New AI hub ‘The Brain’ to open in Ghent in 2027
Construction of The Brain AI tech hub in Ghent started on Monday. The hub, set up at Ghent University’s Ardoyen campus in Zwijnaarde, should help to make Flanders a key player in global AI innovation. Due to open in 2027, it will accommodate more than 600 specialists in AI, photonics and deep tech.
The initiators - property developer Alides, Flemish investment company PMV, Ghent University and Tech Lane Ghent Science Park - want to make The Brain a European reference in digital innovation.
Companies, start-ups, scale-ups, students and research institutes will collaborate there on AI applications ranging from medical imaging to industrial automation, and from smart mobility solutions to cybersecurity.
Against the backdrop of an increasingly expensive labour market, AI is seen in Flanders as the key to staying competitive. By deploying technology intelligently, companies can increase their efficiency without sacrificing quality or employment.
“Today we invest not only in infrastructure, but also in talent, innovative power and strategic autonomy,” said Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele.
The Brain focuses on concrete applications, such as sensors for air quality measurement or intricate industrial processes, that benefit Flemish companies, researchers and entrepreneurs.
"Today we invest not only in infrastructure, but also in talent, innovative power and strategic autonomy"
Companies like Sentea, Indigo Diabetes and Morrow Optics - all anchored in the Ghent innovation ecosystem – show how photonics and AI can go hand in hand in medical technology and smart electronics. They will be able to accelerate their growth thanks to the new hub.
The project, accounting for an investment of 80 million euros, is financially supported by ERDF, Flanders’ Fund for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the city of Ghent and the province of East Flanders.
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © BELGA PHOTO SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY RF / Official start of construction of The Brain, 5 May 2025 © BELGA VIDEO JONAS D'HOLLANDER
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