At Disruptival in Ostend yesterday, around 100 attendees got a glimpse of the future. Knowledge centers demonstrated the newest technologies and gave visitors a taste of the impact of the newest developments and the opportunities for their companies.

Exponential Academy, the organization behind the Disruptival event, brought all West Flemish knowledge centers together in the Flemish Aeronautical Training Center in Ostend. Entrepreneurs got to grips with new technologies, controlling drones, programming robots, working with virtual reality glasses…

In a fascinating and rapidly changing world, it is important for entrepreneurs to be aware of the latest trends and technological innovations. In all sectors, modified products are appearing, alternative ways of manufacturing, and new business models. The purpose of the event was to let visitors get a sense of the opportunities these new and disruptive technologies create.

Entrepreneurs were bundled off by coaches to various “innovation rooms,” where they taught a cobot new tasks, programmed robots, assembled a machine with virtual reality glasses, checked the freshness of food products using hyperspectral light, changed the color of fabrics…

Turning challenges into opportunities for SMEs

The first edition of Disruptival was centered around “The Experience.” Exponential Academy is already working on two new editions: “The Conference” and “The Challenge.”

The common purpose of these initiatives is clear and simple: The traditional manufacturing industry in West Flanders (food products, fabrics, plastics, metals …) will be challenged by disruptive players. Exponential Academy wants to inspire and support companies to become flexible challengers themselves. Disruptival is an initiative to do just that.

“Better than anyone, our West Flemish entrepreneurs are able to see challenging fluctuations as opportunities. Yet another reason to let the entrepreneurs get in touch with the newest technologies, so they can be first again,” says Jean de Bethune, chairman of POM West Flanders. “With the Exponential Academy we, POM West Flanders, TUA West and Antwerp Management School, put SMEs on the right track to surf on the waves of disruption.”

• Disruptival – “The Conference” will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017 in Kortrijk Xpo. International speakers as well as West Flemish entrepreneurs will share their inspiring stories about radical innovation.
• Disruptival – “The Challenge” will be a hackathon in 2018.
  

About Exponential Academy

Recognizing and acknowledging the challenges of tomorrow, looking for solutions, combining creativity and business, and making the world a better place – Exponential Academy’s program is ambitious, certainly, but with the realism typical of West Flanders.

Exponential Academy wants entrepreneurs to experience addressing societal problems in a positive, out-of-the-box way while creating business. A win-win for the entrepreneur, the government, the user, and – why not? – the whole world.

Discover demos from the first Disruptival – “The Experience” here.

Press contact

An Cosaert
Coordinator Exponential Academy
E: an.cosaert@ams.ac.be
M: +32 (0)473 54 04 75
www.exponentialacademy.be