Brochure iCapital (English)

The most intelligent square kilometre of the country Coronavirus approach shows that united we are strong Generate energy from water, sunlight and air

and& Leuven: free iCapital Shows with DJ Bobby Ewing From 20 to 24 April, you can attend and& Leuven, the biannual festival of social and technological innovation.

In addition to more than 100 digital talks, the programme includes numerous interesting activities. For example, you will be able to admire this enormous installation made

by Amanda Parer, one of the nine works of art on display around the city.

The Leuven iCapital Shows on Saturday 24 April are the highlight of the festival. These 4 online talk shows provide an overview of the most remarkable innovations of our city.

2 | European Capital of Innovation

Minister Frank Vandenbroucke and virologist Johan Neyts will talk about healthcare innovations and of course about sports and exercise, as Leuven is a European City of Sport 2021. You can attend sessions of cross-country runner Imana Truyers and freerunner Nicolas Vanhole. Jimmy Dewit, alias DJ Bobby Ewing, will present the shows.

You can follow the iCapital Shows online for free.

Reserve your place at www.andleuven.com. •

Contents 04 Mayor Mohamed Ridouani

‘Your future is important in Leuven’

06 Developing a city together

20 years of citizen participation

08 Space for innovation

This is where we shape the future

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Innovative companies choose Leuven

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Pioneers of innovation Leuven 2030 and Leuven MindGate

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‘It is a blessing for us to be here’

Greener energy, better city

Heat from water, energy from sunlight and air

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Co-creating education SOM gives everyone the opportunity to develop their talents

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Everyone is a scientist Leuven.cool, Telraam and an innovative approach to night-time noise exposure

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Science supports healthcare A better life for people suffering from dementia

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Leuven European City of Sport For professional and other athletes

20 Fight against the coronavirus

Leuven Helps, superfast tests and a powerful vaccine

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Arts and technology join forces The Sistine Chapel in Heverlee?

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and& Leuven Innovation festival reinvents itself

Colophon Responsible publisher: Mohamed Ridouani, mayor Composition and (final) editing: City of Leuven and Heyvaert & Jansen Photography: and& Leuven, aNNo architects and FELT architecture & design, Karl Bruninx, Tim Buelens, Jan Crab, Julie Feyaerts, Joel Hoylaerts, IMEC, KU Leuven – Rob Stevens, Dirk Leemans, OHL - Guido Machurot, Jan Pollers, Sergison Bates Architects, Tom Van Dongen Layout: puur zout Translation: BTC, Belgian Translation Centre

A prestigious award for our city In September 2020, Leuven received the iCapital Award as European Capital of Innovation. The European Commission bestows this prestigious award on the city that best exploits innovation to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants. Leuven is the sixth European and so far the only Belgian city allowed to use the title, joining a select club that includes world cities such as Barcelona, Paris and Amsterdam.

This brochure explains what innovation actually means and how we can all benefit from it. Innovation goes beyond technological gadgets and clever inventions, even though Leuven is very good at that. It is also and mainly about joining forces and building a better future together with government authorities, companies, organisations, knowledge institutions and most of all you, citizens of Leuven.

The reason why the European Commission awarded Leuven ‘Leuven is a mission-driven city that excels in innovative governance models. The city gives citizens, government authorities, companies and the academic world opportunities to innovate, and actively involves them in the way the city is shaped. Leuven puts technology at the service of its inhabitants and is a place where everyone’s needs are taken into account.’

‘Projects such as Leuven 2030, Leuven MindGate, Leuven Maak het Mee! (Leuven, Co-Create), Leuven Helpt (Leuven Helps) and Leuven Leert (Leuven Learns) are only a few of the initiatives illustrating why Leuven received the title of ‘iCapital’. Leuven is a source of inspiration for other cities and leads the way in ensuring a sustainable and inclusive future for everyone.’

Mariya Gabriel European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

Listen to the podcast about the European Capital of Innovation on www.leuven.be/en/capital-of-innovation.

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The reason why Leuven is European Capital of Innovation

‘Here we are working on the solutions of tomorrow together’ The European Commission awarded Leuven the title of European Capital of Innovation. ‘Our strength is that we use innovation to improve the quality of life, for and with everyone,’ explains mayor Mohamed Ridouani. Together with the award, Leuven also received € 1 million.

‘Cooperation is part of everything that happens in Leuven. We are making progress by working together and caring about each other. The coronavirus crisis is an excellent example: in just a few days, thousands of volunteers offered their services to Leuven Helps, to assist their fellow citizens in any way they could. The project made the past year bearable for so many people, despite the tough circumstances.’

Always together ‘Leuven’s strength is that we use innovation to improve the quality of life, for and with everyone. We are facing major challenges: global warming, the pandemic, exclusion, poverty and inequality. We believe that the only way to tackle these challenges is to look for innovative solutions together. We always start from a shared dream for the future, with concrete solutions in mind. This way, we can make incredible things happen.’

4 | European Capital of Innovation

‘Take climate change, for example. A few years ago, a lot of people wanted to reduce the city’s CO2 emissions, but the initiatives were very fragmented.

Together with numerous partners, such as companies, associations, local residents and the university, we founded Leuven 2030, the organisation that will turn Leuven into a climate-neutral city. Leuven 2030 currently includes more than 600 partners. We have invested heavily in the renovation of buildings, renewable energy, sustainable mobility and water treatment, among other things. Leuven has grown and progressed spectacularly in all areas, but one thing has been decreasing gradually: CO2 emissions.’

We use innovation to improve the quality of life, for and with everyone.

‘We have implemented this cooperation model in other areas as well. Leuven MindGate enables innovative companies to thrive here. SOM (Samen Onderwijs Maken) enhances cooperation in education, from preschool to university. The best known example is the buddy project: each year, hundreds of students coach approximately 1,500 young people and children. Not only do the students help the young people with their homework, they also motivate them when they want to give up. All of Leuven benefits from this.’

‘Leuven 2030 and Leuven MindGate of course involve experts and specialists, but everyone can contribute. These projects are part of the inclusive story that we are creating in Leuven, which is why the European Commission awarded us. The European Commission considers Leuven the future lab of Europe: a place where we work together on the solutions for tomorrow. With results.

At home in the city ‘Our approach does not only improve the quality of life of all the residents of Leuven, it also involves everyone. A lot of people feel excluded from their neighbourhood, their community or the policy.

In such circumstances, it is easy to pit groups against each other. We saw that happen in the US, but it happens in our country as well.’

‘One of my priorities is to build a community, together with the city council, where people feel at home, regardless of their background, religion or identity. Everyone should feel accepted and valued. We are all looking for some kind of meaning in life. You can find that meaning by contributing something that will be seen and acknowledged.’

‘An urban community that cooperates, offers everyone opportunities and possibilities to make their dreams come true and makes people feel that they belong, is a stronger community. There is so much potential in people. If the people around you believe in you, you will have the strength and the energy to persevere and make your dreams come true. Your future is more important than your past.’

Economy of the future ‘One of the reasons why we became European Capital of Innovation is that so many intelligent people are living and working in this city. Our city boasts KU Leuven university, UZ Leuven

hospital, UCLL university college, etc.

