Setting the tone in Flanders Balance between welfare and wellbeing Our Mission

2 North-East of Belgium inhabitants km² -27 cities/villages In 1997: high unemployment Production sector - Relocate

3 The Board

4 PARTNERS SPK Provincial Authorities of Antwerp Christian Trade Union Association of Christian Employers Regional Manager Strategisch Plan Kempen Christian Association of the Middle Class Association of Christian Employers Socialist Trade Union BOARD OF DIRECTORS Farmers Association of the District 1/3 representatives of employers 1/3 representatives of employees 1/3 government Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Kempen

5 Subcon- tracting Services Applying technology Offer of cultural products Education Government services Infrastructure Added value

6 Method: Strategic Planning General economic Strategic Plan Strategic Plan for Tourism Strategic Plan for Unemployment Strategic Plan for Agriculture Strategic Plan for Telecommunication Futur plan Kempen 2015

7 Stimulating the growth of existing companies (directly) Stimulating starting enterprises (directly) Attracting Belgian and foreign companies (directly) Stimulating employment through amelioration of the enterprise environment (education, research, government) (indirect) Main topics general strategic plan (1987)

8 An SME Business Development & Networking Programme PLATO™

9 Greek philosopher: analysis & synthesis Acronym: Peterschap (parenthood) Leerplan (training programme) Arrondissement (district) Turnhout (name of district) Ondernemingen (enterprises)

10 What: an intensive counseling program for supporting & coaching start-up & growing SME’s. The principle: large companies accept the parenthood of SME’s and perform coaching and transfer of know-how and experience.

11 Observations Starting and growing SME’s experience thresholds. Entrepreneur/owner is professionally isolated. Failure rate is high for starting companies. Expertise of large companies is not made available in SME’s.

12 Large companies accept parenthood of local SME’s to transfer know-how and own experience. secondment of senior/potential managers as Group Leaders monthly (evening) meetings of each group Group consisting of 10 to 15 SME owner/entrepreneurs 2 year cycle All business subjects are covered exchange of experienceworking groups sounding board individual advice networking global meetings

SME’s active in Kempen SME’s active in the Belgian PLATO™ network and SME’s active mainly within EU An international network 12 countries regions …

14 A future programme to make the Kempen in 2020 into a leading region on sustainable technology Leading to Knowledge centers Companies Sustainable region “Kempen Sustainable”

15 Some Opportunities SCK – VITO – KHK – Kamp C – knowledge center horticulture Umicore, Suntechnics, Hydrogenics, Philips Lighting, Smet, Leysen, IOK, APT, Horticulture, construction, … Spin-off and business development initiatives (VITO-project) Environment-incubator in the neighborhood of VITO NIRAS-project: stockage nuclear waste + socio-economic leverage ELAt: Eindhoven & Leuven in the neighborhood Cleantech seed capital

16 Vision Ambition 2020: => Kempen as international leading region in sustainable energy and environmental technology : 1.Be at the top on specific areas of technology development 2.Strong economic growth dynamics in big and small companies wordwide active in the energy & environmental business 3.International leading example region in the area of energy and enveronmental sustainability We are motivated by building on our strenghts, and don’t let to immobilize us by looking on our weaknesses

17 Success factors knowledge economy

18 Knowledge region = economic ‘ecosystem’ Knowledge centra Companies as R&D- partner of knowledge centra Innovative companies, spin-offs Knowledge intensive suppliers, services Diverse related activities

19 10 Key projects “Kempen Sustainable”

20 “Kempen Sustainable ” 1.Create new technology companies (New Business Development 2.Knowledge and business network “Marketplace” 3.Guiding SME’s in innovative enterpreneurship 4.Knowledge center “Kempen Sustainable” 5.Breakthrough and demo-projects 6.Education sector part of the game 7.Strategic planning infrastructure 8.Attract relevant (international) Companies 9.Sustainable Developmentfund Kempen 10.Network Sustainable entrepreneurs Kempen  Co-operation model of different partners

21 Questions ?