KU Leuven Announces Development of New Innovation Cluster at Arenberg Science Park
‘Innovation Cradle Leuven’ has recently been built at the Arenberg Science Park: a new building cluster of 7,500 m2 that will accommodate high-tech start-ups and scale-ups with a focus on healthcare, ICT and mechatronics. KU Leuven, City of Leuven, Innovation & Incubation Center KU Leuven and ERDF Flanders are jointly investing 15 million euros in the project. Earlier this week, the yard was officially inaugurated in the presence of the directors involved.
Flanders has one of the most booming startup ecosystems in Europe, but the supply of adapted business housing is not evolving fast enough. This is certainly a problem for fast-growing university spin-offs. After all, they need modular office and work spaces whose required surface area can scale up with the growth of the young companies themselves.
The new innovation cluster will be built on Koning Boudewijnlaan in Heverlee next to the two Bio-Incubators and the Arenberg Accelerator . Close to the Arenberg campus of KU Leuven, and close to imec, VIB, UZ Leuven and the strategic research center for the manufacturing industry Flanders Make. This is a unique location that facilitates the multidisciplinary innovation of the future.
Not just for spin-offs
KU Leuven, City of Leuven, Innovation & Incubation Center KU Leuven and ERDF Flanders (with resources from the European Regional Development Fund) are jointly investing 15 million euros in the project, for which the foundation stone was laid in the autumn of 2023. It is expected that up to 30 high-tech start-ups and scale-ups will establish themselves in the new buildings, creating around 350 highly qualified jobs and many indirect jobs.
Leuven mayor Mohamed Ridouani, who supports the project from the City of Leuven, adds: “This new building strengthens the innovative power of Leuven and puts our city firmly on the map as a pearl of knowledge and science; an important new step. It is very important that we provide the necessary space for growth companies in our region, because groundbreaking research increasingly leads to start-ups and additional investments. Our knowledge economy generates a particularly fascinating dynamic that entails both faith in the future and prosperity.