Living Labs ‐ Imec living labs (former iMinds Living Labs) (Belgium)

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‘iMinds Living Labs’ is a department of iMinds. Examples of other iMinds departments are Research & Technology; Incubation & Industry and Policy & Society, all focusing on innovative ICT applications in society. iMinds Living Labs offers researchers and entrepreneurs the chance to test and co-develop their innovative solutions thoroughly with their target audience. In that way products and services are better and have every chance of success on the market.

iMinds Living Labs is a leading organization (effective member) in the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL), drawing upon a state-of-the-art living lab toolbox that consists of scientifically validated R&D methods. Through their living lab projects, iMinds Living Lab continuously validates, improves and expands these methods and their supporting tools. For more information see:

http://www.iminds.be/en/succeed-with-digital-research/go-to-market-testing/proeftuinonderzoek

www.iminds.be/livinglabs

www.iminds.be/insights/living-lab-research

www.iminds.be/userinnovation

www.iminds.be/digimeter

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1994
Development of fiber network in Brussels
2000's
EU aims to develop Europe as one market (CTP1 and CTP2)
2004
WiFi in the city is ‘hot’
2004
Frank Bekkers initiates the iCity project in Hasselt
2004
Elections in Flanders and Brussels (CTP1 and CTP2)
2006
ENoLL is established
2006
ENoLL is established
2007
OICB was re-branded to iLab.o
2007
OICB was re-branded to iLab.o
2007
iPhone was launched (CTP1 and CTP2)
2007
iCity organized a congress that show-cased findings of the project
2008

Initiating iBrussels
2008-2015
Development of living lab methods and Living Lab Academy
2009
Elections in Flanders and interviewee (CTP 1,2) leaves the cabinet and joins iLab.o
2009
the current (March 2016) Operations manager of iMinds Living Labs joins iLab.o (CTP4 and CTP5)
2009-2012
Prof. Pieter Ballon leads the EU project APOLLON (CTP1, CTP2 and CTP3)
2009

Questioning the Flemish living lab projects
2009
Engagement of iLab.o and IBBT in the facilitation of the three Flemish living lab projects
2009

Consolidating 3 Flemish living lab projects
2009
Elections in Flanders and the interviewee (CTP 1,2) leaves the cabinet and joins iLabO
2010
ENoLL becomes an iVZW based in Brussels (CTP1 and CTP2)
2009-2011
Three living lab projects are prepared and implemented (CTP4 and CTP5)
2010
The three living lab projects (VPP, LeYLab and Mediatuin) were initiated
2011

An iMinds Living Lab team
An evaluation that showed that VPP and LeYLab were not successful
2011-2016
The living lab approach evolves and becomes more clearly conceptualised (CTP4 and CTP5)
2011-2016
Living lab approach evolves and becomes more clearly conceptualised
2011
Tim Rootsaerts, Dimitri Schuurman, Bram Lievens and Koen Vervoort become employees of iMinds
2012
IBBT is changed into iMinds
2013
Integration of business modelling
2013

Developing a Business Model
2013
iMinds living labs started to build up a case to understand its own added value
2013
Integration of business modelling
2014
FIWARE project starts
2014
EU projects are important for validation
2014-2015
Dimitri Schuurmans' PhD
Beginning of 2015
iMinds will be restructured, the position and future of the living labs unit gets questioned (CTP5 and CTP6)
2015
Bootcamps and masterclasses about the living lab approach
End of 2015
Move from Ghent to Technology Park in Zwijnaarde
December 2015
Publication of ‘ Exploring the Benefits of Integrating Business Model Research within Living Lab Projects’
End of 2015
City of Things promises to be a new critical turning point (CTP4 and CTP5)
2015
Impact study shows that the living labs within iMinds are very successful and impactful
End of 2015
Bootcamps and masterclasses about the living lab approach (CTP4 and CTP5)
End of 2015
City of Things promises to be a new critical turning point
2015
Impact evaluation shows added value of the living lab approach (CTP2, CTP3, CTP4 and CTP5)
2015
iMinds is a main partner in the City of Things in Antwerp
End of 2015
City of Things promises to be a new critical turning point
2016

