Flanders Investment & Trade - Milano, Italia

On January 23 2026 our colleagues Dirk Smolders and Francesco Panzeri will proudly represent Flanders Investment & Trade at the job fair "Dutch Works! Bridge the gap between academia and the industry", an event organized by the Università degli studi di Trieste and its Dutch department.

This event marks the end of a two-year project aimed at connecting language skills with career opportunities as an important key to cooperation, narrowing the gap between and the community.

📍Where: Trieste, Via Fabio Filzi 14, Aula Magna (University of Trieste)
📅 When: Friday, January 23, 2026 | 3:00–7:00 PM
🌍 Event languages: Italian, Dutch and English (simultaneous interpreting provided by MA students in conference interpreting)

We are happy to be represented at the round table discussion by our colleagues, who will get the chance to underline the importance of the Dutch language in an international business environment and specifically in our everyday activities.

Admission is free upon registration via this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-hgIV9mIhMPDzGfAwsP95nz2XoWgnA0JJM1StCY7qQGlDCw/viewform

Dirk Smolders | Francesco Panzeri | Marleen Verstreken | Sophie Massagé | Martina Lanese
Paola Gentile | Elisabeth Braem | lutgart spaepen | Mia Ratinckx
FIT - Flanders Investment & Trade | Università degli studi di Trieste | Taalunie

This week, Europe's largest private rail freight operator and the Italian multimodal operator Logistix have officially launched their new joint venture at the Mainhub Terminal. 🚆
From there, Modalink will manage terminal operations and develop intermodal services that strengthen one of Europe’s most strategic transport corridors: from to , and further into Southern Europe.

This joint venture represents a fundamental step in the pursuit of a more connected and infrastructure across Europe. 🌱

The aim is to have 5 weekly round trips between and , avoiding more than 46.000 tons of CO₂ emissions, with 13.000 fewer trucks on European roads every year.
This will also strengthen national distribution networks, connecting additional Italian terminals such as Pomezia, Marcianise and Catania.

With 70% managed by Lineas and 30% by FS Logistix, Modalink combines reliable and greener infrastructur.
We couldn't be more proud of this Flemish-Italian partnership! 🇧🇪🇮🇹

Read more about this: https://www.fsitaliane.it/it/media/comunicati-stampa/2025/12/5/modalink-la-joint-venture-tra-lineas-e-fs-logistix.html

Erik van Ockenburg | Sabrina De Filippis
Dirk Smolders | Marleen Verstreken | Sophie Massagé
Flanders Investment & Trade - FIT

Here's some great news from SD Worx Italy!🤝

We’re pleased to see the continued growth of SD Worx, a leading provider of HR and payroll solutions, in the market.

After becoming one of Italy’s largest HR and payroll outsourcing player through the integration of F2A, SD Worx is now strengthening its presence even further with the acquisition of LABOUR CONSULTING SRL, a well-established firm specializing in payroll and labor consultancy, with offices in Reggio Emilia and Parma .

This step is in line with SD Worx’s commitment to combining local expertise with international know-how, offering innovative HR solutions tailored to Italian businesses.

We’re proud to witness this Flemish-Italian partnership success story and look forward to seeing SD Worx support companies across Italy!

For more information: https://www.sdworx.com/en-en/about-sd-worx/press/sd-worx-strengthens-italian-presence-acquisition-labour-consulting

Kobe Verdonck | Raul Mattaboni | Pieter Goetgebuer | Luca Scalabrini

Dirk Smolders | Marleen Verstreken | Sophie Massagé
FIT - Flanders Investment & Trade

has officially been named , and the timing couldn’t be more symbolic: this year, the city is also celebrating 600 years of KU Leuven, one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious universities. 🏛️📚

The winning project for the European Capital of Culture 2030, - Human Nature - is a cultural program and a visionary initiative that brings together over 20 municipalities in East Flemish Brabant to tackle global challenges like climate change, inequality, and social cohesion through the lens of culture.

Leuven’s candidacy impressed the international jury with its European openness, academic legacy, and inclusive vision. The city and its region are ready to make 2030 a transformative year for cultural innovation, education, and cooperation.