The past year, experts from Leuven have been omnipresent on television.’

‘We are leading the way in scientific research. The new scientific insights and inventions discovered here have resulted in the development impressive knowledge centres and companies.

Everyone knows research centre IMEC and companies like Materialise, but there is so much more. We will create more space for them, for example in a new science and innovation park in Kessel-Lo: Leuven Noord. We will be able to create job opportunities for everyone – from top researchers and logistics personnel to administrative and technical staff – and develop solutions for social issues.

Let’s hope for the development of more organisations like IMEC.’

The EU considers Leuven the future lab of Europe Leaders of tomorrow ‘The award also includes a cash prize of € 1 million. We want to invest that money in innovation and cooperation.’

‘I would also like to found an international institute for strong and empathic leadership, focusing on cooperation and

respect towards others. Leadership is can be developed anywhere: in companies, the government, educational institutions and numerous associations as well as in young people. Let young people help us think about how we can solve the climate crisis, how we can improve the city for everyone, etc. If they fail from time to time, give them a chance to try again.

This way, we can make sure that there are people who are prepared to take the lead tomorrow. Furthermore, we can ensure that Leuven continues to be a centre of innovation and hope in the future.’ •

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Elise has a say in the redevelopment of the banks of Vaartkom

‘Participating in a citizens’ jury: I recommend it to everyone’ More and more cities are experimenting with citizen participation: they involve their citizens in the policy-making process. We have involved them for more than 20 years, lately in surprising, new ways.

The banks of Vaartkom form one of the biggest public spaces in Leuven. When the city decided to redesign the space, the opinion of the citizens was taken into account. The city put together a citizens’ jury, who will help choose the design.

Elise* (44) is one of the jury members.

‘I live on the other side of the city, but I often come to Vaartkom to look around in the shops, enjoy a snack or go out when we still could, for example (smiles). I had read about the renovation plans in LVN, Leuven’s city magazine.

I read that there would be a citizens’ jury, the members for which would be drawn. I was immediately enthusiastic!

Coincidentally, I received an invitation the next day.

I applied and a bit later I was selected for the jury.’

members, two of whom live near Vaartkom. One out of nine votes does not seem like a lot, but the jury’s decision is binding: the city has to abide by it.’

‘We had a training day during which city staff explained the project to us. They emphasised that the space has to remain accessible for everyone, but that sometimes there are conflicts of interest.

That is very interesting, because you have to weigh the different interests in the decision-making process, while government authorities used to do that on their own.’

The citizens’ jury helps decide, while government authorities used to do that on their own ‘The redevelopment takes place via a competition: teams can submit a design and a jury decides which design will be implemented. That jury consists of eight experts, among whom staff of the city’s study services, but also Flemish Master Builder Leo Van Broeck. They each have one vote. The citizens’ jury has the ninth vote. We are thirteen

6 | European Capital of Innovation

‘At the end of 2020, four teams had the chance to present their idea to the jury.

First, the experts asked their questions; then we took some time with the citizens’ jury to consider the ideas, after which it was our turn to ask questions. Leo Van Broeck thanked us afterwards and told us that we were well-informed. He told us that this is not always the case.’

The vote ‘We reunited later on to cast our vote. Two designs were rejected and the other two were assessed online by all

the inhabitants of Leuven in January. We will meet again before summer to evaluate the updated designs. The final decision will be made at the end of the year.’

‘If you get the chance to help design your city, I think it is only normal to seize that opportunity. I recommend it to everyone. You have to spend some time on it, but you are assisted well. I cannot wait to take my daughters to Vaartkom later on, to enjoy that amazing green area and know that I contributed to it.

And afterwards I want to go out again (smiles). •

Pioneers of citizen participation

‘People can tell that we mean it’ More than 20 years ago, the City of Leuven hesitantly involved citizens in the policymaking process for the first time. Citizen participation is now a standard approach.

Jan Mellebeek (head of the cities’ locally embedded services): ‘In 2000, we launched Kom op voor je wijk (stand up for your neighbourhood): a permanent appeal to residents to submit ideas for their neighbourhood. Similar projects exist in other cities too, but the budgets in Leuven are much higher: people can receive up to € 18,600 to realise their idea and they receive support from the city. That is often the first step towards greater involvement. For example, people start with a public bookcase – we already have more than 50 of those. Then they organise a street party and after a while, they want to have their say in citywide projects.’

‘We regularly ask local residents for their opinion about large-scale and small-scale projects. Of course, expectations are created this way. If we want to change something somewhere, residents assume they will have their say in the matter.

Rightly so: people can feel that we really mean it. Even small changes, such as more green areas, a playing area or a mobility hub, can make a big difference to the neighbourhood.’

‘In 2019, we launched Leuven, maak het mee!

(Leuven, Co-Create). The citizens of Leuven were able to submit ideas for their city online, and they did

so in huge numbers: we received 2,208 ideas – my colleagues had their work cut out (smiles). We included 1,348 of those ideas in our multi-annual planning.

In May 2022, we will explain the status of the project during an inspiration festival.

Even small changes can make a big difference to the neighbourhood Creating a city together ‘We mainly reached older, highly educated men. That is fine, but we wanted to hear other voices too, which is why we select by drawing lots now. At the start of a project, we draw 1,000 to 2,000 names from all the adult residents. They receive a letter asking them whether they want to participate.

From the positive answers, we draw a citizens’ panel or jury, evenly distributed according to age, gender and education, among other things. That makes the composition of the jury much more diverse. We notice that participants have an eye for the bigger picture. However, the other residents of Leuven will also have their say.’

‘For the renovation of the banks of Vaartkom, we have appointed such a citizens’ jury (see p.6). We started a citizens’ panel in Wijgmaal in November. Residents of the submunicipality discuss topics such as cut-through driving, leisure facilities and preservation of the open space.’

‘Since February, Kessel-Lo has also had a citizens’ panel. It is part of Vorm 3010, a project of the City and Leuven 2030 aimed at helping shape an attractive, sustainable public space where people can easily go from one place to another.

For Vorm 3010, we cooperate with EIT Climate-KIC, a partnership of ten European cities who want to become climate-proof as soon as

possible. Our partners include Copenhagen, Vienna and Amsterdam – what an honour!’

‘The City attaches great importance to participation and takes it into account as much as possible, but it has to be compatible with the policy vision of the city council. Although people sometimes struggle to accept a vision they do not share, they often appreciate that they are involved and listened to.’ •

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www.vorm3010.be/en

* For privacy reasons, the full names of the members of the citizens’ jury are not mentioned.

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Make way for innovation!

Innovation improves lives and creates jobs – but you need to create space for it, of course. That is exactly what we do at different locations in Leuven.

Renovation of Vaartkom Not so long ago, Vaartkom was a grey, somewhat sad place. However, for about ten years now, the empty factories and silos have been repurposed. This way, we create a vibrant, creative urban neighbourhood, step by step.

1 OPEK Since 2010, an old customs warehouse has housed arts centre OPEK (public warehouse for the arts). Theatre companies fABULEUS and Het nieuwstedelijk have rehearsals and give performances there, and numerous socio-artistic organisations are based there too.

