-oriented research center in horticulture; with focus on strawberries, tomatoes and peppers.
- Research Station for Vegetable Production, a leading knowledge and innovation center for vegetable cultivation.
- VITO: Flemish institute for technological research; one of the four Flanders' strategic research organizations.
- EntoQ: innovation-driven company specialized in the development of high-yield insect farming systems.
- Tops Foods: single-portion meals that meet the stringent requirements of the inflight, retail and healthcare markets.
- Tops Multi-start: an innovative startup from Tops Foods, clinically validated meals for people who have difficulties to swallow and chew.
- Griffith Foods: a global product-development partner that specializes in high-quality food ingredients.
- Biobest: global player in biological crop protection and pollination.
Our strategy and ambition
With its focus domain "Future of Food & Feed", Innovatiecampus Geel activates the existing ecosystem and welcomes additional players to the region.
Starting from our existing strengths, we tighten the bonds and collaborations between the local actors and attract – and interact with – a growing number of international actors; for example in innovative food production and processing or vertical and indoor farming; or in domain-specific application of enabling technologies such as earth observation, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, internet of things, energy management and robotics.
Aside from our intrinsic drive to innovate, we do this from within a strong belief that Europe must secure its sovereign position amidst a turbulent geopolitical background.
Our ambition is to maintain and grow our reputation and activities as an international top region in topics such as: production and processing of insects and algae; sustainable farming and nutritious food for specific (clinical) target groups.
What's in it for you?
- Regular get togethers to discuss the status of your plans and innovations and to tune in on the latest trends and developments in your fields of interest.
- Low-threshold entry into new collaboration opportunities that strengthen your own innovation agenda as well as the overall value chain and ecosystem.
- Up to 18ha development area available on Innovatiecampus Geel to grow your facilities (or set up joint facilities).
- Centrally located between other innovation hotspots in Flanders, Belgium and its neighboring countries.
Want to know more?