Discover more about the Flemish gem, Leuven: https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/non-pubblicare-AHy4vpHD
Source: Il Sole 24 ORE

And more about the European Capital of Culture 2030 and the project LOV2030: https://www.lov2030.be/en/

Visit Flanders

🌱 is reinforcing its commitment to industry by allocating €115 million in additional subsidies to support the of energy-intensive companies.

🔹 €70 million will fund large-scale investments in electric boilers and heat pumps, replacing fossil fuel-based systems with -free heat production.
🔸 €45 million will support 14 companies affected by the energy crisis of 2022–2023, helping them maintain competitiveness while reducing emissions.

These transition contracts are expected to save over 82,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually.

This initiative complements the €270 million already committed in 2025 and aligns with Flanders’ broader strategy to develop CO₂ and hydrogen networks, enabling circular and electric industrial processes.

For more information: https://www.belganewsagency.eu/flanders-allocates-extra-subsidies-to-support-climate-transition-in-industry
Source: Belga News Agency

Happy to contribute to a more sustainable future!

🇧🇪 🇮🇹 Strengthening trade ties: Flanders' to Italy grows positively!

As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering economic relations between and , the latest figures from Eurostat (January–June 2025) show a promising trend in exports from Belgium to Italy:

Key export sectors include:
🧪Chemical products (+14.9%)
▪️Machinery and equipment (+6.8%)
⛴️Transport equipment (+36.5%)
🌱Vegetal products (+24.9%)
🧥Textile (+17.4%)
▪️Fats and oils (+63.6%)

These sectors reflect the strong industrial and technological synergy between Flanders and Italy.
📈 The data highlights a positive year-on-year export variation of +10.9% for 2024/25, compared to the year before, confirming Italy’s role as a strategic partner for Flemish exporters.

At Flanders Investment & Trade - Italia, we remain dedicated to supporting Flemish companies in expanding their footprint on the Italian market.

Don't hesitate to reach out to [email protected] and ask for a tailormade b2b program with Italian companies, to receive information about the Italian market and - if you're an Italian company - to get in touch with some interesting Flemish partners!

Dirk Smolders | Marleen Verstreken | Sophie Massagé
FIT - Flanders Investment & Trade | Belgian Foreign Trade Agency (BFTA)

investment in sustainable growth 🌰
We're pleased to see the Colruyt Group - through their investment company - taking a meaningful step into the food sector by acquiring a minority stake in Company, a leading nuts' and dried fruits' processor based in Ravenna.

Euro Company is known for its high-quality products but mostly for its commitment to and practices, which also brought them diving into the plant-based spreads world. 🌱

This move is in line with Korys' values and will reinforce international expansion, contributing at the same time to a positive change towards conscious consumerism in the food industry thanks to this cross-border . 🇧🇪🤝🇮🇹

Read more about this: https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/food/colruyt-family-invests-in-italian-nut-producer/

Dirk Smolders | Marleen Verstreken | Sophie Massagé
Francesco Panzeri | Martina Lanese
Maurizio Castagnoli | Stefan Goethaert | Katti Van Oosterwijck
FIT - Flanders Investment & Trade

🇮🇹🇧🇪 We are pleased to share that the event organized by Flanders Investment & Trade - Milano, Italia, in collaboration with d'Italia a Bruxelles and supported by di Commercio Belgo-Italiana, was a great success: “Advantages for Italian Companies in Flanders” took place on March 26th at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Brussels.

Thanks to the contributions of various professionals and investors, the event resulted in a unique opportunity to discover what has to offer to Italian companies looking to in our Region: strategic , advanced logistics , comprehensive to investors, an open , and much, much more.

Read the full article about the evening here, page 29:https://www.ccitabel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/InfoItalie_JUIN_2025_web.pdf

A special thank you goes to our colleague Verzeele who joined us to present how FIT - Flanders Investment & Trade can support you all the way through your investment journey.

Are you an Italian company interested in discovering more about Flanders and our services? Don’t hesitate to reach out: [email protected] – we’ll be happy to strengthen bilateral economic ties and open new avenues for a shared growth!