2 De Hoorn De Hoorn was once the home of Stella Artois – the copper brewing kettles are still there, shiny as ever. Now it is an incubator for creative companies, with space for restaurants, bars, events and housing.

3 Maakleerplek The old Orshoven mills will be temporarily used as a creation and education space: an open studio where schools, local residents, artists, starting entrepreneurs and other citizens of Leuven are welcome for workshops, training and children’s camps.

4 De chinezen Grain was once ground here, but today, the Vaes en Zonen silo accommodates companies from the creative sector, like De chinezen: the production company that made programmes such as Iedereen beroemd, Radio Gaga, Ten oorlog and De weekenden.

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4 3

6 7 1

5 Marie Thumas For almost a hundred years, vegetables were canned at the Marie Thumas site.

In the coming years, the old factory will be renovated. In the future, it will house companies, homes as well as sports and recreation facilities.

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6 Stroom Stroom is the name of the new secondary school (only for the first two years of secondary education) that moved into an equally new building near Vaartkom in 2019. The focus is on innovation, science and creativity, and the school works in close cooperation with its neighbours, like OPEK and the creation & education space.

7 Vaartkomoevers The banks of Vaartkom will be redeveloped with a focus on water and green areas. A citizens’ jury will help decide how to do that. You can read all about it on pages 6-7. •

The cultural heart of Leuven Saint-Peter’s Hospital in Brusselsestraat is currently being demolished. In a few years, it will be replaced by a new performing arts building.

The building was designed by British architecture firm Sergison Bates and will have two multifunctional rooms, one of which with 800 to 1,000 seats. It will be an open house, always full of activities: concerts, theatre, dance, shows, markets, festivals, etc.

Together with the Romaanse Poort and Predikherenkerk church, the new building will soon form the cultural heart of the city: the Performing Arts Site The Dyle, which flows through the site, will be opened up. Along the banks of the river, we will build cycling paths and footpaths surrounded by greenery. If everything goes according to plan, the Performing Arts Site will be ready by 2027. •

A facelift for the town hall The world-famous Gothic town hall will be given a facelift. In 2027, it will become an open house for residents of Leuven and tourists.

From 2023 onwards, the monument will be closed for four years. The façades and the historical rooms will be restored. Afterwards, the town hall will be once again a vibrant place in the heart of Leuven, where you are not just a visitor, but where you will be challenged to help develop the city .

Leuven gets a new science park A lot of innovative companies and institutes want to settle in Leuven. Thanks to the success of Arenberg science park in Heverlee, the City has worked together with KU Leuven and the National Railway Company of Belgium on plans for a new park: Leuven Noord.

The new, sustainable science and innovation park will be located in Kessel-Lo, on a 2 km long strip of land between Eenmeilaan, Kesseldallaan and the railway.

There will be high-tech companies and knowledge institutions and possibly an underground depot for heritage and/or a hub for eco-friendly distribution from and to the city centre.

The project is still in the design phase, but it will probably be executed in a few years.

Arenberg is the oldest science park in Leuven, where 1,600 people work on the development of new medicines, automated vehicles and better smartphones.

In the coming years, a second innovation & incubation centre will be added to the science park, so that the number of employees will increase to 4,000.

Another 12,000 people work in the research park of Haasrode. •

You will enter the building via an octagonal pavilion, where tourists will be received too.

On the upper floor, you have a view of Grote Markt square and the sculptures in the town hall façade.

In the town hall, you will learn all there is to know about Leuven’s rich past. Furthermore, there is room for exhibitions, debates, lectures and workshops. These will focus on heritage and urban development, but also on the question how we can take on the societal challenges of tomorrow and what role innovation can play.

The town hall will remain the place to be for the local council meetings, weddings, jubilees and receptions. These events are inextricably linked to this special place. The Vrijthof courtyard is also an essential part of this place and will be made greener and more accessible. •

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www.visitleuven.be/en/town-hall-2027

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The reason why innovative companies settle in Leuven

‘We are known as a city of innovation at home and abroad’ In the area of scientific innovation, Leuven is the home of three world-class institutions: KU Leuven, UZ Leuven and IMEC. The discoveries and insights of these institutions continuously result in new companies, also called corporate spin-offs or start-ups in management language. Some of them grow into

robust SMEs and sometimes even into a world leader. Managers from Pulsify Medical, Comate and Materialise will explain how that works and what the connection with Leuven means to them.

The most intelligent square kilometre 1

imec

Independent research centre, active in the fields of nanoelectronics and digital technologies. World leader in its domain.

• + 4,500 staff members of 100 different nationalities

3 4

2 1

• 121 corporate spin-offs

• € 640 million turnover in 2019

• 4,200 active patents and patent applications

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10 | European Capital of Innovation

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2

KU Leuven

The most innovative university of Europe, according to news agency Reuters.

• + 21,600 staff members • 7,637 researchers • ± € 1.1 billion turnover • 60,521 students of 140 different nationalities

114 corporate spin-offs in total

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UZ Leuven

UZ Leuven is the biggest university hospital in Belgium. It includes an important transplant centre and is the leader in clinical trials in our country.

• 9,947 staff members of 62 different nationalities

• 1,157 clinical trials started in 2020

The start-up: Pulsify Medical • Founded in 2019 •

6 staff members of 4 nationalities

• ± € 1.1 billion turnover in 2019 • 1,656 beds at UZ, 98 at the University Psychiatric Centre

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VIB

VIB (Flemish Institute for Biotechnology) is a globally leading research institute. The main activity is basic research in life sciences to find practical applications for patients and society in general.

VIB researchers in Leuven are studying the brain, cancer and microorganisms, among other things.

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Flanders Make

This research centre helps Flemish companies prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. The research centre has several labs, where strategic research into relevant applications is conducted for the manufacturing industry, together with companies.

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Leuven Bio-Incubator

The incubator provides an environment in which innovative start-ups and companies work on the development of the medicine, food and materials of the future. 20 companies are located there, with a total of 400 jobs.

Iwan van Vijfeijken (CEO): ‘If you suffer from heart failure, it is possible that your heart’s pumping ability is gradually decreasing. It is important to detect this as soon as possible, but no existing device can permanently measure the cardiac pump function. That is why we are working on a completely new solution: a medical patch that can be attached to your chest, over your heart. This patch, with a size of 10 by 10 centimetres, will monitor patients’ cardiac output 24/7. If the heart does not pump well, the patch will warn the doctor and patient immediately.’

‘To look inside the body, we use ultrasound: tones that are so high that we cannot hear them. Our company is a spin-off of IMEC and UZ Leuven/KU Leuven, and both parent institutions provided us with technology.

IMEC designed the sensor. The sensor consists of a miniscule speaker that generates ultrasound waves and a miniscule microphone that picks up the echoes. The new technology

and manufacturing process behind it are revolutionary.’

‘The signals that are sent back to the transducer are not clear at all. Very advanced software is required to accurately determine the pumping function of your heart from those signals. KU Leuven and UZ Leuven happen to be very good at that. Their Medical Imaging Research Centre has provided us with the knowledge needed to make that software. In my opinion, it is fantastic that these two institutions joined forces: ‘Wait a minute … If we combined those two things, we could make something very useful.’ We want to bring the patch to market at the end of 2024.’ ‘It is a blessing for us to be in Leuven. KU Leuven, UZ Leuven and IMEC are just around the corner, but in addition to that, there are venture capital firms that invest in your company. Moreover, if you need to have a special chip designed, for example, you will find a supplier nearby.

