The future of Brussels Urban Food? It’s up to you!
A call for creativity
What a noise already!
Many people were gathered on March 5th to witness the launch of a call from the asbl Creativity for Brussels. This call is asking citizens to come up with ideas concerning sustainable food in Brussels.
Indeed, it’s a large question that needs to find solutions in the near future. Just to name a few examples, did you know that on Belgian level 17% of greenhouse gasses are coming from agriculture and food? Or that Brussels counts approximately 600ha of unused flat roofs?
It is not a surprise then to encounter this type of initiative and that many corporates and institutions are supporting the project: the Brussels Region, visit.Brussels, BBDO, Sparkies, BECI, Greentech.brussels…just to name a few.
Not enough entrepreneurs
On top of the sustainable food issues, it is quite shocking to learn that Belgium is far behind in terms of entrepreneurship. US, France and many other countries are far ahead. So our country definitely needs to step up its game.
Therefore, this call for Brussels is not only good for our food sustainability, but it also deserves to be applauded for stimulating creativity amongst the citizens.
To motivate the candidates, BECI and greentech.brussels are offering to assist the winners in a crowdfunding campaign. So this call could also result in the creation of new start-ups and employment for the region.
Just a good idea is enough
The organisers of the project are insisting that candidates only need a good idea. No extensive feasibility study or complicated business plan is expected.
The timeline of the creativity call is quite simple:
- Submission of your project from 5th of March till 31st of May 2015: participation is free and opened to anyone (not only Brussels citizens…) via www.creativity.brussels
- Selection of 20 to 30 projects from 1st till 5th of June: certain criterias need to be met (for example it needs to be a project for Brussels…)
- Selection of three finalists: the public will have a say (50% of the votes) and a jury of professionals (also for 50% of the votes)
- The winner will be chosen: a mobile exhibition will be set up where the public will vote:
- Temporary exhibit at the BIP (18th of July till 9th of August 2015)
- Eat !Brussels (10th to 13th of September 2015)
- Brussels Week at the Expo of Milan 2015 (21st to 23rd of September 2015)
- Votes will be counted and the winner will be announced on 23rd of September 2015 on the Belgian pavilion at Milan Expo.
- Crowdfunding campaign of the projects from September 2015 to January 2016
It’s for Brussels
Personally, I am curious of what the candidates will bring to the table, and which projects will become concrete start-ups. So, I will certainly come back about this call on these pages in the future.
Ah the future… Many try to predict it, but few will be really trying to build it. So allow me to salute this initiative and this for three main reasons: Brussels sets up the leading trends, our food industry will benefit from it, and entrepreneurship is stimulated.
More info:
Jean-Patrick Scheepers
(+32) 0477 58 18 08
Candidates go to www.creativity.brussels
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