Network Location
Network Location is a research university that provides knowledge transfer services for the business sector.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersGembloux, Belgium
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Network Location does
Réseau LiEU is the regional knowledge-transfer network coordinating the Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTOs) of the five French-speaking universities of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles in Belgium — UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS, and UNamur. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Gembloux, the network operates as a single-entry-point gateway connecting businesses, public actors, and university researchers, providing access to more than 10,000–14,500 researchers across 1,000+ research units. Its service portfolio includes personalized needs analysis, project co-construction, IP advisory via its PATLIB-certified centre, the ideaLiEU workshop suite, technology licensing through a centralised offers platform, thematic expertise inventories, and three Excellence Technology Platforms (Biogreen for biomaterials, SPATIAL for space technologies, and an Energy Transition platform), collectively backed by €77.5 million in Walloon Region and EU recovery plan infrastructure funding.
The network is publicly funded by the Walloon Region through successive multi-year programmes — Mirval (2008–2013), Mirval+ (2014–2020), and Mirvalis (2021–2027) — and operates under the governance of the Conseil des Recteurs (CRef). It does not generate commercial revenue; services are provided free of charge to researchers and businesses. Individual universities handle their own research collaboration contracts and technology licensing with industry. Distribution is achieved through embedded KTO offices at each university, thematic referent networks inside regional competitiveness clusters (BioWin, GreenWin, MecaTech, SkyWin, Wagralim, Synhera, Logistics in Wallonia), partnerships with regional economic agencies (Wallonia Entreprendre, AWEX, WBI), and European networks (PATLIB, CURIE, ASTP, AUF). Leadership is shared between a President (Nathalie Burteau, since September 2021) and an Operational Director (Eric Wyart, since September 2021), supported by a management committee comprising the KTO directors of each member university.
Operationally, Réseau LiEU supported 40+ active spin-offs and facilitated more than 5,600 research projects submitted in 2024, many in partnership with industry. Its geographic scope is the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, with international reach enabled through PATLIB, ASTP, CURIE, and AUF affiliations. The organisation does not develop or sell proprietary software; its "technology" is the orchestration of institutional relationships, advisory expertise, and shared infrastructure across the university network.
Network Location firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Network Location
- Legal name
- Réseau LiEU
- Website
- https://www.reseaulieu.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Network Location is a research university that provides knowledge transfer services for the business sector.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Network Location industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Knowledge Transfer Services
- NAICS
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Management Consulting Services (54161), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Deep Tech / R&D Commercialization CVC (FSANAHAL)
Keywords
Where Network Location is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gembloux
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Network Location business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Public Funding (Walloon Region): The services of the Réseau LiEU and its member KTOs are financed by the Walloon Region for the benefit of researchers and businesses. No commercial revenue model is described.
- Research Collaboration Contracts (University-to-Business): While the network itself is publicly funded, individual universities charge businesses for research collaborations, service contracts, and technology licenses — revenue flows to the universities, not to the network.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Network Location product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Réseau LiEU is a unified network of Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTOs) from the five French-speaking universities of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS, UNamur). It acts as a single entry point connecting businesses, public organizations, and researchers to facilitate collaborative research projects, technology licensing, intellectual property advisory, and access to specialized equipment platforms.
Product overview
Network Location (Réseau LiEU) is a unified network of Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTOs) from five universities of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Rather than a single software product, it offers a portfolio of services including direct knowledge transfer facilitation, the ideaLiEU workshop suite for multidisciplinary project acceleration, PATLIB intellectual property advisory, structured enterprise engagement services (CONNECT, FOCUS, MEET, ACCELERATE), three excellence technology platforms (Biogreen, SPATIAL, Transition énergétique), an interactive research valorization memo, a technology offers licensing platform, and consolidated research expertise inventories. These offerings are interconnected through a single-entry gateway enabling businesses and researchers to access 14,500 researchers and hundreds of cutting-edge equipment across the university network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Knowledge Transfer Services A network of Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTOs) connecting five French-speaking universities in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, facilitating collaboration between researchers and businesses through a single gateway to university expertise.