Leuven really is a wonderful place for high-tech medical companies.’ •

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The SME: Comate

The world leader: Materialise

• Founded in 2010

•

Founded in 1990

•

631 staff members of 40 nationalities in Belgium

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27 offices in 20 countries, with a total of

•

50+ staff members of 6 different nationalities

Wouter Foulon (CEO): ‘In a nutshell, we develop hightech devices. We are like an architect and a contractor in one. Architects listen to their clients, determine what their needs are and then create a design. Our clients include surgeons who need new surgery sets, professional athletes who want a new device to be able to train optimally or a start-up that wants to launch a self-driving snowblower. Then we develop the device, just like a contractor would do. We always focus on products with a positive impact on people and society.’

‘For example, we have developed a cleaning device, which won the Red Dot Award for Industrial Design 2020 – you could call it the Oscar of the engineering world. It uses lasers to literally ‘blast’ rust, paint or even toxic layers from surfaces. Laser cleaning does not involve any harmful

cleaning agents, which makes it a very environmentally friendly technique. The device is now used in Chernobyl, for example.’

‘Leuven is the perfect place for a company like ours. The combined brainpower is quite high, thanks to big names like KU Leuven, UZ Leuven and IMEC. That makes it easier to find suitable staff, for example.

Besides, the city also boasts a lot of high-tech companies that may not be very famous, but that belong to the world top in their industry.

Leuven MindGate plays a very important role in this respect: thanks to its network, the company puts you in contact with companies of which you had never heard before. This often results in fireworks. This way, high-tech companies in Leuven can lift each other to the next level.’ •

Be your own boss (BAAS) Are you between 18 and 28 years old and would you like to start your own business? Then you should definitely go to BAAS for more information. You can follow sessions to improve your business idea and get a better notion of what being an entrepreneur really means. If you want to, you can also pitch your idea at the ‘BAAS boven BAAS’ event, where you can win individual coaching and guidance sessions. BAAS is an initiative organised by MIJNLEUVEN, the youth label of the City of Leuven. •

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2,200 employees Bart Van der Schueren (CTO): ‘Our founder and CEO, Wilfried Vancraen, used to work for KU Leuven. In 1989, he saw one of the first 3D printers at a conference in Bremen. If you had a digital 3D model, you could subdivide it into layers and have them printed one by one in plastic or metal. Wilfried was so impressed that he tried to convince his boss to invest in the technology. This was the answer: “We cannot do that, because we are not a business. But why don’t you start your own business?”

‘In the beginning, Wilfried had one employee. In addition, he was assisted by a student working on their thesis, and a research assistant, that was me. We started with the four of us, somewhere in a room at KU Leuven, and now we are 2,200 people. That is incredible, isn’t it?

‘Today we still benefit from the work that we did in those first years. For example, we saw that the printing process worked, but that it was very difficult to feed data into the printer. We started writing software ourselves, and that is what did the trick. Wilfried decided to sell that software to our competitors. That was a good idea, because developing industrial 3D printing

software is still an important part of Materialise.’

‘One day, Wilfried said: ‘The CT scans they take in hospital are also nothing more than sliced image data. Maybe we could turn them into printable files? The first time that we printed a hip prosthesis, I crashed all university computers for about five weeks. But it worked, and those medical models are still very important to us. We are a world leader in two domains: software and medical models.

In addition, we also print a lot for the industry, e.g. car or aircraft manufacturers.

‘Materialise was founded and evolved in Leuven, and we still have a close relationship with KU Leuven and UZ Leuven.

For a company like ours, it is essential to attract young talent. This is the perfect place to find that young talent: KU Leuven alumni, but also people attracted by Leuven’s reputation of “city of innovation” in Belgium and abroad.’ •

Leuven MindGate and Leuven 2030: working together on a stronger city

‘We are increasingly included in lists of cities where life is good’ Leuven was voted European Capital of Innovation thanks to the way we cooperate here. The organisations Leuven MindGate and Leuven 2030 play a pivotal role in this respect. Together with the city, they submitted the winning project to the European Commission.

Johan Merlevede (manager of Leuven MindGate): ‘Companies, knowledge institutions, government authorities and residents of Leuven are all working together. Not just occasionally, but permanently and structurally. This became clear during the coronavirus crisis: because we know each other so sell, the lines of communication are short, and we can set to work right away.’

‘Leuven MindGate started in 2016 as a non-profit organisation with two goals.

Our first goal is to put Leuven on the international map. An award like that really helps make your case: if you want to convince companies to settle and create jobs here, it helps if you can tell them you are European Capital of Innovation.’

‘Our second goal is to help innovative companies and organisations enhance each other. We organise events where people from different backgrounds – like the high-tech, medical or creative world – can meet each other.

Our events have already led to a lot of interesting cooperation projects.’

Experts and residents Katrien Rycken (manager of Leuven 2030): ‘Leuven 2030 was founded in 2013, as a non-profit organisation that represents the entire society of Leuven.

We now have more than 600 members, who share one mission: turn Leuven into a climate-neutral city with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, no longer emitting CO2. This way, we promote the health and well-being of every citizen of Leuven.’

‘In 2018, we drew up a Roadmap with the help of 70 experts. A robust and unique document with all the choices we want to make year after year: (re)build more energy-efficiently, generate renewable energy, consume more sustainably, promote the circular economy, develop new financing methods, etc. The document was signed by 15 important partners, among whom the City of Leuven, KU Leuven, UZ Leuven, IMEC and Flemish employers’ organisation VOKA (Chamber of Commerce). Together they consider the Roadmap the way forward.’

‘No one can achieve the steps from the Roadmap on their own. That is where we come in: Leuven 2030 unites all the parties involved and supports them as much as possible. That is why I am so enthusiastic about Vorm 3010, a new participation project in Kessel-Lo (see p.7). Together with the City, residents and retailers, we will examine for two years how to take big steps towards more green areas, meeting space and sustainable mobility. The effects of climate change will become increasingly clear, so it is wise to find solutions in time, and put them into practice.’

Life and work Katrien: ‘By 2030, I expect we will have developed a lot of good solutions to get closer to that promising future, and inspire other cities at the same time. Europe wants to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and makes expertise and budgets available for this purpose. Leuven has already put itself in the front row.’

Johan: ‘I think Leuven will be even more of a model city by 2030. We are increasingly included in lists of cities where (work) life is good. That is not a goal in itself, but it is recognition of the efforts we have made together. The same applies to our award of European Capital of Innovation.’ •

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www.leuven2030.be/english www.leuvenmindgate.be

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Green energy, better city The EU wants to become climate-neutral by 2050. This means that we should switch to green energy as much as possible – something in which Leuven is already a pioneer. Four real-life examples:

Schorenshof becomes NZEB Schorenshof is a housing estate that consists of five buildings with 230 social rental flats in total. It is located in WilseleDorp and is owned by Dijledal, the biggest housing association in Leuven.

