Tag Archives: Innovation

November 30, 2015

Belgium’s 10 innovative startups

By GBMC

Belgium (Wikimedia commons)

“Belgium is bursting with creative and engineering talent. Meeting close to 1,000 Belgian tech founders and CEOs every year, I am always wowed by the often unique and innovative approaches of many of the country’s startups.

Two thirds of the startups in Belgium are B2B, the complete opposite of the 2/3-heavy B2C Silicon Valley. It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Belgium is right in the middle of the so called Blue Banana, the region with the most diverse industrial capabilities, expertise, and infrastructure in the world. It’s not a coincidence that Raspberry PI and Arduino were born here. It explains why the renaissance of hardware (startups) is taking place here and not in China or the U.S. So if you’re a B2B or hardware SME, leave the Valley aside and embrace the capital of the EU.”

(Omar Mohout, Geektime.com)

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Belgium’s 10 innovative startups

Leave a comment | tags: B2B startups, Belgium, Belgium’s 10 innovative startups, GBMC, Innovation, Startups | posted in Business, EU, Technology

November 9, 2015

Mass-Trans Innovation Japan 2015 (MTI Japan 2015)

By GBMC

Japanese MAGLEV (Magnetic Levitation) Trains

Hitachi’s trains (source: Hitachi.com)

Mass-Trans Innovation Japan 2015 (MTI Japan 2015)
International Trade Fair for “Railways” Technology

Dates: November 11 (Wed.) – 13 (Fri.), 2015 10:00 – 17:00

Venue: MAKUHARI MESSE (Chiba, Japan)

According to the organisers:

“Mass-Trans Innovation Japan” is a comprehensive trade show specialised in railways technology in Japan.

The 3rd “Mass-Trans Innovation Japan” was held in 2013, and concluded with great success with 328 exhibitors and 19,221 visitors.

This trade show is expected to promote railway, its related industries, and active international exchange as well as to contribute to the development of industry and improvement of science technology.

Is Japan still Innovative ?

By GBMC

With 18.8 billions JPY spent on R & D in 2008, that is, 3.8% of its GDP, Japan definitely wants to be an innovating country, trendsetter in Asia and in the world. With its record number of patents, this country has been the source of breakthroughs in various industries, like Automotive, Electronics, Telecoms, Automation and Robotics, among others. Having recognized the importance of Science and Technology, its government has strengthened in the 90s its support to technological innovation by funding fundamental research as well as key applied research projects. In 2013, what is the situation? Plagued with major structural problems, is Japan still an innovative country? What are the successes and mistakes of the Japanese example? What are the challenges and priorities? What lessons can we learn?

See more at: http://storiesjapan.com/is-japan-still-innovative

(article translated in English from French)