What SQUARE does

SQUARE is a premium convention centre located at Mont des Arts in central Brussels, Belgium, operated by GL events Brussels — a subsidiary of the GL events Group. The venue serves professional event organizers, international associations, corporate clients, and non-profit organizations hosting conferences, congresses, exhibitions, corporate meetings, gala dinners, and institutional summits. SQUARE differentiates through its central European location directly adjacent to Brussels Central Station, with international rail connections to Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Cologne, plus access to two international airports and over 20,000 hotel rooms within walking distance.

The physical infrastructure comprises four auditoriums (The Arc, Silver Hall, Copper Hall, and Gold Hall — collectively seating up to ~1,200), six halls including Grand Hall 2 at 1,950 m² (up to ~1,260 attendees), sixteen studios for breakout sessions, and multiple themed foyers featuring original works by Belgian surrealists René Magritte and Paul Delvaux. Integrated event technology includes 1,000 Mbps WiFi, in-house AV/ICT services, live streaming, ePoster solutions, digital signage, web applications, and a 360° virtual tour for prospect engagement. Sustainability is certified under ISO 20121 (since August 2019) with 100% green electricity and waste-management partnerships.

The business model is sales-led and project-based: a dedicated sales manager guides each client from quote through execution, with every quotation fully customized per event format, duration, and technical requirements. Major congresses are booked 12–24 months in advance and smaller events with a minimum three-week lead. Revenue streams include venue space rental, mandatory in-house catering (SQUARE Gusto — external caterers excluded), audiovisual/ICT services, security/cleaning, signage/branding, digital/hybrid event services, and parking (714-space Parking Albertine). The venue is part of the Brussels Convention Street partnership with BOZAR, KBR, Royal Museums of Fine Arts, and BELvue Museum, collectively providing over 25,000 m² of net event space, 9,000+ seats, and 42 meeting rooms within a five-minute walk. Special pricing is offered for charities and NGOs subject to availability.

Name

SQUARE

Legal name

GL events Brussels

Website

https://square-brussels.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SQUARE is a premium Brussels convention centre operated by GL events Brussels, hosting conferences, exhibitions, and corporate events in auditoriums and halls accommodating up to 1,200+ attendees, with integrated AV, catering, and hybrid event services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Convention venue rental
• Event management services
• Conferencing facilities
• Hybrid event technology
• Corporate event catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Venue Space Rental: Rental of rooms, auditoriums, halls, studios, and foyer spaces with cleaning, heating, and air-conditioning included. Prices vary by room, duration, configuration, and services required.
2. Catering Services (SQUARE Gusto): On-site catering through official in-house catering department for coffee breaks, lunches, dinners, cocktails. External caterers not permitted.
3. Audiovisual & ICT Services: AV equipment rental and technical support, live streaming, recording, hybrid event solutions. Use of audiovisual equipment not included in space rental cost.
4. Security & Cleaning Services: Mandatory security staff and cleaning staff during events, coordinated by SQUARE to ensure safety and quality standards.
5. Signage & Branding Services: Customized branding, signage, wayfinding, banners, staging, and on-site design/production for event customization.
6. Digital Services: Digital signage, ePoster solutions, web applications, badges and registration solutions, and live streaming services.
7. Event Management Fees: Administrative management and coordinator presence from assembly to disassembly.
8. Parking Services: Parking Albertine with 714 places and 14 spaces for reduced mobility, managed through Interparking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SQUARE Brussels is a premium convention centre located at Mont des Arts in central Brussels, operated by GL events Brussels. It rents modular auditoriums, halls, studios, and foyers for conferences, exhibitions, congresses, and corporate events up to 1,200+ attendees, bundled with in-house services including SQUARE Gusto catering, audiovisual and ICT, signage and branding, exhibition booth decoration, safety and security, and digital/hybrid event production.

Product overview

SQUARE Brussels is a premium convention center operated by GL events Brussels, located at Mont des Arts in central Brussels. The venue offers a modular, multi-space portfolio centered around four auditoriums (The Arc, Silver, Copper, Gold — collectively seating up to 1,200), six halls (including two Grand Halls for up to 1,260 attendees), sixteen studios for intimate meetings, multiple themed foyers, and welcoming entrance areas. These physical spaces are complemented by a suite of services including in-house catering (SQUARE Gusto), Audiovisual & ICT, Signage & Branding, Exhibition Booth & Decoration, Safety & Security, and Digital & Hybrid Events support. The venue also provides a 360° Virtual Tour for remote exploration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auditoriums A range of auditorium rental spaces for conferences, congresses, and events, including The Arc (up to 140 attendees), Silver Hall (up to 300), Copper Hall (up to 500), and Gold Hall (up to 1,150), targeted at conference organizers and corporate event planners.
• Halls Large hall rentals for exhibitions, tradeshows, gala dinners, and large-scale events, including Grand Hall 1 (1,713 m²), Grand Hall 2 (1,950 m², up to 1,260 attendees), Panoramic Hall (551 m²), Hall 400, Hall 300, and Hall 100, aimed at exhibition organizers, tradeshows, and gala event clients.
• Studios Sixteen multipurpose meeting studios (North and South aisles) for smaller meetings and breakout sessions, seating up to 50 individually and up to 100 when combined, each equipped with IT and audiovisual facilities, targeted at corporate and association meeting planners.
• Foyers Foyer spaces for networking, catering, and breaks adjacent to main halls and auditoriums, including Magritte Foyer, Delvaux Foyer, Silver Foyer, Copper Foyer, The Arc Foyer, The Cube Foyer, Circle Foyers, and Foyer 205, used as catering areas and circulation zones in front of the larger halls.
• Welcome Areas Entrance and registration spaces including The Cube entrance, the Registration Hall (338 m²), and the Ravenstein entrance, designed for attendee arrival and check-in at events.
• SQUARE Gusto Catering Official in-house catering service SQUARE Gusto offering Belgian specialties, locally sourced ingredients, sustainable menus, and customizable options for coffee breaks, lunches, dinners, buffets, cocktails, gala dinners, and special dietary requirements, available only to event organizers booking SQUARE.
• Audiovisual & ICT Services In-house Audiovisual & ICT service providing AV equipment rental, technical support, live streaming, recording, simultaneous translation, and hybrid event solutions over up to 1000Mbps fibre internet, for conferences, congresses, and hybrid meetings at SQUARE.
• Signage & Branding In-house design and production of graphics, signage, furniture, branding, wayfinding, sponsor visuals, and exterior decorations to customize events with custom on-site design and production.
• Exhibition Booth & Decoration Flexible exhibition booth and decoration solutions, customizable for events from grand exhibitions to intimate settings, supporting exhibitors and trade-show organizers.
• Safety & Security Services Discreet protocol-aligned security and safety services with mandatory security and cleaning staff during events, coordinated by SQUARE to ensure safety and quality standards for event organizers and institutional clients.
• Digital & Hybrid Event Services Hybrid and digital event production including live streaming, ePoster solutions, web applications with agenda and polling, digital signage, and badge/registration solutions, supporting unlimited remote attendees with a dedicated in-house team.
• 360° Virtual Tour Interactive 360° virtual tour of all SQUARE rooms and spaces, available on the website to enable prospective event organizers and clients to explore the venue remotely before booking.

