Christophe De bont 
26/05/2021As video game adepts, we’ve had our fair share of princesses that needed saving. If you’re sick and tired of this trope and rather have a royal daughter do something for you for a change, we’ve got some excellent news. Flanders Investment and Trade has teamed up with FLEGA to organise an economic mission to the United States (link in Dutch, Flemish companies please register here), led by Her Royal Majesty Princess Astrid and Minister-President of Flanders Jan Jambon. Brussels companies can join too via hub.brussels (link in Dutch, Brussels companies please register here).
It’s a three leg trip with stops in Atlanta (October 2nd – October 5th), Boston (October 5th – October 6th), and New York (October 6th – October 9th). The three major cities all have strong ties to video game development so this is an excellent opportunity to get in touch with local companies, potential clients and/or partners. You’ll also be able to mingle with other local sectors that will travel along in this mission (such as fintech, health tech, AI…). If you’d rather tag along for just a part of the trip, that’s perfectly fine as well. Just keep in mind that you have to arrange your own travel and accommodation, though you can opt to book through a FIT designated travel agency.
Atlanta in particular looks like a nice stop for video game companies. FIT will throw a large video game event, highlighting some of the aspects of our local video game culture. There’ll be a tournament with the Flemish VR game HyperDash, where American and Belgian students duke it out, a B2B pitching event for local companies to pitch their projects to Americans and some of our local female game developers talking about their projects.
In Boston there’s a big reception held at the Museum of Fine Arts which could prove interesting for game developers focusing on artistic games and/or installations, incorporate Flemish painting in their work or studios that create virtual museum exhibtions. Or you know, maybe you’re just into fancy foyers. Boston is also the home of the prestigious MIT university and the hometown of Harmonix, arguably one of the best game studios of all time and not in the least bit a place we would like to visit ourselves one day.
New York isn’t the most well known video game hub but there’s of course the NYU Game Center in Brooklyn. Also, if you make it there, you can make it anywhere. One of the cool things of these types of economic missions is the program can be tailored to the needs and wants of the participants. So if you’re interested in joining, please let us know in clear terms what you’re looking for and FIT will use their extensive network to set up a B2B meeting or organise a visit. You can also reach out should you have any questions concerning the program, or if you’re interested in acting as one of the female speakers at the Atlanta event.
This is the very first time a video game centered program is included during a FIT princely mission. As both local and American press will follow the high profile visit, this is also an ideal PR opportunity to get your company in the spotlights at home and abroad. If this all checks out for you, you have until July 2nd to sign up for (part of) this historic mission.
