Antwerp’s strength lies in coordination. Its dense but highly active network of research institutions, clinical centres, startups, and innovation platforms operate within an environment that favours collaboration. This makes Antwerp a hub for scientific advancement and a testbed for real-world e-health solutions.
Health Innovation Powered by Data
A defining characteristic of Antwerp’s health cluster is its commitment to data as a strategic asset. The newly launched Antwerp Health Harbour is the region’s flagship initiative for integrated health data use. Bringing together the City of Antwerp, the University of Antwerp, ZAS, Helix and the first-line care zones, it co-creates solutions, with a strong focus on social impact and future-proof care.
AHH is all about connectivity, creating an ecosystem where cross-border projects can be developed to improve healthcare and stimulate new technologies. It creates a digital foundation for testing and scaling innovations that span population health, preventive medicine, and personalised care.
A Thriving Research and Clinical Environment
Supporting this data-driven landscape is a network of recognised institutions that bring academic knowledge and clinical excellence to the centre. The University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen) and Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) work in close synergy, enabling the seamless translation of scientific insights into practice. Together, they provide a home for breakthrough research in fields ranging from microbiology to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), including CAR-T cell therapy and regenerative medicine.
Adding to this is Vaccinopolis, an advanced facility for early-stage vaccine trials. Designed to handle first-in-human studies under strictly controlled conditions, it fills a critical gap in Europe’s vaccine development pipeline, ensuring that Antwerp plays a key role not only in medical innovation, but in global health preparedness.
Meanwhile, the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) further strengthens Antwerp’s global footprint in health sciences. Renowned for its work on infectious diseases, ITM contributes high-impact research and training that support both local capabilities and international partnerships.
Innovation Rooted in Ecosystem Thinking
Antwerp’s approach to health and life sciences is based in the belief that meaningful innovation happens at the intersection of disciplines and sectors. This is reflected in its dense concentration of incubators, spin-offs, and research accelerators, many of which are directly linked to clinical institutions and academic faculties.
From companies like Byteflies and Minze Health to cross-sector platforms such as the Beacon (a collaboration among public and private entities, start-ups, scale-ups, and research institutions) and Dunden Innovation Campus (a community of healthtech startups), the city supports ventures that thrive on multidisciplinary input. The result is an ecosystem capable of nurturing innovation from ideation to commercialisation, backed by public investment, academic validation, and market access.
Further amplifying this is the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (Europe’s first GDP-certified seaport for pharmaceutical logistics) ensuring that Antwerp’s contribution extends well into the global supply chain for health technologies.
Sleep & Respiratory Care in Focus
Antwerp’s clinical strengths are also visible in global gatherings. In 2025, the city hosted the European Sleep and Breathing Conference, a key event in the calendar of the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS). For Professor Wilfried Verbraecken, the conference’s local host, Antwerp offers the ideal backdrop for scientific exchange in sleep medicine.
“Antwerp is a dynamic and internationally connected city with a rich academic and medical tradition,” says Verbraecken. “Thanks to the presence of various research institutions such as UAntwerpen and a medical academic centre like UZA, the city provides a stimulating environment for the exchange of scientific knowledge.”
This is particularly evident in the field of sleep and respiratory care. “In this domain, UZA plays a leading role, with a multidisciplinary team dedicated to both fundamental and clinical research. This conference benefits from the strong local expertise that Antwerp has to offer,” he adds.
Verbraecken also highlights the importance of collaboration. “Collaborations with institutions like UZA enhance the scientific impact of international conferences by providing access to cutting-edge research, advanced clinical facilities, and a network of experts. Our sleep clinic is one of the largest in Belgium and plays a key role in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. By bringing together local and international researchers and clinicians, we facilitate knowledge sharing and innovation, contributing to advancing sleep and respiratory medicine beyond borders.”
More info on Antwerp as a conference destination:
Meet the Bureau’s team at IMEX in Frankfurt, Stand E150, from 20 to 22 May.
A Magnet for Medical Congresses
The European Sleep and Breathing Conference is not an isolated example. Antwerp is set to welcome a host of high-level medical conferences in 2025, including the European Society for Dermatological Research Annual Meeting, the European Conference on Mental Health, and the Snomed International Conference.
Far from being just a another host city, Antwerp provides intellectual capital and scientific depth that elevate these events. Organisers benefit not only from modern infrastructure and easy connectivity, but also from the city’s embedded research culture and proactive engagement from local institutions.
With over 55,000 students, a multilingual workforce, and proximity to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Paris, Antwerp is both a gateway for life health sciences. It offers international associations and healthcare leaders a base of operations in one of Europe’s most connected and forward-looking urban regions.