Marleentje Verstreken | Sophie Massagé | Dirk Smolders | John Verzeele | Bart Matheï

Giorgio De Bin | Tineke van Ginneken | Nicola de Leva | Michela Ritondo | Tindaro Paganini | Giovanni Paolo Acquinardi

Another biotech success story we're proud to share: , based in , is one of the Flemish companies in the sector that no longer relies on external capital to further develop its activity, thanks to its flagship product .

Argenx has developed treatments for several rare , including myasthenia gravis (MG) and CIDP, with a strong focus on improving patients' quality of life.

The technology behind Vyvgart draws on discoveries made in Flanders, such as the use of camelid antibodies - also adopted by other Ghent-based biotech innovators like and .
Argenx is now working on a more accessible version of Vyvgart in order to reach even more patients and aims to extend its application to at least ten additional rare diseases.

A great example of Flemish excellence in !

Want to discover more about and explore potential with outstanding Flemish companies in the sector? Feel free to reach out via [email protected]

Source: De Standaard - Stijn Decock

Marleentje Verstreken | Smolders | Investment & Trade - FIT

🇧🇪 : Europe’s biotech powerhouse 🧪

Despite global turbulence, Flanders’ ecosystem continues to flourish. Thanks to a strong public-private synergy, an open innovation ecosystem and culture, and a strong dedication to research by world-class scientific institutions and universities, the sector in Belgium has reached a market capitalization of 66.8 billion euros in 2024 (+42.7% increase from 2023).

Alongside industry leaders like argenx, the sector also saw robust M&A activity and private investments in Flemish SMEs like PANTERA, Confo Therapeutics, Augustine Therapeutics and miDiagnostics, reflecting selective yet solid momentum.

A key driver of this reiterated success is Flanders’ collaborative mindset, which brings together research institutions and enterprises to broaden results and amplify impact. The newly formed Flemish Biovia cluster (a joint initiative by flanders.bio and MEDVIA) now unites over 450 members, reinforcing Belgium’s collaborative edge both nationally and internationally.

As the EU considers the new Biotech Act, Belgium is poised to lead the next wave of biotech breakthroughs — from AI-driven drug discovery to advanced biomanufacturing and research.

🌍 Flanders investment and Trade (FIT) actively supports internationalization of and partnerships with Flemish companies. Don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected] to explore collaboration opportunities on the market or to invest in Flemish excellency!
Source: https://biovox.eu/belgian-biotech-retains-its-top-position-despite-the-turbulent-times/

Jerome Van Biervliet | Ann Van Gysel
Marleen Verstreken | Dirk Smolders | Sophie Massagé
FIT - Flanders Investment & Trade

A new innovative collaboration between Politecnico di Milano and the Belgian-American startup Aidoptation will bring driverless Maseratis to Italian highways!

Based at DronePort in Sint-Truiden, , Aidoptation is revolutionizing the world of autonomous driving with support from and Ventures.
The startup Aidoptation will launch an electric to autonomously navigate 's toll highways starting in September, in collaboration with Maserati and Politecnico di Milano. This system was practically demonstrated last week at the Milano Monza Open-Air Motor Show.

The aim is to test this technology on high-speed circuits such as the one in Monza and Spa-Francorchamps, as well as on other test circuits like the one in Lommel. Aidoptation plans to bring this innovative autonomous driving technology to Belgian highways by early 2026, highlighting the importance of a strong Flanders-Italy tech partnership.

Ready to see a Maserati cruising around Italy and Belgium? Stay tuned for more updates!

Read more about it: https://www.mbnews.it/2025/06/aidoptation-il-futuro-dellautomobilismo-e-della-guida-autonoma-scende-in-pista-allautodromo-di-monza/

Marleentje Verstreken | Dirk Smolders | Flanders Investment & Trade - FIT
Mitchell | Senofieni

Aidoptation, il futuro dell'automobilismo e della guida autonoma scende in pista all'Autodromo di Monza A MIMO 2025 è stata presentata la prima Maserati Granturismo Folgore autonoma con una dimostrazione pratica su Maserati GranCabrio del sistema a guida autonoma sviluppato dal Politecnico di Milano