Three blocks, consisting of 168 flats in total, are currently being renovated. Soon they will be NZEBs, nearly zeroenergy buildings.

Jan Aerts (Leuven 2030): ‘Walls, roofs and floors will be insulated, and the doors and windows will be replaced.

We will add solar panels, and a heat pump will replace the old electric heating system.

Thanks to all these interventions, we expect to need 83% less energy for heating.’

‘Part of the study costs were paid by ELENA, an initiative of the European Investment Bank. The renovation of Schorenshof was part of a project that Leuven 2030 developed together with the

major building owners in the city: KU Leuven, UZ Leuven, Dijledal, the City of Leuven, etc. What is wonderful, is that some smaller building owners were included as well, such as schools, childcare centres and a shelter for drug addicts.

Together we received € 1.56 million for our own investment of more than € 40 million.

The smaller building owners would not be eligible for such grants on their own, so the big ones make the energy renovations possible for them.

The big building owners also give them technical and administrative advice. It is a wonderful example of how we work on our climate ambitions in Leuven and at Leuven 2030. •

Environment-friendly packages Online shopping has boomed over the past year. The City of Leuven is working on a way to deliver all these packages in a more environment-friendly and efficient manner.

Tim Asperges, mobility adviser for the City of Leuven: ‘Logistics firms have to deliver an increasing number of parcels, and therefore cover ever greater distances. And that is not a good thing: their delivery vans emit CO2 and other

harmful substances. In addition, the roads are getting clogged up.’

‘That’s why we are working on a smart urban distribution plan. We want to set up a transhipment depot on the edge of the city. Pack-

14 | European Capital of Innovation

ages destined for Leuven can be delivered there by large trucks. They can then be bundled and distributed by means of small, environment-friendly vehicles such as cargo bikes or electric delivery vans. This will result in less mileage and less emissions.’

‘These environment-friendly vehicles can also pick up parcels that people bought from the web shops of our Leuven retailers. These shops deliver their wares themselves or via logistics companies. Thanks to the smart urban distribution system,

we will be able to decrease their workload. In addition, they will have the opportunity to offer hands-free shopping to their customers: all purchases can be delivered at home.’

‘We are also considering smart vending machines where packages can be picked up or delivered. If there is one in every neighbourhood, logistics companies do not need to make additional journeys if people are not at home. That saves a lot of time and kilometres.’ •

Heat from drinking water Insulating historical buildings is virtually impossible. But can they be heated and cooled in an environment- and climate-friendly manner?

Park Abbey has demonstrated that it is possible.

Air + sunlight = green energy Imagine you could generate energy from sunlight and the air – two things that are available everywhere. Professor Johan Martens and researcher Jan Rongé (from KU Leuven’s Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis) are exploring this option.

Johan (on the right of the photograph): ‘We have developed a panel which extracts water from the air and splits it into hydrogen gas and oxygen by means of sunlight.

Hydrogen gas contains a lot of energy. It can be used to generate electricity, for instance, and to power cars.’

‘Our technology is very environment-friendly: no CO2 or other harmful substances are emitted, and it works wherever there is sunlight and water vapour in the air.

In other words, it can be used almost anywhere on earth and even on some other planets.

But we are starting here in Leuven (smiles).’

Jan: ‘The science and technology behind it are pretty complex, yet the panel itself is user-friendly. That is an innovation: you used to need a team of engineers to operate the machines that produced hydrogen gas.’

‘The biggest challenge was scaling the process up. In our lab, we had a prototype the size of a fingernail which worked well. Turning it into a larger panel, however, is another story entirely.

Many scientists from around the world are conducting research into this matter, but so far only our group has succeeded.’

Wim Van Aerschot (Autonoom Gemeentebedrijf Stadsontwikkeling Leuven): ‘Watergroep pumps up groundwater on the site of Park Abbey. The water is then transported through gigantic pipes below the ponds to the water softening installation in Haasrode. From there, it is distributed to households across Leuven. At Park Abbey, we send part of this water – 50 cubic metres per hour – to the central heating room, where we extract heat from the water by means of heat exchangers and heat pumps. Groundwater has a constant temperature of about 12°C, which we can increase to 45°C. The principle is simple: the water is pressed

through thin tubes, whereby pressure and thus heat are generated. You can check it yourself when you pump up your bike tyres: you will feel the pump heating up. The effect is exactly the same in this case.’

‘The hot water is subsequently sent to a gas boiler, where it is heated to 65°C and pumped to the radiators in the buildings. This results in considerable environmental gains: you need to burn significantly less gas to raise the water temperature from 45°C to 65°C than to raise it from 12°C to 65°C. As a bonus, we can also use the installation to cool the abbey in summer.’ •

Johan: ‘Now we have to scale up once more: we need to find a relatively simple method of mass-producing the panels at an affordable price. To that end, we work together with a Leuven-based company called Comate. We will step it up a gear, because we are constantly receiving emails from people across the globe who wish to use our technology. It is safe to say that the world is begging for our panels.’ •

The RuimteVaart energy savers People who live in poverty are very aware of their energy consumption, but lack the financial resources for solar panels, sufficient insulation or energy-efficient household appliances. Every year, the RuimteVaart energy savers visit about 200 households living in poverty. They take a look at their energy bill and do a tour of the house. They place insulating foil behind the heating, LEDs and water-saving shower heads free of charge. They also give some tips on how to save energy.

Thanks to the energy scan, people can reduce their energy consumption by approximately 10%. •

15

The power of Co-creating education

‘In three weeks, we provided 650 students with a laptop.’

How do you ensure that everyone gets the opportunity to develop their talents to the full? Together with the Leuven educational institutions, the City has created a platform for this purpose: Samen Onderwijs Maken (SOM). And it has achieved tangible results.

L.*: ‘I was in the second grade of secondary school (branch of study: decoration) when the lockdown began.

The school was closed. We got a computer to take home, but I did not know how it worked. After a while they phoned me and asked me why I hadn’t submitted any assignments. They tried to explain how I had to do it – first try this, then try that – but I didn’t succeed. Then they told me someone would come over to talk about the situation. Hanne visited me and solved the problem: she made sure I could do my homework at school instead of at home.’

Lore Baeyens (SOM coordinator): ‘It sounds simple, but helping L. so quickly was anything but straightforward. Soon after the lockdown, we had scenarios at our disposal for assisting schools in case they threatened to lose contact with students. This particular student is not aware that he was in fact helped by a whole team of experts. Ad he is not alone – we have provided many other students with personalised assistance.

We would not have been able to do so without the strong networks we have at our disposal in Leuven.’

Testing grounds ‘In 2016, the City began to form the strong SOM educational network, which includes all of Leuven’s educational institutions, from preschools to the university as well as the Centre for Student Assistance (CLB).

Our goal is to provide everyone with the opportunity to maximally develop their talents. We focus on three aspects: keeping everyone on board, using diversity as a strength and increasing involvement and well-being. Our principal tool are the labs: testing grounds we set up for difficult topics. We currently have about a dozen of them. One of these, zero tolerance with regard to school drop-out, is aimed at keeping every student on board. The lockdown scenario was drawn up within the scope of this lab.’

