Industry Innovation & Funding Conference
Blue Magic Belgium is bigger and better than ever. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), along with its partners Lockheed Martin Ventures and A6K, is calling all Belgian tech and aerospace companies, big and small, to apply to pitch innovative solutions that not only could advance our growing suite of remotely piloted aircraft but also the course of commercial and defense technologies as a whole. We are accepting pitches on a range of related topics, including but not limited to artificial intelligence/machine learning, autonomy, advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, sensors, and space. This will be an ideal opportunity to connect with funding and collaborate with industry leaders. Also, companies and professionals wishing to only join the audience and network are welcome as well.
Blue Magic Belgium 2023 aims to foster technology ideation and implementation within the Belgian industrial ecosystem like never before. By bringing together a broader range of partners, inviting technology pitches, and opening the floor to greater networking and collaboration, this event will gather high-tech businesses and leaders into a single Belgian forum to discuss and leverage emerging technologies for existing and future commercial and defense systems.
GA-ASI is a proud supporter of the Belgian Defense and aerospace industry. In 2020, the Belgian Ministry of Defense announced that it would acquire GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian®. Since that announcement, GA-ASI has hosted three Blue Magic Belgium events and work has commenced with a broad range of Belgian businesses, including AeroSimulators Group, Airobot, ALX Systems, Coexpair, DronePort, Hexagon, ScioTeq, SABCA, Sabena Engineering, and Thales Belgium.
Agenda
Date: 10 May 2023
Location: A6K Workspace, Sq. des Martyrs 1, 6000 Charleroi, Belgium
| 09:00-09:10 | Welcome and Introduction | Brad Lunn, Managing Director Strategic Finance and Founder Blue Magic Ventures, GA-ASI |
| 09:10-09:25 | Keynote Speaker | Ludivine Dedonder, Minister of Defense, Belgium |
| 09:25-09:45 | Innovation from a NATO Perspective | David van Weel, Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, NATO |
| 09:45-10:00 | Defense Innovation | Colonel Filip Borremans, Director-General, Royal Higher Institute for Defense |
| 10:00-10:10 | Lockheed Martin Ventures | Chris Moran, Executive Director and General Manager, Lockheed Martin Ventures |
| 10:10-10:20 | TBD | TBD |
| 10:20-12:00 | Pitches | |
| 12:00-14:00 | Lunch | |
| 4:00-16:00 | Pitches | |
| 16:00-16:15 | Closing Remarks | Brad Lunn, Managing Director Strategic Finance and Founder Blue Magic Ventures, GA-ASI |
| 16:15-18:00 | Networking Reception | |
Applicants
Please submit your pitch application no later than 1 April 2023.
If interested in pitching to our panel of industry leaders and potential funding partners, please review the following information and continue to our application form below.
- We are accepting pitch applications on a range of topics related to Defense and aerospace technologies, including but not limited to artificial intelligence/machine learning, autonomy, advanced materials, manufacturing, sensors, and space. This will be an opportunity to connect with funding and collaborate with industry leaders.
- The selection team will not publicize pitch information without permission. However, do not send highly proprietary information, source code, or the like.
- If your application is selected, we will notify you via email with an invitation to pitch. There is no cost for you to pitch. At the pitch event, you will have 20 minutes to pitch the selection committee and the audience. After your pitch, expect to have further follow-up with the selection parties as well as members of the audience.
- If your application is not selected on this occasion, you are still able to attend the conference to hear the discussions, pitches, and panelists. Use the event to refine your concepts, build your network, and learn more about how to fund your company. Non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, can be formed as needed.
- For any questions regarding the event or your application, please email us at BlueMagicBelgium@GA-ASI.com
Blue Magic Belgium 2023 is made possible by
