Six new networks dedicated to innovation will progressively enter the Flemish entrepreneurial ecosystem between 2026 and 2027. The initiative, supported by VLAIO, aims to bring together businesses, knowledge institutions, and other actors around sectors where collaboration can foster the development of new technologies and market opportunities.
The new Innovative Business Networks (IBN) will last for three years and will cover areas ranging from industrial transition to space technologies, including hydrogen, skills, and new materials.
From industrial transition to new materials
An important part of the new networks concerns sustainability and the transformation of industry.
CIRE – Clean Industrial Resources Ecosystem will be dedicated to cleantech, circular economy, and industrial sustainability, involving companies and technology developers across various stages of the value chain.
On the energy front, Waterstof Industrie Cluster 2.0 will work on the hydrogen ecosystem, from production and storage to industrial applications, mobility, and energy infrastructure.
In addition, there are IBNinKIS, dedicated to the development of technologies for the treatment of problematic substances such as PFAS, and BioMaterialis, focused on biobased materials and their applications, particularly in the construction sector.
Space, technology, and skills
The other two networks focus on sectors with a strong technological content.
Flanders Space aims to strengthen collaborations between the space sector and other economic sectors, supporting the development of applications, new projects and a greater international presence.
Tech4Talent will instead focus on EdTech, HRTech and lifelong learning, linking technological innovation, skills development and the digital transformation of businesses.
New collaboration opportunities for businesses
The common thread of the six networks is the desire to create ecosystems in which companies and other actors can connect, develop joint initiatives and bring new solutions to market more quickly.
For SMEs, startups and businesses active in the involved sectors, the new IBNs can therefore represent a useful space to connect with potential partners and closely follow the evolution of some of the main innovative sectors in Flanders.
Interested companies can contact the organisers of the individual networks directly for more information on participation methods.
Source: VLAIO – Agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, “Six new innovative business networks strengthen Flemish innovation and collaboration”, 31 August 2026.