‘Another one of our labs is aimed at children with a refugee background. Some of them have traumatic experiences which may manifest themselves in their behaviour in the classroom. On the basis of this lab, Steunteam Vluchtelingen (the Refugee Support Team) was formed, a team of experts who try to find the best possible solutions for the child, the class and the school.’

* For privacy reasons, we do not disclose L.’s full name

16 | European Capital of Innovation

650 laptops ‘The great thing is that small-scale networks are created within these labs.

Schools often face the same problems.

By looking for solutions together, they lay the foundations for a culture of trust.

And this can be done very quickly if required.’

‘When the lockdown was imposed, we immediately launched the Leuven Leert project. In three weeks, we provided 650 laptops to children who did not have one. We were able to arrange this so quickly because we were well prepared.

We knew one another and knew who had to do what, there was mutual trust.

That is quite unique. Many other cities, in Belgium and abroad, have asked us how we pulled it off. There is no simple answer. What it boils down to is bringing people together and learning to appreciate and trust each other. And this is one of our strengths in Leuven.’ •

Citizen science: inhabitants of Leuven conduct research Science is not just the domain of professors and specialists; citizens are increasingly making a contribution. This is called “citizen science”, and Leuven has earned its reputation in this area with projects such as Leuven.cool.

‘One of the coolest gardens in Leuven’ What is the impact of hot summers on the city’s microclimate?

That is the question the researchers from Leuven.cool want to answer. They receive help from dozens of local residents. Siel Van der Donckt is one of them.

‘Since climate change concerns me, I am more than willing to help map its effects.

I am retired now, but when I worked as a journalist I was already interested in science and the environment.’

‘The researchers have installed a little measuring station in our garden. We can monitor the measurements online, so wherever we are, we always know what the weather is like at home!’

‘We live in the Keizersberg neighbourhood, which used to boast a park. This can still be seen in our garden with its many trees, some of which are over a

century old. Thanks to Leuven.cool, we now know that our garden is the second coolest in Leuven – probably due to the shade of all those trees.’

‘We do notice that conditions are becoming drier. We have a lot of beeches, a tree species with superficial roots, which makes them vulnerable to drought. We have seen more and more bare branches appear in the past few years. We try to keep the soil moist with compost and provide the trees with rainwater from our cistern during heatwaves, but I’m afraid they will not survive in the long run.’ •

‘5 to 6 degrees warmer’ Leuven.cool is a research project set up by KU Leuven in collaboration with the City, Leuven 2030, the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium and dozens of local residents.

Eva Beele, researcher from KU Leuven: ‘Buildings, streets and squares retain heat for a longer period of time. On hot days, cities can therefore become heat islands where temperatures are significantly higher than in the surrounding areas.

We want to measure this temperature increase and find out whether it can be mitigated by plantings, and if so, of which species. Leuven is the only city in Flanders where this is studied in such detail.’

‘We have installed one hundred measuring stations in streets and

squares, parks and public gardens as well as local residents’ private gardens. They continuously provide us with information about the temperature, atmospheric humidity, wind speed, ultraviolet radiation and precipitation.’

‘It is still too early for definitive results, but we have noticed that the temperature was at least 5 to 6 degrees warmer in the city centre than in more rural areas during heat waves.’

‘A citizen science project has recently been launched across Flanders: Curieuzeneuzen in de Tuin. The measuring instruments used for the project have already been tested in Leuven’s gardens. It is nice that we have paved the way.’ •

Leuven.cool is not the only example of citizen science in our city. There is Telraam, a device with which hundreds of local residents can measure the amount of traffic in their streets.

And from September onwards, residents of Naamsestraat will be able to report nightly street noise via a touch button. At the same time, the noise will be measured objectively by means of sensors.

In the long run, we want to use this information for remote interventions, e.g. by having the street lights shine more brightly. This way we can check whether this discourages nightly noise. •

17

Booghuys, a nursing home for people with dementia

‘This place feels like home’ How do you make the residents of a nursing home feel at home? And how do you provide them with the best possible care? Booghuys has opted for implementing the latest scientific insights and technologies.

Els Ronsmans (manager): ‘We are a Zorg Leuven nursing home centred around people with dementia. When we began planning our new building a couple of years ago, we looked for inspiring examples and the latest scientific insights. On this basis, we developed the idea of small-scale normalised living. Residents live together in small groups in a domestic environment – almost a family situation. Our new building features eight housing units consisting of nine rooms each.

Every housing unit has a cosy living room with a gas fireplace, a kitchen and a dining room.’

‘People with dementia often find it difficult to distinguish between day and night. For this reason it is important for them to see a lot of natural light. The morning light is predominantly blue-green, signalling your body it’s time to wake up. The evening light is predominantly orange-red, signalling your body it’s time to go to sleep. The architects have oriented the building to the east–southwest in order to maximise the amount of natural light. And the lighting at Booghuys follows the same pattern:it is more blue-green in the morning and more reddish in the evening. This approach is based on research awarded with the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2017.’

freedom of movement. Each resident wears a wristband with a Bluetooth chip, and throughout the building there are sensors that recognise every resident’s living circle.

Doors open or remain closed on the basis of these tools, allowing everyone to move safely through the building and the garden.’

‘The residents hardly notice these gadgets, and that’s how it ought to be. What’s most important is that this place feels like home. A lady who recently moved into our nursing home told her daughter: ‘You may sell my flat, I’m not going back. I feel at home here.’’ •

‘People with dementia all have different capacities. Yet in most nursing homes, they are housed together in a single closed facility. This was also the case at Booghuys, but we wanted to change that. We therefore introduced “living circles” with five levels of

18 | European Capital of Innovation

Top-quality care in a top-quality building In 2019, UZ Leuven put a brand-new building into use. All departments centred around women, children and heredity are now accommodated together.

Gunnar Buyse, Chairman of Paediatrics: ‘The clinical care provided by UZ Leuven is becoming more specialised, including in paediatrics. We treat conditions whose causes we did not understand in the past, and adopt a more multidisciplinary approach. In the new building, the departments are located next to each other instead of scattered across the campus as they used to be – in fact, the medical departments were closely involved in the design and development.

The exceptional architecture offers considerable advantages for in-depth medical collaboration. We can implement high-tech medical practices in an environment that offers rest, comfort and security to patients. The working conditions are also pleasant for all care providers who constantly give it their best.’

‘The patient really takes centre stage here. A young patient’s mother once told me: this doesn’t feel like a hospital. What a wonderful compliment!’ •

Health House: the future is now Health House is located on Arenberg Campus in Heverlee. In this experience centre, you can discover the medicine and healthcare of tomorrow by means of 3D movies and virtual reality. For instance, you can take a look in the hospital of the future and learn how we can better prepare for pandemics.

Individual visitors can take a guided tour every third Thursday evening of the month; groups can book a tour via www.health-house.be. •

Sports: prime movers The race to the future has started, including in sports.

Especially now that Leuven is European City of Sport and hosts the UCI Road World Championships in 2021.

‘Trial run for the future at OH Leuven’

Measuring outdoor exercise

‘We consider OH Leuven as a football club of the future,’ says Peter Willems, the club’s CEO. ‘We aim to set out a new course and do a trial run for the future.’