- ideaLiEU Workshops A suite of three workshop formats (ideaCREATE, ideaVIEW, ideaGOAL) using collective intelligence and project management methods to boost multidisciplinary projects between enterprises and universities.
- PATLIB Intellectual Property Advisory A European PATLIB center providing practical local assistance and advice on intellectual property and patents, serving students, researchers, spin-offs, startups, SMEs, and isolated inventors.
- Enterprise Services (CONNECT, FOCUS, MEET, ACCELERATE) A structured service framework including referral networks, needs analysis, skills inventories, a valorization toolbox, laboratory visits, and FastTrack to Research programs connecting companies with university expertise.
- Plateformes Technologiques d'Excellence Three excellence technology platforms (Biogreen, SPATIAL, Transition énergétique) funded by Walloon and EU recovery plans, providing state-of-the-art equipment for research in biomaterials, space technologies, and energy transition.
- Technology Offers Platform A technology licensing and collaboration platform showcasing patents, technologies, and intellectual property available for licensing from the five member universities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 5,600 research projects submitted in 2024, many in partnership with industry
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Network Location
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Network Location technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Network Location partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core, major and supporting.
- Walloon Region (Région wallonne)primaryThe primary funder and institutional sponsor of Réseau LiEU. Provides sustained financing for network operations and co-funds major technology platform infrastructure (Biogreen, SPATIAL, Energy Transition platforms) via Mirvalis programming (2021–2027) and the Walloon Relance Plan (NextGenerationEU).
- CREF (Conseil des Recteurs de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles)coreThe Council of Rectors of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles provides governance oversight. The network operates under CRef leadership, with the management committee composed of directors from each member university's KTO.
- Wallonia EntreprendremajorWallonia's business development agency collaborates on promoting knowledge transfer opportunities and connecting businesses to university research capabilities.
- AWEX (Wallonia-Brussels Export & Investment Agency)majorAWEX collaborates on international visibility and cross-border business-research connections, supporting the international reach of the network's technology offerings.
- Digital WalloniasupportingDigital Wallonia serves as a communication and promotion partner for the network's digital transformation and ICT-related research offerings.
- WBI (Wallonia-Brussels International)supportingWBI supports the international dimension of the network's activities, particularly in promoting Walloon research capabilities abroad.
- BioWin (Competitiveness Cluster for Health Biotechnology & Chemistry)supportingBiowin is a sectoral competitiveness cluster collaborating with LiEU on health biotechnology and chemistry research-business events and project facilitation.
- GreenWin (Competitiveness Cluster for Green Chemistry & Materials)supportingGreenWin collaborates with LiEU on sustainable chemistry and materials research partnerships and joint events.
- Logistics in WalloniasupportingThe logistics cluster partners with LiEU on logistics, supply chain, and transport innovation research collaborations.
- MecaTech (Competitiveness Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing)supportingMecaTech collaborates with LiEU on advanced manufacturing, engineering, and mechanical technologies research-business collaborations.
- SkyWin (Aerospace Cluster)supportingSkyWin partners with LiEU on the SPATIAL technology platform, facilitating industry-academia collaboration in space technologies.
- Wagralim (Competitiveness Cluster for Agri-Food)supportingWagralim collaborates with LiEU on agri-food research, sustainability, and food technology innovation projects.
- Synhera (Health Technology Cluster)supportingSynhera partners with LiEU on health technology innovation, connecting medtech and health research actors with businesses.
- ASTP (Association of European Science & Technology Transfer Professionals)supportingInternational professional association for knowledge transfer practitioners; LiEU participates in the broader European KTO community through ASTP.
- AUF (Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie)supportingInternational French-speaking university agency supporting the network's francophone university connections beyond Belgium.
