Innovation Hub – Dan Biancalana: “Dudelange is becoming an expert in incubation”

Since opening its doors in 2018, the Innovation Hub has seen several eco-tech startups set up shop. This is an opportunity for Dan Biancalana to take part in an interview. In the first part of this interview, he talks about the installation of the incubator within the city, but also about its role.

The former industrial site of Neischmelz is in the process of being converted into an eco-neighborhood of housing, work spaces, shops and meeting areas within the next 10 to 15 years.

Intimately linked to the development of this new district, which will be neutral in terms of CO² emissions, the Innovation Hub is located on the edge of the former wasteland: “the incubator was designed as a first step towards the construction of the Neischmelz site. The startups that are hosted there were chosen for their eco-technological identity, but also for their desire to respond to a specific problem,” comments Dan Biancalana.

On a surface of 500m² entirely renovated, the place, which is the last administrative headquarters of Arcelor Mittal, welcomes young companies active in technologies that contribute to the improvement of the respect of the environment. “The startups that move in can stay there for five years. The building should serve as a real base camp for them. Their activities are varied, but they all share a common desire: to demonstrate that technology and ecology are not incompatible”.

And Dudelange, an expert in incubation? “The city tends to become one”, underlines the mayor of the city, before continuing: “we have called upon the expertise of LuxInnovation and Technoport to lead this project. These two partners are putting their knowledge at the service of startups, and their networks at their disposal”.