Port of Antwerp seeks candidates for NextGen Demo

NextGen District, the future hotspot for circular economy in the heart of the port of Antwerp, is starting to really take shape. Today Port of Antwerp will launch a market consultation for the plots available within NextGen Demo. This innovation hub, which is part of NextGen District, is aimed at pioneers looking for space and support to test their projects before scaling them up to the commercial level.

NextGen Demo: innovation hub within NextGen District

NextGen District is a site with a total surface area of 88 ha in the heart of the port, which Port of Antwerp has made available with the aim of creating a hotspot for circular economy there, thereby contributing to the transition to a climate-neutral society. Innovative players in the circular process and manufacturing industry will give end-of-life products a second or third life, explore circular carbon solutions and carry out experiments with renewable energy.

NextGen Demo is a zone within NextGen District, where new technologies and circular demo projects that have outgrown the lab are tested on a larger scale and in an industrial environment before being commercialised. The demonstrators benefit from an industrial network, with leading global players thanks to the extensive Port of Antwerp community. Ideal for linking up with the right partners and customers. The ecosystem will also help create synergies within NextGen District and with other players in the port. The excellent logistical location and availability of the necessary infrastructure are additional trumps to whet demonstrators' appetites. Based on their needs, Port of Antwerp will work with them to provide the desired facilities and accommodate them as effectively as possible.

Questionnaire

For NextGen Demo, Port of Antwerp is looking for candidates (start-ups, scale-ups, spin-off companies and pilot projects) that are active in sustainable and innovative chemical and energy technology. There is a specific focus on technologies within the areas of Waste-to-X (chemicals/fuels), CCU (Carbon Capture & Utilisation), bio-based technologies and storage of renewable energy (power-to-x). For companies wishing to apply for one of the plots within NextGen Demo, Port of Antwerp is today inviting circular pioneers in these sectors to submit their project proposals and communicate their needs via anaward procedure. The deadline is 28 February 2022.

For more information on the exact scope, conditions and technical specifications, please visit NextGen Demo | Port of Antwerp

Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Port of Antwerp. "By offering a suitable location and the required facilities, Port of Antwerp wants to eliminate the scale disadvantages typically faced by this type of demonstrator. In addition, the provision of support services and facilities will play an essential role in lowering the threshold for demonstrators to further develop their technologies. As an entrepreneur, you can also count on the industrial network including leading global players and the accompanying ecosystem.

Port alderwoman Annick De Ridder: "With the NextGen District, we are aiming to create hundreds of new jobs that will further contribute to the sustainable growth of our port. This testing ground for technological and sustainable innovation, where pioneers are given the room to grow, will contribute to the strengthening, synergy and diversification of the port platform. Moreover, this is the ideal location to accelerate the transition in the Antwerp chemical cluster. As such, we are continuing to focus on the added value of the future and therefore also on our prosperity. NextGen Demo, as an innovation hub, is aiming to be the ideal catalyst for sustainable innovations in the process industry and the energy transition".