A lot of inhabitants of Leuven have exercised outdoors since the coronavirus outbreak.

But what do they do exactly, when and how intensively? The City will answer that question by measuring outdoor exercise.

‘We make use of the most advanced techniques to analyse players and matches, and our groundsmen belong to the top in Belgium, but that is not all. We want to serve as a laboratory where companies can try out innovations – candidates are welcome! Within this scope, we have provided support to KU Leuven in the development of an app that helps athletes prevent running injuries. And in partnership with Cronos, a Leuven-based company, we have devised a system for collecting data to provide fans with a more personalised experience.’

‘OHL has also set up innovative social projects in cooperation with the City. Examples include OHL Younited, a futsal team for homeless people, and the OHL World Team, a football team for refugees and other newcomers.’

‘A lot of kids want to play football, but the clubs are full.

That’s why we started OHL in de Buurt in the Casablancawijk neighbourhood earlier this year (see photograph). We have young people from the neighbourhood provide training to boys and girls aged 6 to 12. There is a lot of interest, including from other neighbourhoods. To be continued!’ •

Cindy Winters (sports manager for the City of Leuven): ‘In May we will install sensors on the Philips site and in Den Bruul Park. For two and a half years, they will measure how many people practise what sports, when, how long, whether they do so in group or alone, etc. They can distinguish between walkers and joggers as well as between recreational and sports

cyclists, and possibly between various sports. All measurements are anonymous and in accordance with privacy regulations.’

Sport Vlaanderen collaborates on the project. Policy officer Jasper Truyens: ‘Leuven is the first city where we try it out. We hope to learn a lot from it and apply this knowledge throughout Flanders.’ •

‘For professional and recreational athletes’ There are few places in Leuven where sports and innovation go together as well as in Bakala Academy.

Professor Peter Hespel, Scientific Director: ‘Bakala Academy is a research and test centre connected to KU Leuven. We work with numerous professional athletes: the Deceuninck-QuickStep cycling team, the Belgian national football team, the Belgian women’s national football team, etc. Over the past few years, we have conducted research into ketones. They are our body’s emergency fuel and can be produced by the liver in case the brain gets insufficient sugars.

Our research has been focused on the role played

by ketones during physical activity and how they can help athletes recuperate better. People who practise endurance sports have used them ever more frequently, and as they are naturally produced by our bodies, that’s perfectly safe.’

‘But we also work for recreational athletes.

People who want to take part in the Antwerp 10 Miles or the Tour of Flanders for amateurs can get tested here. We teach them how to train more efficiently and give nutritional advice.’•

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Together against the coronavirus The streets of Leuven were eerily quiet when the coronavirus pandemic broke out. Behind the scenes, however, scientists and the City were looking for solutions from day one.

‘Leuven Helps is here to stay’ Dries Wiercx is community work coordinator for the City of Leuven.

He contributed to the organisation and coordination of Leuven Helps.

‘Leuven Helps is a platform we use to provide assistance to people who need support. Imagine you’re single, you need to quarantine and you have no-one to do your shopping. Then you can submit a request to Leuven Helps, and we will put you in touch with a volunteer from your neighbourhood.’

‘We began to work on the platform on Saturday 14 March, with the help of volunteer organisation Give a Day. We launched Leuven Helps the very next day.

Quite a lot of people gave it their all that weekend. We from the community work, the mayor and the general manager, the people from Communication … We were in the middle of a huge crisis, but we felt a lot of solidarity and were very driven. If any problems occurred or things took too long, the general manager or the mayor made a couple of phone calls and we were able to continue. That gives you wings.’

‘What’s wonderful is that Leuven Helps

was immediately copied by 300 other municipalities, even beyond Europe. In Leuven, the idea was a huge success with 2,000 people volunteering in no time. We matched them to people who requested support.’

‘The City has invested a great deal in community work over the past few years.

When I took on this job nine years ago, there were five of us, now our team consists of 22 people. Our community workers know their neighbourhood like the back of their hand. They know the vulnerable people and their needs. And we have an extensive network – we know all the other organisations who provide support to vulnerable people in Leuven.

That is a major advantage during a crisis as it enables us to act quickly.’

‘These networks also allowed us to phone vulnerable people in the city and ask them how they were doing and whether the City could help them in any way. That was highly appreciated. And the senior

citizen inspectors from the Leuven police gave everyone over 70 a call.’

‘Leuven Helps is here to stay. We will continue the project after the coronavirus pandemic, because there will always be people who need support and people who want to help their neighbours. We have worked hard on the project, seven days a week for several months, but it has been worth the effort.’ •

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www.leuven.be/en/leuven-helps

There is something in the water ...

IMEC develops superfast coronavirus test

Since September, researchers in Leuven have investigated using sewage as an early warning system for coronavirus infections. After all, the virus can be found in de faeces for up to four weeks after the first symptoms. Once a week, samples are taken in five Leuven neighbourhoods, at two locations on Gasthuisberg Campus and in the Aquafin water treatment plant in Kessel-Lo.

As long as the coronavirus has not been completely eliminated, testing will continue to be very important.

IMEC is working on a revolutionary new method: a device that provides a conclusive test result within five minutes. It will look a bit like a breathalyser, a device with a small tube that you have to breath into.

The first results have shown that the virus can indeed be traced in sewage. However, the warning system works better on a smaller scale, for instance in homes for the elderly or other places where many people live together.

The project is led by KU Leuven’s Biomedical Sciences Group in partnership with the Rega Institute for Medical Research, the Academic Centre for General Medicine and the city’s technical services. •

20 | European Capital of Innovation

The air flows through a slice of silicon with precisely shaped, minute channels which serve as a sieve, isolating the virus. Subsequently, substances are added which make it possible to detect the virus. A second device, an optical reader, will tell you the result. The procedure is as reliable as the PCR test, the best test currently available, but takes only five minutes. Furthermore, the test does not require any medical staff or inconvenient nasal swabs. This summer, a pilot project with the tester will be held in Brussels Airport. •

Professor Johan Neyts (Rega Institute for Medical Research) is on the heels of the virus

‘We are working on a vaccine and a medicine’ KU Leuven’s Rega Institute for Medical Research, a world-class research institute, has been on the frontline of the battle against the coronavirus for a year.

Johan Neyts (virologist): ‘When the coronavirus first appeared, we immediately started working on a vaccine. The basis is a yellow fever vaccine which has proved its worth for over 80 years. We inserted parts of the genetic code of the coronavirus into the yellow fever vaccine.

The vaccine we developed is proven to protect lab animals from infection. In December, we published a paper on this topic in Nature.’

‘A Dutch firm is currently investigating the most efficient method of producing the vaccine on a large scale. Clinical trials will follow later on. We are making progress at a fast pace – what we have accomplished since January 2020 would take years in normal circumstances – but unfortunately we cannot keep up with the major players. We are currently developing a version 2.0 of our vaccine that should be effective against the British, South African and Brazilian variants.’

research 24/7 so as to find molecules that are effective against the virus. So far, we have tested about two million of them. We are working together with the Centre for Drug Design and Discovery, a spin-off from KU Leuven, and with many other teams from around the world. For instance, we are one of the partners of a European consortium which uses artificial intelligence to discover molecules that target the virus. Once the computers have done their jobs, we test these molecules in the lab. As a matter of fact, we are an international hub for research into coronavirus medicines.’

