ECC10 Social Program:
Discover the Science & Soul of Antwerp

💡 Visit BlueChem & BlueApp: From Researcher to Entrepreneur

From the lab bench to the boardroom: Turn your research into reality. Have you ever wondered what it takes to evolve from an academic researcher to a successful entrepreneur?

Join us for an inspiring visit to BlueApp and BlueChem, Antwerp’s premier incubators bridging the gap between academia and industry. You will explore pilot-scale infrastructure designed to scale sustainable technologies beyond the lab, and discover an ecosystem built to connect start-ups with investors and customers.

Hear the authentic, real-world stories of chemists who successfully made the leap into business. You will also receive an invaluable masterclass on patents and intellectual property by Ipsilon, teaching you how to build a robust business plan around your innovations. If you are ready to turn your chemistry into action, this is where you start.

📍 Getting there: Includes bus transport. Departure and return directly at the ECC10 venue entrance.

🗓️ When: Monday, July 13, during afternoon parallel sessions

🍫 Chocolate Nation: Museum Visit & Exclusive Sensory Experience

Indulge in the ultimate intersection of gastronomy and chemistry. Did you know the iconic Belgian praline was invented in 1912 by a pharmacist experimenting in his lab?

At Chocolate Nation, the world’s largest Belgian chocolate museum, you will embark on a multi-sensory “bean-to-bar” journey. Discover the complex processes of fermentation, roasting, and crystallization required to transform raw cocoa into a culinary masterpiece. Alongside tasting pure ingredients like cocoa mass, you will be captivated by a live, private demonstration from a master chocolatier.

It is an educational, delicious, and fascinating look at the science of emulsions, flavor profiles, and the rich history of Belgium’s sweetest export.

In addition to the standard Chocolate Nation museum visit, this exclusive offer also includes a “bean to bar” experience, and a praline demonstration. In the “bean to bar” experience, a chocolatier welcomes you in the workshop space. He/she walks you through the various stages of the chocolate making process, from cocoa bean to chocolate, allowing you to see the product at every stage (cocoa nibs, cocoa mass…) and even taste some of them. Afterwards, you will also visit the praline demo atelier, where a second chocolatier explains how a praline is made. He/she demonstrates the various steps, and, at the end, everyone gets to taste two pralines. He/she takes into account any allergies you may have in creating these pralines.

📍 Getting there: Less than 2 minutes walking from the ECC10 venue, at the same Astridplein. Starts at Chocolate Nation.

🎒 Preparation: Participants should arrive at least 15 minutes before their selected timeslot. There are free lockers and toilets available at the entrance.

🗓️ When: Monday, July 13, during afternoon parallel sessions

🏭 Port Tour: Inside Antwerp’s World-Class Chemical Cluster

Embark on an exclusive expedition into the beating heart of Europe’s chemical economy. Welcome to the Port of Antwerp-Bruges—home to the second-largest integrated chemical cluster on the planet.

During this exclusive bus tour in the port, you will experience firsthand how global industry leaders such as BASF, INEOS, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies operate within a unique network of production sites, pipelines, storage terminals, and logistics infrastructure. Discover how this colossal ecosystem is actively driving the European sustainability transition, optimizing energy use, and pioneering circular economy initiatives.

If you want to see how laboratory innovations are scaled up to supply the world with essential materials, this behind-the-scenes journey is unmissable.

📍 Getting there: Includes bus transport. Departure and return directly at the ECC10 venue entrance.

🗓️ When: Tuesday, July 14, during afternoon parallel sessions 

🎨 Hidden Layers: A KMSKA Tour and the Science of Art Conservation

Discover the hidden chemistry of the Flemish Masters. Join us for a captivating afternoon at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA), where centuries of art history meet cutting-edge analytical chemistry.

Your experience begins with “The Finest Tour,” a guided exploration of the museum’s breathtaking highlights. Following the tour, you will be treated to an exclusive academic presentation by Dr. Steven De Meyer (University of Antwerp). Dr. De Meyer will showcase how advanced, non-invasive X-ray imaging and spectroscopic techniques are revolutionizing cultural heritage research. Learn how conservators map chemical degradation, reveal hidden, over-painted layers, and use material science to preserve priceless artworks for future generations.

📍 Getting there: 35-minute walk or 20 minutes with public transport. Starts at KMSKA.

🗓️ When: Tuesday, July 14, during afternoon parallel sessions 

🔬 HRD Antwerp Diamond Lab: Advanced Spectroscopy Workshop

Step into the lab of Europe’s premier diamond authority. With the rise of lab-grown diamonds and advanced color treatments, the gemology industry relies heavily on cutting-edge analytical chemistry. In this highly specialized workshop, you will be guided by Ms. Marleen Bouman, Global Head of Research at HRD Antwerp and a renowned expert in geodynamics and advanced spectroscopic detection techniques.

You will explore the frontline of gemological defense, discovering how sophisticated spectroscopy is used to characterize diamond defects, study 480nm absorption bands, and detect synthetic or color-treated stones. This is a brilliant opportunity for analytical and physical chemists to see their everyday tools applied to high-stakes, high-value commercial challenges.

📍 Getting there: A short, 10-minute walk from the conference venue. Starts at HRD Antwerp Diamond Lab.

🗓️ When: Wednesday, July 15, during afternoon parallel sessions 

💎 HRD Antwerp Diamond Lab Mini-Training: Diamond Grading from a Scientific Perspective

Unlock the scientific secrets behind the world’s most coveted gemstone. Join Mr. Peter Bostoen, Senior Lecturer at HRD Antwerp (Europe’s leading authority in diamond certification), for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes masterclass.

Far beyond the glamorous sparkle, this training dives deep into the rigorous physics, crystallography, and optical properties that dictate a diamond’s true value. You will learn how expert gemologists scientifically quantify and analyze the famous “4Cs” (Carat, Color, Clarity, Cut) to differentiate natural masterpieces from synthetics and protect the global consumer market. This is a rare opportunity to view Antwerp’s most famous export through the precise lens of a scientist.

📍 Getting there: A short, 10-minute walk from the conference venue. Starts at HRD Antwerp Diamond Lab.

🗓️ When: Wednesday, July 15, during afternoon parallel sessions

🧵 MoMu Fashion & Sustainability Walk

Thread the needle between high fashion and circular material science. Antwerp is globally renowned as an avant-garde fashion capital, but long before “sustainability” became a modern trend, it was a fundamental principle woven into the city’s textile DNA.

Led by sustainable fashion expert Jasmien Wynants, this unique walking tour bypasses the standard shopping streets to explore the deeper layers of circularity, upcycling, and material reuse. Enhanced by exclusive photographic and video archives from the MoMu (ModeMuseum) Library, you will discover how historical necessity—such as the textile crises of the World Wars—sparked ingenious recycling techniques that continue to influence top designers today. “We want you to see how the principles of sustainability are everywhere.”

📍 Getting there: 25-minute walk from the venue, or take Tram 11 from Antwerp Central Station (Platform 3) to Antwerpen Melkmarkt. Starts at Het Modepaleis (Nationalestraat 16, Antwerp)

🎒 Preparation: Please bring comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate gear, and ear- or headphones for audio guide (if desired).

🗓️ When: Wednesday, July 15, during afternoon parallel sessions