FWD⏩︎
FWD⏩︎ Connecting minds, moving industry forward
FWD⏩︎ : Resilience
Welcome to FWD⏩︎! The successor to the Flanders Make Symposium will take place on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at the Handelsbeurs in Antwerp. Join us and enjoy a day full of innovation, collaboration and inspiration.
The central theme is ‘resilience’: the resilience of businesses in a context of technological disruption, geopolitical tensions and strategic dependencies. We will focus on the question: ‘How can we strengthen our technological and industrial autonomy?’
What to expect?
FWD⏩︎ is the industry event you won’t want to miss, featuring:
- Live demonstrations of our most innovative technologies;
- Inspiring panel discussion on Vision 2035:
Koen Maertens, CTO at Flanders Make, will offer a glimpse into what our society and technological landscape will look like by 2035 and present our Flanders Make vision for the future, in which we address key technological challenges facing industry and society at large. During the panel discussion that follows, we will examine a number of relevant industrial case studies. - Insights into the latest trends and technologies;
- A unique networking opportunity.
At FWD⏩︎, you’ll meet business leaders, CTOs and R&D managers from large companies and SMEs. All this takes place in the historic setting of the Handelsbeurs in Antwerp. So be sure to seize this fantastic opportunity, expand your network and be inspired.
Programme
13:30 - Welcome at the Handelsbeurs
14:00 Start plenary session
Opening FWD>>
14:30 - Vision 2035: Koen explains, in addition to outlining Flanders Make’s vision and mission, how our society is set to evolve and what Flanders Make’s crucial role will be in this process.
14:45 - Panel discussion: During the panel discussion, we will explore the Vision 2035 in greater depth and draw parallels with a number of industrial case studies.
Moderated by Koen Maertens, CTO of Flanders Make
Pannelists:
15:00 Start individual programme
In parallel, you can:
- Visit our top demos
- Start matchmaking with our experts and other participants
- Follow expert breakout sessions (after registration):
How can we make our industry not only more resilient, but also ready for the challenges of tomorrow? During three interactive breakout sessions, we’ll look ahead together.
15:15 - Breakout session 1: Robotics Launchpad – accelerating the transition from innovation to industrial robotics
New robotics technology is still taking too long to find its way into industry. With the Robotics Launchpad, we aim to bridge that gap. Discover how, together with system integrators and technology partners, we can test, integrate and apply new robotics technology more quickly – and how we are building an ecosystem that stays constantly abreast of the latest developments in robotics.
16:15 - Breakout session 2: Autonomous factory – from automation to autonomous decision-making
The factory of the future not only automates physical tasks, but also uses data, AI and available knowledge to make better decisions. Think of capturing operators’ knowledge, automatically detecting and explaining anomalies, intelligently making technical documentation accessible, and providing support during the launch of new products. Discover our vision for the autonomous factory and join us in shaping the next steps.
17:15 - Breakout session 3: Beyond the next frontier - collaboration between different autonomous systems
How do you get different autonomous devices to work together in an ever-changing environment? From agriculture and construction to defence: machines need to understand their environment, adapt and combine their various capabilities to carry out complex tasks together. Find out how Flanders Make intends to further develop this technology and what role businesses and technology partners can play in this.
18:00 Start plenary session
Closing plenary session
18:30 - Dinner and networking
Demo overview
You'll get to experience the following demonstrations at FWD⏩︎:
| Demo | Organisatie |
|---|---|
| Next generation aseptic machines Automatic and sterile handling of pharmaceuticals | Vintiv |
| Navigating complex, unstructured environments Industrial terrains, harbours, construction or defensive sites | NOOMAD |
| A more energy-efficient malting line Using AI to optimise energy use | Actemium |
| 3D vision robot automation The easiest way to smart and flexible automation | PickIt 3D |
| Fluids for the electric drivetrain One fluid for transmission, motor, and power electronics | Lubrizol |
| TechTalk The AI that knows your production line inside and out | Flanders Make |
| Adaptive metamaterials Towards compact and lightweight noise and vibration control | Flanders Make |
| Instructable AGVs, powered by edge AI Large AI models on small, battery-powered machines | Flanders Make |
| Automating the circular factory Remanufacturing and reuse at scale | Flanders Make |
| Automated surface inspection AI vision to automatically find defects on glossy surfaces | Flanders Make |
| Decoding the invisible Using fluorescence spectrometry to look inside | Flanders Make |
| Learn from the best Compare your performance to an expert | Flanders Make |
| Built to adapt Optimising assembly-line feeding under uncertainty | Flanders Make |
| Augmented sensing Mechanical stress camera demonstrated on a bike | Flanders Make |
| The best of both worlds Electromotor efficient at any load, with fewer magnets | Flanders Make |
Connect with our ecosystem partners on FWD⏩︎
Register here
The early bird discount ends on 21 September.
