Where Can Belgium Win? From Broad Ambition to Strategic Choices

Belgium has many strengths in advanced therapies — but it cannot lead in every field. This panel will address a fundamental strategic question: where should Belgium concentrate its efforts and investments to build a truly distinctive and competitive position over the next 3 to 5 years? Building on the Belgian ATMP White Paper, the ATMP 2.0 roadmap and perspectives from Belgian and international ecosystems, the discussion will explore the priority arenas and capabilities that deserve greater focus, from cell and gene therapies to regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. It will also look at emerging European initiatives and collaborative models that could help Belgium scale its strengths rather than develop expertise and infrastructure in a fragmented way. The ambition is to move from a broad ambition of “being strong in ATMPs” towards clear strategic choices: where to invest, what capabilities to strengthen, where collaboration is essential, and where Belgium can create a distinctive role within the European and global advanced therapies landscape.