‘In partnership with the Leuven-based company Aligos Therapeutics, we are pursuing another strategy: we aim to develop an antiviral drug that attacks the virus at a specific location.’

Our lab is one of a kind and enables us to conduct research 24/7 so as to find molecules that are effective against the virus

‘We are also in a nice partnership with our Ghent colleagues Xavier Saelens and Nico Callewaert. They have developed highly powerful antibodies against the coronavirus on the basis of antibodies found in lamas.

We have demonstrated in the lab that they inhibit virus replication – even in case of the variants. They have been proven to be effective in experimental animals.’

‘The other approaches have also produced satisfactory results. We cannot yet provide a timetable for a coronavirus medicine, but we are certainly on the right track.’ •

International hub ‘We are even more intensively researching a medicine to treat COVID-19. Our principal weapon is Caps-It, a fully automatic laboratory developed and constructed on site. It is one of a kind and enables us to conduct

21

Hear, see and speak The combination of creativity and technology can produce astonishing results. Just ask Alamire Foundation, M Leuven and Say It Labs.

Leuven’s Sistine Chapel

Fluency Friends

In the 15th and 16th centuries, composers from the Low Countries were as renowned and influential as the Early Netherlandish painters. Over the centuries, however, they sank into oblivion, and the Alamire Foundation, which is connected to KU Leuven, wanted to do something about this.

SAY IT Labs from Leuven has existed for two years, has eight staff members and is working on a very special videogame.

Bart Demuyt, General Director: ‘We make use of the most advanced tools to breathe new life into music of the Franco-Flemish School. One of these tools is our Alamire Sound Lab, which enables us to recreate the acoustics of a particular space. This is important because, in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, music was strongly linked to a particular place: a church, a prince’s music room, etc.The composer, who was often a musician as well, used to write music for the same place day in day out. He knew the acoustics like the back of his hand. The acoustics of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, for

instance, are very serene and beautiful.

Notre-Dame de Paris, on the other hand, has an immense sound that continues to reverberate. The composer had to take this factor into account when writing his music.’

‘We have developed our Sound Lab with the help of brilliant engineers from the Department of Electrical Engineering of KU Leuven. It gives us the opportunity to investigate the impact of spaces on musical performances. This allows us to achieve the Alamire Foundation’s ultimate goal: gain a better insight into compositions.’ •

Erich Reiter (co-founder): ‘The videogame is called Fluency Friends and is aimed at people who stutter. It is set on ten different islands and is completely voice controlled. On each island, players practise a technique to overcome stuttering, such as talking more calmly. On the island there are hungry crocodiles that wake up if a player talks too quickly.

The main character is Zumi, a very friendly horse.’

Lukas Latacz (co-founder): ‘Erich and I studied speech technology together. We gradually noticed there was a need for technological tools to help people with speech impairments. If you are lucky, you can go to a speech therapist for half an hour twice a week. But there were hardly any tools for practising at home which provided correct feedback. We wanted to fill the gap. The key is the speech recognition technology we developed ourselves. It can analyse minute details from your speech which humans would never pick up.’

Erich: ‘Fluency Friends will be launched on 22 October, International Stuttering Awareness Day. Once the current tests in California have been completed, we want to market a Dutch version as soon as possible. Fingers crossed!’ •

Want to experience the future on one of Leuven’s oldest sites? Then take the HoloLens tour at Saint Peter’s Church. You will see spectacular 3D animations accompanying twelve masterpieces, e.g. ‘The Last Supper’ by Dieric Bouts. The HoloLens is a pair of mixed reality smartglasses developed by Microsoft. M Leuven developed the first tour with this technology in Belgium. •

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www.diericbouts.be/en/hololens

Wanted: creative minds Looking for someone to design a logo for your company?

Or do you want to have a video made about your association? Then take a look at Creatief Leuven, a database with over 300 creative entrepreneurs from Leuven. Creatief

22 | European Capital of Innovation

Leuven is an initiative by Leuven MindGate and the City of Leuven. • For more information: creativity@leuvenmindgate.be

and& Leuven revamped

‘Being an innovation festival, we thought it was a good idea to innovate ourselves.’ and& Leuven is a biannual urban festival where you can see and experience what innovation actually means. On account of the coronavirus, the 2021 edition is largely digital, but and& Leuven takes on an innovative spin.

Pieter Goiris is the director of the festival, an initiative

by Leuven MindGate. ‘Our first edition in 2018 attracted 20,000 visitors. So we were looking forward to 2020, but then the coronavirus came along. We postponed the festival for a year and opted for a hybrid programme: a combination of live and digital events.’

‘Together with Toerisme Vlaanderen and Technopolis, we have developed a digital platform called HYBR, which we will launch at the festival.

Via the platform, participants can ask our speakers questions – people such as European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, co-founder of navigation app Waze Uri Levine, Belgian minister Frank Vandenbroucke and virologist Johan Neyts. Participants can also enter into a discussion with each other and form inner circles: groups of colleagues, friends or people who share the same interests.

This way they can exchange ideas and establish contacts while watching an interesting talk or panel discussion.

Hybrid events are here to stay, including after the coronavirus pandemic, and we hope that our platform will set a new standard. Being an innovation festival, we thought it was a good idea to innovate ourselves.’

with the speakers and the entrepreneurial summit for entrepreneurs are in English and can be attended at a charge. We also have an extensive range of free festival events in Dutch for the general public.’

‘The highlight will be the Leuven iCapital Shows, on Saturday 24 April. Four one-hour shows are centred around a single topic: #healthy, #climateneutral, #inmotion and #everyoneincluded. Everything is livestreamed from Het Depot, enabling you to watch and respond online free of charge.

All you need to do is register.

It will be a kind of talk show with music, humour, inter-

views and videos concerning what innovation means to Leuven in practice. Not to be missed!’

‘We also have a range of activities for kids: Play. In a creation and education space at Vaartkom, they can learn how to play arcade games and take part in Edison workshops about robotics.’

Music and art too ‘We are convinced that innovation goes beyond technological gadgets: creativity is just as important. That’s why we also have a musical and artistic programme. In STUK, the municipal park and KADOC you can view

nine works by national and international artists – such as an impressive sound box made of 200 cardboard boxes

by Swiss sound artist Zimoun.

And in St Michael’s Church, you can go to a performance

by Max Cooper, a British scientist who has become an electro and techno producer.

For and& he made ‘Transcendence’: music you can feel and see. Register and be surprised!’ •

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and& is scheduled from 20 to 25 April. Programme, tickets and registration links for the free programme: www.andleuven.com/en

For all inhabitants of Leuven ‘The festival is accessible for everyone. The conference

23

Connection and cooperation

Bright minds

A heart for creativity

Passionate souls

The best is yet to come

For the next generation

For the well-being of all inhabitants of Leuven

Innovate to improve with and for everyone

Podcast about innovation Want to find out more about innovations from Leuven? Listen to the podcast via www.leuven.be/en/capital-of-innovation