NextGen Demo, an innovation centre located in the circular hotspot NextGen District in the heart of Antwerp’s port, has received a US$816,000 ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) subsidy as well as US$1,359,593 in Flemish FIO (Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fund) funding.
This subsidy of US$2,175,540 will fund a portion of the start-up phase, significantly contributing to the transition to a climate-neutral economy.
NextGen Demo is part of the NextGen District, located on the former Opel site where the Port of Antwerp-Bruges is creating a circular hub within the heart of Antwerp’s industry. This 20,000 square meters zone provides space and support services for demonstrators—such as start-ups, scale-ups, spin-off companies, and pilot projects—to showcase new technologies and circular demonstration projects on a larger scale, beyond the lab, and in an industrial environment for testing before commercialization.
The site can accommodate 10 projects, which, after their test phase, can scale up within the NextGen District or move to another location inside or outside the port, thereby ensuring a continuous flow of innovation.
“In NextGen Demo, demonstrators can grow and join a valuable network of fellow pioneers, partners and customers. Through the unique location and the range of essential facilities and services, we want to eliminate the scale disadvantages that start-ups and scale-ups experience. Thanks to this ERDF subsidy, we can finance several major investments needed in the start-up phase,” stated Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Acting as a catalyst for sustainable innovations in the process industry, the site plays a crucial role in transitioning to a climate-neutral industry. Technologies developed at NextGen Demo will significantly contribute to the sustainability of the chemical industry and the energy transition nationally and internationally.
Given its alignment with the ambitions of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for a ‘smarter’ and ‘greener’ Europe, NextGen Demo was selected to receive a subsidy of 2 million euros. This funding will be used for investments during the start-up phase, such as preparing the demo sites and outfitting shared office facilities. NextGen Demo aims to be operational by early 2025.
The first concessionaires, who will utilize the Antwerp port environment to test their innovative projects in energy transition and circularity, have now been announced. Power to Hydrogen seeks to drastically reduce the cost of green hydrogen production using renewable energy through advanced technology.
Meanwhile, TripleW has developed an industrial process to produce lactic acid entirely from food waste and aims to expand the application of this technology to a broader range of food waste streams and end products.
“NextGen Demo is not limited to local companies, but also attracts innovation from abroad so that it can be implemented in Flanders and thus contribute to the achieving the Flemish and national climate objectives. This way we can keep our port, the largest economic engine in Flanders, competitive and at the same time focus on the transition to a climate-neutral society,” commented Annick De Ridder, chairman of the board of directors of Port of Antwerp-Bruges.
