Ecosystem & Networking: Success Stories

Success story #8: From speed dates to collaboration: Matchmaking during EDIH-EBE events

Within the EDIH-EBE project, matchmaking plays a key role in supporting Flemish companies in their digital and sustainable transformation. During smart networking events, we brought companies into targeted contact with potential partners and relevant investment channels. We facilitated new collaborations and created growth opportunities for these companies, including several startups and scale-ups. 

EDIH-EBE organized about seven matchmaking events, featuring both regional and international networking opportunities. With the help of intelligent matchmaking apps, a total of no less than 1,069 one-on-one meetings were scheduled. These meetings brought together companies, research institutions, and investors based on shared interests and challenges in energy and digitalization. 

Participants created a personal profile specifying their interests and expertise. Additionally, they could indicate what they have to offer other parties and/or what expertise, product, or service they are looking for. 

The Dragons’ Den in November 2024 gave startups a platform to address a new audience with their innovative solutions for energy in the built environment. This gave them the opportunity to present their solution to a room full of potential investors and partners.

During StarWatts, Flemish companies also had the opportunity to meet international players. A valuable expansion for their own network. Matchmaking was an efficient way to stimulate networking around the annual Energy Congress. 

Frequently heard feedback was that the speed dates enabled participants to network in a targeted manner at the EDIH-EBE events and find the right partners faster to realize their digital and sustainable ambitions. 
 

Success story #9: Extended due to success: EDIH-EBE partners continue guidance to Flemish construction companies

From within the construction sector, there is an urgent need to support Flemish construction companies in making the construction site more sustainable. Currently, polluting and noisy diesel generators are still often used there, and these sites are not yet adapted to the electrification of logistics around the site. Within the consortium, a search was made for the most effective instrument to meet this demand from the sector. The VLAIO COOCK+ call proved to be the ideal lever: it offers the structure to unlock the bundled expertise of various EDIH-EBE partners and thus collectively and in a targeted manner guide a broad group of companies. 

A COOCK+ project to be submitted to VLAIO under the guidance of Flux50 turned out to be the best option. COOCK stands for Collective R&D and Collective Knowledge Dissemination, and COOCK+ projects have a clear goal: building and disseminating knowledge to companies, thereby encouraging companies to innovate. 

At both Embuild Vlaanderen and Flux50, there was much interest in their network regarding the topic of electrifying construction sites. The events organized around this topic within the framework of EDIH-EBE were consistently fully booked. On December 2, 2025, a Deep Dive specifically on this topic was organized, during which input was gathered via an interactive Mentimeter survey to align the COOCK with the needs of the sector. 

To date, many steps have been taken: 

• The consortium consists of the EDIH-EBE partners, KU Leuven, VITO, EnergyVille, Embuild Vlaanderen, and Flux50, supplemented by Buildwise which possesses complementary expertise and tools. 
• Companies were contacted to participate in the case studies. 
• The work packages have been defined and divided among the partners. 
• Companies have been recruited for the advisory group. 
• The application dossier was submitted on April 28, 2026. 

Success story #10: A final event with impact

In order to maximize the impact of the final event, it was decided within the consortium not to organize it at the end of the project period, but in June 2025. As a result, the final event serves as a promotion channel for the EDIH-EBE services and there is still time to capture participant interest and try to convert it into new clients. 

The event was titled ‘AI & Digitalization: steps forward in the energy and construction sector’ and focused on the accelerated deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) by Flemish companies in the energy and construction sector. Because of their expertise in AI and digitalization in the construction sector on the one hand, Buildwise was involved as a partner in the event. VLAIO was involved because of its experience in guiding companies with the implementation of AI tools and their digital transformation. Both organizations have a very extensive network, and their participation in the promotional campaign significantly increased the reach. 

The program featured a keynote by a renowned AI expert (Dado Van Peteghem), pitch sessions, a panel discussion, and an interactive workshop on the opportunity for AI for participating companies. 

The 240 participants made use of the opportunity to schedule speed dates using Conversation Starter. During the breaks, participants could visit ‘AI booster for companies’, a booth island for companies that had questions regarding the implementation of AI. At the ‘Business booster’, companies could turn to experts from various financial and support organizations for advice on support opportunities for their growth plans. 

There is an aftermovie with interview with Frederik Loeckx (Flux50), Caroline Deiteren (Embuild Vlaanderen), Chris Slaets (Embuild Limburg), Pieter Van Geite (Buildwise), Anke Albregts (VLAIO), Bart Buelens (VITO), and Dado Van Peteghem (AI expert).