Soft landing in Brussels for international companies

A STRATEGIC LOCATION AT THE HEART OF EUROPE

Brussels: a gateway to the Belgian and European markets

Choosing Brussels means setting up your business in an international and multilingual environment, where English is the lingua franca in the workplace. The proximity of the main EU institutions also makes it easier to understand the European framework and gain access to numerous institutional stakeholders.

Thanks to Brussels' central location, you can rapidly expand into France, the Netherlands, Germany and other European markets. For an international company, Brussels therefore provides a credible base from which to forge initial contacts, test your approach and gradually build your presence in Europe.

Belgium also benefits from recognised ecosystems in the life sciences, healthcare, digital technology and cutting-edge technologies.

Its biopharmaceutical sector invested €6 billion in R&D in 2024, more than any other sector in the country. For certain defence or dual-use technology projects, NATO's headquarters in Brussels makes setting up here even more appealing.

YOUR ANCHOR IN THE BRUSSELS ECOSYSTEM

Why choose BLSI instead of a flexible office ?

AN APPROACH TAILORED TO YOUR STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

Test the market or quickly establish your local presence

Drapeaux de l’Union européenne devant le siège de la Commission européenne à Bruxelles

Explore Europe before setting up

Are you discovering the Belgian or European market and looking to minimise risks before making a long-term commitment? BLSI helps you structure this exploratory phase, test your project against real-world conditions and identify the priority issues to be clarified.

Depending on your situation, we can connect you with the right partners to review the conditions for temporary or long-term establishment, understand the administrative and legal procedures, identify relevant sector-specific contacts, and explore suitable support or funding mechanisms.

This allows you to gather the information and contacts you need to decide on next steps more quickly.

Rolling out an established European presence

If your business is already established, you are primarily looking for an efficient base, a professional level of service and rapid access to your new economic environment.

BLSI enables you to establish a commercial, operational or technological presence in Brussels in facilities that are ready for immediate use. Your team benefits from a highly regarded environment, a community of innovative businesses and a network that you can mobilise to develop your activities in Belgium and across Europe.

Request an exploratory discussion

MUCH MORE THAN A REMOTE NETWORK

Become part of a scientific, clinical and entrepreneurial ecosystem

Health Campus, UCLouvain and Saint-Luc University Clinics

BLSI is based on the UCLouvain Health Campus, in the immediate vicinity of the Saint-Luc University Clinics. These two leading institutions are key partners of BLSI.

For a company operating in the life sciences and healthcare sectors, this strong local presence provides a particularly credible environment and makes it easier to identify scientific, technological or clinical expertise. Once your project is sufficiently mature and relevant, BLSI can also facilitate targeted networking opportunities.

This specialisation does not rule out other innovative sectors, which also benefit from the entrepreneurial, technological and institutional network around BLSI.

A community and a team on hand for you every day

Your primary network is also the one you’ll find within BLSI. You’ll join a community of innovative companies which, like you, need to understand new markets, structure their growth, find partners and seize business opportunities.

Exchanges between peers provide feedback, a better understanding of local practices and contacts that can sometimes prove decisive. The BLSI team is also on hand to answer any practical questions you may have, guide you and mobilise the relevant partners when your situation requires it.

READY-TO-USE OFFICES AND LABS

Rapidly expand your business from Brussels

BLSI supplies furnished, private and modular offices to help you quickly establish a commercial, operational or technological presence in Belgium. Essential services are already in place so that your team can focus on its core business as soon as you set up.

For projects that need an experimental environment, BLSI also offers small, fully-equipped lab units, suitable for R&D or small production runs. These units can accommodate activities at biosafety levels BSL-1 and BSL-2.

These small-scale, ready-to-use laboratory spaces are rare in Belgium and unique to Brussels. Depending on the needs of the project, a lab can become operational within a few weeks, whereas elsewhere in Brussels, obtaining the necessary environmental permits for a stand-alone facility generally takes around 18 months.

Offices and Labs