sustAIn.brussels is the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) for the Brussels-Capital Region, established in November 2022 with the support of the European Commission, Innoviris (the Brussels regional innovation agency) and hub.brussels. The hub is coordinated by a consortium of five partners: Sirris (the Belgian technology research centre), Agoria (the technology industry federation), BeCentral (a digital skills campus), and the universities VUB and ULB. It is funded 50 percent by the EU's Digital Europe Programme and 50 percent by Innoviris.
The hub acts as a single point of access for SMEs, mid-caps and public sector organisations in Brussels seeking to adopt digital technologies in a sustainable way, with a particular emphasis on artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Brussels' industrial fabric consists of 99.7 percent SMEs, many of which are digital and service-oriented but perform below the European average on AI adoption and the use of ICT for environmental sustainability — a gap that sustAIn.brussels was specifically created to address.
sustAIn.brussels offers four core service lines: technology testing and experimentation (test before invest), digital skills training and upskilling programmes, innovation and investment advisory services, and networking that connects companies with the broader European EDIH ecosystem. Its training programme includes modular tracks on AI, data analytics, cybersecurity and sustainable digital transformation, delivered by university experts from VUB and ULB.
The hub is part of the wider European network of over 200 EDIHs across the EU, which collectively aim to accelerate the digital and green transition of European businesses and public administrations. For smart city practitioners, sustAIn.brussels is relevant as a resource for digitising urban services and supporting public authorities in Brussels with AI and data-driven innovation.