- CURIE (European Network of Science & Technology Transfer Offices)supportingCURIE is a European network of technology transfer offices that LiEU participates in, enabling knowledge sharing and best practice exchange across European universities.
- NCP (National Contact Points for EU Framework Programmes)supportingNational Contact Points collaborate with LiEU to align network research activities with EU funding opportunities under Horizon Europe and other framework programmes.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Network Location competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO): Flemish counterpart agency combining research funding, innovation stimulation, and enterprise support. Directly comparable in mandate (regional government-backed innovation intermediary) and operates in the adjacent Belgian region serving a similar university ecosystem (KU Leuven, UGent, etc.).
- Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) / Innovate UK KTN: UK's national knowledge transfer network connecting businesses to academic expertise. Highly comparable in mission (university-industry matchmaking, IP advisory, thematic networks), though at national scale rather than regional.
- CURIE (European Network of Science & Technology Transfer Offices): European network of university tech transfer offices, of which LiEU is a member. Direct peer in role, scale, and institutional positioning (multi-university tech transfer consortium).
Regional players
- Innoviris: Brussels-Capital Region's public innovation funding and research promotion agency. Directly comparable as a Belgian regional innovation intermediary with overlapping stakeholder groups and similar publicly-funded knowledge transfer role.
- SPW Recherche (Walloon Public Service - Research): Walloon government department overseeing research and innovation policy, providing funding and strategic direction. Comparable as a regional public-sector research and innovation stakeholder operating in the same ecosystem as LiEU.
- Innovation Quarter: Dutch regional development agency connecting businesses to academic and innovation resources. Comparable as a European regional intermediary with overlapping university-industry matchmaking functions.
Broad incumbents
- Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM): Largest North American professional association for tech transfer professionals. Comparable as a sector-defining KTO/Tech Transfer Office network, though serving a different geography and focused on professional development rather than direct business-research matchmaking.
- ASTP (Association of European Science & Technology Transfer Professionals): Pan-European professional association for knowledge transfer practitioners, of which LiEU is a participating member. Comparable as a peer-level KTO community organization across Europe.
- NWO (Dutch Research Council): Dutch national research council that funds research and facilitates knowledge utilization. Comparable as a public-sector research funding and valorization body in an adjacent European country.
Others
- IMEC: Belgium-based leading applied research center in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. Comparable as a Belgian R&D powerhouse that bridges university research and industry commercialization, though structured as a private research center rather than a network coordinator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Network Location social profiles
Digital presenceNetwork Location financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Network Location leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Network Location funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Network Location M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Network Location
What does Network Location do?
Réseau LiEU is a unified network of Knowledge Transfer Offices (KTOs) from the five French-speaking universities of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (UCLouvain, ULB, ULiège, UMONS, UNamur). It acts as a single entry point connecting businesses, public organizations, and researchers to facilitate collaborative research projects, technology licensing, intellectual property advisory, and access to specialized equipment platforms.
Is Network Location a public or private company?
Network Location is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Network Location founded?
Network Location was founded in 2003. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Network Location based?
Network Location is headquartered in Gembloux, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Network Location make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Public Funding (Walloon Region) is the primary driver. The others are research Collaboration Contracts (University-to-Business).
Who are Network Location's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO), Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) / Innovate UK KTN and CURIE (European Network of Science & Technology Transfer Offices). Regional players are Innoviris, SPW Recherche (Walloon Public Service - Research) and Innovation Quarter. Broad incumbents are Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), ASTP (Association of European Science & Technology Transfer Professionals) and NWO (Dutch Research Council). IMEC is listed as an others.
Does Network Location have an API?
No public API is recorded for Network Location.
What industry is Network Location in?
Network Location's product category is Knowledge Transfer Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAHAL, Corporate Deep Tech / R&D Commercialization CVC. Its NAICS code is 5416 and its SIC code is 8600.