TusHoldings Launches TusPark Brussels After China-Luxembourg Innovation Investment FundPrint

Post Time：2022-04-27来源：TusPark Brussels

On the afternoon of April 26, 2022, coinciding with the third anniversary of the establishment of  China-Luxembourg Innovation Investment Fund (shortened as China-Luxembourg Fund or CLIIF), the launching ceremony of TusPark Brussels was successfully held in the complex named Arsenal on the campus of Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The ceremony was presided over by George Bock, former Managing Partner of KPMG in Luxembourg. Chen Hongbo, Senior Executive Vice President of TusHoldings and President of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP), congratulated on the project launch and delivered a welcome speech to the guests. Mr. Bernard Dewit, Chairman of our Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC) and Miao Wenquan, General Manager of Zhongyuan Yuzi Investment Holding Group, delivered a keynote speech and a video message respectively. Among those present were Mr. Deng Yonghui, Science and Technology Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Belgium, John Vucella, Director of the Investment Department of the Flemish Investment and Trade Agency (FIT), Belgium and other representatives from all walks of life in Belgium and China.

▲TusPark Brussels is unveiled

President Chen Hongbo said in his speech that technology innovation and transformation of technological achievements are the basic forces to drive economic progress and social development. Originating from Tsinghua University, Tusholdings has rich experience in science and technology innovation services and mature models for incubation, financial and industrial cooperation. By operating its global technological innovation network, TusHoldings has not only been able to grow and develop itself, but also provided all-round support for the development of many small and medium-sized enterprises, of which we are very proud. Being the capital of the European Union, Brussels has important influence in politics, economy and culture and is thus an ideal seat for TusHoldings to launch its high-tech park. It is our hope that TusPark Brussels will uphold the concept of TusHoldings, strengthen cooperation with the Belgian government, universities and related institutions, achieve integration into our global science and technology resources including TusPark and TusStar, and serve the cooperation between technology-driven enterprises from the two countries through incubation to promote the local social and economic development, while contributing to the construction of the global technology innovation ecosystem.

▲ George Bock, former Managing Partner of KPMG in Luxembourg presides at the ceremony

▲ Mr. Bernard Dewit, Chairman of Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce (BCECC) delivers a keynote speech

In his speech, Chairman Dewit highlighted the long history of friendly exchanges between China and Belgium. Belgium has always pursued an open economic policy and attached great importance to scientific and technological innovation, which coincides with China’s adherence to the national policy of opening up to the outside world and the innovation-driven development line. In the past, China learned a lot of useful experience from developed European countries including Belgium. Nowadays, with the continuous rise of China’s national strength, especially the continuous improvement of scientific and technological innovation capabilities, the space and potential for two-way cooperation between the two sides are also increasing. The establishment of TusPark Brussels is in line with this trend. As a bridge for exchanges between China and Belgium, the BCECC is willing to work with partners including TusHoldings to continue to facilitate exchanges and cooperation between enterprises of the two countries

General Manager Miao Wenquan delivered a video message stating that Yuzi Investment Holdings attaches great importance to and actively participates in the construction of the China-Europe “Silk Road in the Sky”. After supporting TusHoldings in the establishment of the China-Luxembourg Fund, Yuzi once again joined hands with TusHoldings to initiate the establishment of the TusPark Brussels to jointly build the European model of “one park + one fund”. She hoped that the influence of Yuzi and TusHoldings’ global innovation network will be effectively exerted to promote China-EU cooperation in scientific and technological innovation, and to make this two-way exchange service platform an example of scientific and technological innovation cooperation between China and Belgium and even between China and Europe. Also, Belgian enterprises and experts from related industries are welcome to visit Henan to experience the natural scenery, history and culture unique to Henan, and to enhance the friendship and cooperation between the two sides.

 ▲Miao Wenquan, General Manager of Zhongyuan Yuzi Investment Holding Group, delivered a video message

Next, Joss Pieters, founding partner of the top Belgian venture capital Capricorn Fund, Mark Zab, former Vice President of Ghent University and Managing Partner of QBIC, a joint venture fund of Belgian universities, and Manix Hausen, CEO of ICAB Incubation Park, Vrije Universiteit Brussel had a high-end dialogue with the executives of TusTech Service Europe on the topics of innovation and transformation of scientific and technological achievements, investment and partnership. More than 50 people attended the launching ceremony, including the representatives from KU Leuven, Ghent University, University of Antwerp, Chinese-funded institutions in Belgium such as Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and Belgian business community .

▲ High-end dialogue

TusPark Brussels is a strategic investment project implemented by the China-Luxembourg Fund under the management of TusHoldings and it was initiated jointly by TusTech Service and Yuzi Investment in Luxembourg. Through cooperation with well-known universities in Belgium, TusPark Brussels aims to create a high-standard, high-level and multi-tiered technology innovation ecosystem based in Brussels, the capital of the European Union, with Belgium as the center and radiating across Europe, while facilitating “Going out” and “bringing in” initiatives for the enterprises within the TusHoldings’ ecosystem. Therefore, it is not only a platform for two-way technology incubation, innovation and exchange between China and Belgium, but also an important move for TusTech Service to deploy the “one park + one fund” in Europe.

In 2019, a large-scale economic and trade delegation headed by Princess Astrid of Belgium  made a successful visit to China. Representatives of governments at all levels of the Belgian Federation, Flemish Region and Brussels Region visited TusHoldings, expressing their interest and support to TusHoldings’ plan to launch a science and technology park in Brussels. Afterwards, TusTech Service Europe signed a memorandum of cooperation with FIT which included universities such as KU Leuven, Ghent University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel as well as their science parks and incubators into the cooperation framework.

▲ TusPark Brussels

TusPark Brussels is located on the campus of VUB in the southeast of Brussels, adjacent to the ICAB Incubation Park under VUB and the EU Innovation Network Executive Agency. A number of light rails and bus routes pass by near the park, making it enjoy a very convenient public transportation; it takes 10 minutes and 20 minutes respectively to drive to the center of Brussels and the airport. In addition, the Brussels Regional Government and the VUB are jointly building the Usquare International Science Park, aiming to further turn the area into the most dynamic innovation center in Brussels.

TusPark Brussels has cooperated with ICAB Incubation Park and signed a strategic cooperation agreement with TusStar to carry out domestic and international two-way innovation network construction cooperation. At present, the team of TusTech Service Europe has implemented docking and communication work on the joint research and development, incubation or setting up overseas factories among Chinese and Belgian companies. Enterprises from the two countries that are interested in expanding the international space are welcome to contact TusHoldings for  common development.