The CEO of the world's largest electronics trade show (CES) presented Belgium with an Innovation Champions Award, following the example of 11 other countries among the 173 present at the event. The 16 Walloon start-ups and scale-ups led by the Wallonia Export & Investment Agency (AWEX) in Las Vegas also secured VC deals, distributor and tech partnerships amid strengthened relationships with the CTA, the largest trade association for high-technology in the USA with 2,000+ members, representing 550 billion USD in annual turnover.
European innovation "Made in Belgium" makes its mark on the US market.
“The Innovation Champion Award accorded to Belgium by the CTA out of the hands of President and CEO Gary Shapiro was a tremendous boost to Belgium’s visibility at CES 2023,” Guy Vanpaesschen, Director High-Tech Industry at AWEX said. “Each and every one of the companies present, be they in Healthcare, Education, Machinery or Software development, noted a tremendous surge in interest for Belgium’s innovation – making their mark here in the USA.”
CES 2023 had over 3,100 exhibitors vying for the business of 115,000 business professionals, 40,000 of which came from outside the USA, a great bounce back from the previous edition: “CES definitely is back,” Belgian Trade Commissioner Hubert Goffinet declared. “The buzz and enthusiasm being tangible from the start continued on a high note until the final day. Our annual Belgian Beer networking event was the hot ticket on Saturday with a packed house!”
“A unique learning experience for our entrepreneurs - from pitching to sales to exploring new opportunities to work with US and international buyers, decision-makers and professionals from the widest possible range of vertical industries. I am very grateful to the trade show organizers for everything CES 2023 brings – both professionally as well as from a personal perspective,” Vanpaesschen said.
Renal Care CEO Agnieszka Pozdzik said: “We captured the heads and hearts of key medical decision-makers here to bring our kidney stone prevention program to the conversation as a major solution to significantly lower overall healthcare costs in the USA.”
Formyfit, offering a kid-friendly PE app for kids from the age of 12 connected seamlessly with US and European education institutes. Laurent Baijot: “CES 2023 is a truly global platform for forward-thinking solutions such as ours. What an eye-opener. We shall be back.”
Vincent Agie, CEO BIMPrinter said CES 2023 beat his expectations in every way: “Our mobile topographic printer scored very high with our target audience – professionals in the real estate and the construction industries. Buyers found a ready-to-go practical solution right here at our booth – there is no comparison to CES 2023 when it comes to connecting with the right people at the right place.”
Jean-Baptiste Laurent, Director, Marketing and Sales at Intopix, specialists at Premium IP production and high-quality AVoIP equally praised CES for being back: “Being here once again makes all the difference,” he said. “Meeting with decision-makers, new clients and our loyal business partners in-person is what a trade show is all about. CES delivered on all this and then some. We could not be more pleased.”
The Belgium Pavilion shall be back at CES 2024 - Stay tuned for more news.
