Belgium is the guest of honour at MTL Connecte 2023, taking place in Montreal from 10 to 13 October. At a time when AI is a hot topic of discussion, Belgian players are taking centre stage on this international stage to present their visions and technologies for an innovative, ethical and inspiring digital world. Under the Digital Wallonia banner, some sixty Walloon entrepreneurs and French-speaking Belgian incubators, researchers and artists are on hand to take up the challenge launched for this 5th edition by Printemps numérique: to better understand and take advantage of the digital revolution.

The common thread running through this Canadian digital week is collective intelligence. Wallonia is no stranger to this, with a rich ecosystem conducive to creativity. The KIKK festival held every year in Namur is a fine illustration of this.

This year, the MTL Connecte brings together ideas, individuals and organisations to discuss Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Culture and Creativity and Connected and Intelligent Territories. All while keeping people at the heart of the debate.

The ICT Cluster (a centre of excellence in Information and Communication Technologies), which brings together Wallonia's digital players and federates industrial, university and research skills in the field, is presenting its solutions with the following companies:  

• asUgo helps companies to embrace a new digital era in an innovative, efficient and humane way. Drawing on highly certified Salesforce resources, it provides functional advice and technical expertise to customers in key sectors such as utilities, banking, insurance, healthcare and retail.
• Bizzdev: IT services provider specialising in the development of tailor-made web and mobile solutions in the following areas: geolocation, tracking and tracing, human resources management, e-ticketing, healthcare, mobility and agriculture.
• B12 Consulting: an IT services company specialising in the development of innovative IT solutions. Drawing on Data Science (AI, data analysis, machine learning), it provides tailor-made solutions to meet its customers' business challenges.

• Dirty Monitor: a creative studio pioneering the design and production of content for video mapping and other audiovisual productions (3D, VJing, digital art, AR/VR). Live performances, installations, product launches, inaugurations, parties... it offers the public a unique visual experience.
• Effixis: specialising in Natural Language Processing (NLP), Large Language Model (LLM) and proprietary technologies, Effixis supports businesses and government agencies, turning their AI aspirations into tangible results and roadmaps through comprehensive workshops, strategic advice and technical expertise.
• Grality: an application that addresses the issues and challenges of urban planning by helping companies and local authorities manage their tree assets. The application works like an ERP to list trees, facilitating mapped inventory and maintenance of assets, and assesses ecosystem services (CO2, cooling, biodiversity, etc.).
• Mona Studio: specialising in emerging technologies such as augmented reality and 3D, the studio supports companies at every stage in the creation of an extraordinary website.

• PAF: provider of audio description and subtitling for the visually impaired, deaf and hard of hearing. Its audiodescription practice translates the visual elements of a work, as well as its emotional power, aesthetics and poetry.
• PIMP My Company: a specialist in digital and diversified communication, PimpMyCompany makes it easier for companies to communicate with their target audiences by developing solutions that simplify the way information is shared. By automating what can be automated, companies can then devote more time to their strategy and interactions with their audience.
• TIMI: the TIMi Suite covers all the analytical needs of businesses: ETL, BI, predictive modelling and process automation. The most powerful data analysis engine ever created, it lets you unleash all your creativity with ease.
• Wallimage: an investment fund designed to support the image sector in Wallonia. It covers the audiovisual sector in the broadest sense of the term, including everything to do with multimedia, video games and mobile applications.
• Weshre: offers a platform that enables users to forge real social links through festive and sporting events organised by private individuals.  The application offers the possibility of creating groups based on individual interests, writing a list of things to bring and organising car pooling. This social tool also features messaging, a shared album system and even stories.