Boosting business development
Starting and growing entrepreneurs need business infrastructure that fits their developing needs in order to develop their business in a dedicated business environment. The West Flanders Development Agency is responsible for the development and promotion of business infrastructure for start-ups in the Province of West Flanders. 4 types of business infrastructure are being offered: business centres, transit buildings, innovation & incubation centres and ‘entrepreneurs’ centres. Thanks to this network of business accommodation you can start conquering the European market from your new business location in West Flanders in no time.
BUSINESS CENTRES
The business centre is a managed workspace that allows start up businesses to focus on their entrepreneurship, using the shared services offered by the centre, the so called “service” package. Business centres offer businesses office and workshop space, business support and advice, as well as reception and secretarial services...
This way the start-up business can focus on elaborating its activities and shouldn’t worry about administration, which is one of the most important advantages of business centres.
There are seven business centres in West Flanders:
1. Bruges
2. Kortrijk
3. Waregem
4. Ostend
5. Roeselare
6. Ypres
7. Veurne
There are also other advantages to take into consideration: the good strategic location close to motorways, an on-site parking (no parking problems), flexible in and out conditions, up-to-date meeting facilities and IT network and an excellent value for money. Last but not least businesses in the centre are supported by likeminded entrepreneurs, the business centre manager and the business centre administration to help you with problems of any kind. The average lifetime in a BC for a company is 3 to 5 years.
Originally the BC’s were addressed to starting companies only. In the meantime the focus has developed towards: starting companys, growing companys, spin-offs of large companies and foreign companies starting in Flanders.
More information: www.bcwestvlaanderen.be - Powerpoint BC Flanders (BC Bruges)
TRANSIT BUILDINGS
Transit buildings offer mainly workshop space for companies who grew out of the business centre. There are 7 transit buildings well spread over the Province of West Flanders. More information: www.bcwestvlaanderen.be
INNOVATION AND INCUBATION CENTRES
Innovation and incubation centres are business centres that offer starting entrepreneurs, just like the business centres mentioned above, a flexible infrastructure (offices, labs, …), business support and professional advice. The difference is that innovation and incubation centres focus on businesses with high tech activities, research organisations, spin-offs from universities, … There are two such centres in West Flanders.
More information can be found on the respectively websites:
1. Greenbridge Incubator (Ostend) – www.greenbridge.be
2. Innovation and Incubation centre (Kortrijk) – www.iick.be
ENTREPRENEURS CENTRES
Those business centres are located in the heart of the city, combined with a wider thematic approach:
- Creativity (Ondernemerscentrum Kortrijk – www.ondernemerscentrumkortrijk.be
- Food (Ondernemerscentrum Roeselare)
- Wellness (Ondernemerscentrum Ostend)
- Tourism & Internationalization (Ypres)
