OPEN CALL DIAMOND & JEWELLERY: Develop your own innovative idea or project guided by experts, free of charge

Innovation is essential if the Antwerp diamond and jewellery industry is to maintain its leading international position. Since 2020, the city has supported new initiatives that can contribute to the industry's future.

Submit your project proposal untill 27 February 2026 at the latest. If your project is selected, you will receive free, one-to-one innovation guidance from a renowned innovation agency.
 

Who can submit a project?

• You are a company or entrepreneurial partnership in Antwerp's diamond and jewellery sector.  As a company or partnership, you supply goods or services to this ecosystem,
• organisations that are part of the Antwerp diamond and jewellery ecosystem and work for the benefit of entrepreneurs within this ecosystem.

Which project or idea can you submit?

• The proposed ideas or projects must fall within one of these 4 innovation domains:
  • digitalisation (including AI and data analysis)
  • automation and robotisation
  • sustainable entrepreneurship
  • business model and process, product and service innovation.
• The innovative idea or project must drive growth, strengthen, and renew the business, and enhance the international competitive position of the Antwerp diamond and jewellery industry.
• The innovation is new; something is being researched and developed that is not yet being used in this context.
• The innovation will create sustainable added value.

What support do you get

The selected ideas and projects will get support from an innovation agency - free of charge - to be developed. This agency was selected by the city of Antwerp. Throughout the customised development process until the end of 2026, the project applicant will be encouraged and guided to develop a strategic innovation roadmap and/or concrete innovative actions.

Detailed information

This document outlines all the details and conditions that your innovation project must fulfil in order to receive support from the City of Antwerp.

DETAILED INFO ON CALL TO INNOVATE IN DIAMOND AND JEWELLERY.pdf (NL)

Submit your innovative proposal untill 27 February 2026 at the latest

You can only submit your innovation proposal digitally. Clearly describe the innovative question or solution.

Criteria to receive support

Applications for support must meet certain criteria. These are defined as follows:

• the extent to which the free support can elevate the project,

• the quality of the innovative challenge and the added value for the applicant as well as for the Antwerp diamond and jewellery ecosystem,

• the motivation and resources to actively participate in the support trajectory and potentially further develop it,

• the project will also contribute to Antwerp's (inter)national reputation as a major city for diamonds & jewellery, demonstrating that it is enterprising and innovative.

Timing

• This call was launched on 2 February 2026.

• You can submit a project via the online form untill 27 February 2026 at the latest.

• The jury will assess all projects submitted on time and in full. The Municipal Executive will make the final selection.

• The selected projects will be announced around mid-April 2026.

Interested and already a question?

Email your question to antwerpsmostbrilliant@antwerpen.be.