Quantifiable outcome

• Internet connectivity up to 1000Mbps available throughout all buildings
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GL events Live.EUcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFull-service congress and conference organisation partner working in collaboration with SQUARE for end-to-end event management including production, logistics, technical services, and on-site operations.
• SQUARE GustocoreOthersOfficial in-house catering department providing sustainable, local catering for coffee breaks, lunches, dinners, cocktails, and special dietary requirements. External caterers not permitted.
• ALPACAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaste management partner providing sustainability and environmental services aligned with SQUARE's environmental standards to minimize waste volume during events.
• ZieglerminorOthersPreferred delivery supplier for event logistics. Handles all deliveries to the venue.
• Interparking (Albertine)minorOthersParking operator managing Parking Albertine with 714 spaces including 14 for reduced mobility, providing direct access to SQUARE venue.
• Taxis VertsminorOthersRecommended taxi service for transportation to and from Brussels Airport.
• Taxis BleusminorOthersRecommended taxi service for transportation to and from Brussels Airport.
• AutoluxminorOthersRecommended limousine service for transportation to and from Brussels Airport.
• Belgium LimousinesminorOthersRecommended limousine service for transportation to and from Brussels Airport.
• Brussels Convention Street Partners (BOZAR, KBR, Royal Museums of Fine Arts, BELvue Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership enabling hosting of larger events across multiple venues within 5-minute walking distance. Offers over 25,000 m² of net event space, more than 9,000 seats, and 42 meeting rooms.
• SNCB (Belgian Rail)minorOthersPublic transport partner for rail connections to Brussels Central Station, 2-minute walk from venue.
• STIB/MIVBminorOthersBrussels public transport authority for metro, tram, and bus connections to venue.
• Villo (Bike Sharing)minorOthersBike sharing service with stations within 2-minute walk from SQUARE.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Geneva Palexpo: Geneva-based exhibition and congress centre of similar mid-scale size, hosting international association conferences and corporate events. Comparable in scale, target customer base, and central-European positioning.
• RAI Amsterdam: Major Amsterdam convention centre with comparable multi-hall, multi-auditorium footprint targeting international congresses, exhibitions, and corporate events. Direct European competitor for association and corporate clients choosing between Benelux venues.
• BOZAR (Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels): Brussels-based arts and conference venue directly partnering with SQUARE through the Brussels Convention Street alliance. Comparable as a multi-space cultural venue hosting conferences, exhibitions, and events in central Brussels for similar corporate, association, and institutional clients.
• Palais des Congrès de Paris: Paris-based convention centre operated by Viparis, hosting international congresses, exhibitions, and corporate events. Comparable in scale and target client base of association and corporate event organizers across Europe.
• ICC Birmingham (International Convention Centre): Mid-scale UK convention centre hosting conferences, exhibitions, and corporate events with comparable auditorium and hall configuration. Direct European competitor for association congresses and corporate meetings.
• Tour & Taxis: Brussels event and exhibition complex offering large flexible halls for congresses, exhibitions, and corporate events. Direct competitor for Brussels-based event organizers evaluating premium city-center venues.

Broad incumbents

• ExCeL London: Large-scale London convention and exhibition centre targeting the same international association and corporate congress market but at significantly greater capacity. Comparable as an established European convention centre competing for the same European event bookings.
• Fira de Barcelona: Major Barcelona convention and exhibition complex hosting international congresses and trade shows. Comparable in business model and target market (international association and corporate events), though at significantly greater scale.
• Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest exhibition and congress venue operators, running major trade fairs and corporate events in Frankfurt. Comparable business model of venue-based congress and exhibition hosting for international clients, though at much larger scale.

Regional players

• MECC Maastricht: Maastricht-based convention and exhibition centre in the Benelux region hosting conferences and trade fairs. Comparable in mid-scale size and target market, but serves a more regional catchment rather than directly competing for Brussels' international association events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Square-Brussels-Meeting-Centre/336846056443077
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/square-brussels-convention-centre

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SQUARE