Innoviris invests €7.3 million to accelerate AI in Brussels

The Brussels-Capital Region confirms its ambition to become a leading centre for artificial intelligence. Innoviris, the public administration for research and innovation in the Brussels-Capital Region, has announced its support for 46 artificial intelligence projects, representing a total investment of €7.3 million.

This funding, granted under the GENAI and Joint R&D – Physical AI programmes, aims to transform AI into a concrete lever for innovation, competitiveness and societal impact for the Brussels region.

Generative AI at the service of Brussels SMEs

40 projects supported – €2 million invested

With the GENAI programme, Innoviris enables Brussels SMEs to quickly test the potential of generative AI in their activities, through feasibility studies and proofs of concept, in order to rapidly test the potential of generative AI in their activities: processes, services and products. The objective is clear: to reduce the risk of innovation, accelerate the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and strengthen the competitiveness of local businesses.

During two calls for proposals launched in 2025, 91 applications were submitted. 40 projects were selected, each receiving a grant of up to €56,000, for a total amount of €2 million.

The funded projects cover uses with a high impact for Brussels, including:

• medical image analysis and healthcare support,

• optimisation of logistics and urban mobility,

• automation of industrial processes,

• development of conversational tools,

• predictive maintenance,

• advanced content creation.

A clear list of the 40 projects is available at the end of the press release.

Physical AI to meet societal challenges

Six collaborative projects – €5.3 million invested

The Joint R&D – Physical AI programme supports collaborative research projects involving Brussels-based companies and academic players, with a view to transforming scientific advances into concrete solutions with a strong societal impact. Thanks to this mandatory collaboration, companies can acquire the knowledge they lack and integrate the latest technological advances into their products and services.

The 2025 call for proposals focused on physical artificial intelligence, i.e. AI systems capable of interacting with the real world and producing measurable effects, particularly in the fields of the environment, infrastructure, construction and resource management.

Out of 13 expressions of interest, six projects were selected and will receive total funding of €5.3 million. These projects illustrate the potential of AI to:

• improve water and infrastructure management,

• enhance equipment maintenance and safety,

• optimise building construction and renovation,

• preserve and modernise Brussels' heritage.

The six selected projects are:

Partners

Project

Seco Belgium, ULB/LISA: PASTIFORT- Panoramic AI-Supported Technical Infrastructure Fault Observation, Reporting, and Tracking

SHAYP, SIRRIS: WATERSENSE - WATER Analytics for Tracking Events and Resource Efficiency with Secure, Enhanced Networked Sensor Environments

Upcom, VUB/ETRO: WatchBOT - An Intelligent, Scalable, and Explainable Framework for Proactive Anomaly Detection and Fault Resolution in Remote Terminals

CIT Blaton, Kabandy, Buildwise: eXtRAI - eXtended Reality and Artificial Intelligence for better quality controls in prefabricated construction

Snellium, VUB/ETRO, VUB/R&MM: THEIA - AI-enabled Multiview Deflectometry for Curved glass

Origin Arch. & Eng., Denys Global, Buildwise: Bruwall.ai - Smart diagnosis and retrofit of Brussels’ historic buildings

A structured and sustainable vision for AI in Brussels

With these investments, Innoviris is continuing a coherent and ambitious strategy to develop responsible, useful and inclusive AI, in line with the economic and social needs of the Brussels-Capital Region.

Since 2016, Innoviris has invested more than €100 million in artificial intelligence projects: pioneering research, technological integration, infrastructure and support for innovative actors.

By supporting SMEs, academic research and public-private partnerships, Innoviris is helping to make Brussels a region where AI translates into jobs, concrete solutions and sustainable added value for citizens.

About Innoviris

Innoviris is the public agency of the Brussels-Capital Region dedicated to financing, supporting and promoting research and innovation. It assists companies, research centres, the public sector and associations in creating innovative solutions that contribute to the prosperity and sustainability of Brussels.