New iMinds structure
2015-2016
iMinds and Imec merge
2015-2016
iMinds and Imec merge
May 2016
EWI Vlaanderen study reported positively about iMinds living labs
24th of February 2016
Smart Cities Seminar and Book Launch
First quarter of 2017
The centre for new media aims to open
Early 2017
iMinds living labs move
First quarter of 2017
Opening of the centre for new media

2008

Initiating iBrussels

iBrussels is an initiative that was developed at the level of the Brussels region (Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest). The project aimed at providing the entire city of Brussels with (free) wireless internet and was inspired by the iCity project in Hasselt.

Read more

10 related events
1994
Development of fiber network in Brussels
2000's
EU aims to develop Europe as one market (CTP1 and CTP2)
2004
WiFi in the city is ‘hot’
2004
Elections in Flanders and Brussels (CTP1 and CTP2)
2004
Frank Bekkers initiates the iCity project in Hasselt
2006
ENoLL is established
2007
iCity organized a congress that show-cased findings of the project
2007
OICB was re-branded to iLab.o
2007
iPhone was launched (CTP1 and CTP2)
2009
Elections in Flanders and the interviewee (CTP 1,2) leaves the cabinet and joins iLabO
2009

Consolidating 3 Flemish living lab projects

The consolidation of 3 Flemish living lab projects that were set up around ICT use and focused mainly on entrepreneurs, eventually played strong role in laying the foundations for the organisation "iMinds Living Labs".

Read more

9 related events
2006
ENoLL is established
2007
OICB was re-branded to iLab.o
2009-2012
Prof. Pieter Ballon leads the EU project APOLLON (CTP1, CTP2 and CTP3)
2009
Elections in Flanders and interviewee (CTP 1,2) leaves the cabinet and joins iLab.o
2010
ENoLL becomes an iVZW based in Brussels (CTP1 and CTP2)
2012
IBBT is changed into iMinds
2013
iMinds living labs started to build up a case to understand its own added value
2015
Impact evaluation shows added value of the living lab approach (CTP2, CTP3, CTP4 and CTP5)
2015
iMinds is a main partner in the City of Things in Antwerp
2009

Questioning the Flemish living lab projects

When the 3 Flemish living lab projects (CTP 2) were running for more or less half a year, two of its project staff members started to question if the living labs projects were actually achieving what they intend to achieve. This was the start of a new approach.

Read more

5 related events
2009
Engagement of iLab.o and IBBT in the facilitation of the three Flemish living lab projects
2010
The three living lab projects (VPP, LeYLab and Mediatuin) were initiated
An evaluation that showed that VPP and LeYLab were not successful
2014
FIWARE project starts
2014
EU projects are important for validation
2011

An iMinds Living Lab team

This CTP marks the beginning of the process in which more and sophisticated and clearly conceptualised methods and approaches that are used in the living lab are being developed.

Read more

9 related events
2009
the current (March 2016) Operations manager of iMinds Living Labs joins iLab.o (CTP4 and CTP5)
2009-2011
Three living lab projects are prepared and implemented (CTP4 and CTP5)
2011
Tim Rootsaerts, Dimitri Schuurman, Bram Lievens and Koen Vervoort become employees of iMinds
2011-2016
The living lab approach evolves and becomes more clearly conceptualised (CTP4 and CTP5)
2013
Integration of business modelling
End of 2015
Bootcamps and masterclasses about the living lab approach (CTP4 and CTP5)
End of 2015
City of Things promises to be a new critical turning point (CTP4 and CTP5)
First quarter of 2017
The centre for new media aims to open
First quarter of 2017
Opening of the centre for new media
2013

Developing a Business Model

In 2013 a new staff members joins the iMinds Living Labs teams and he brings in expertise on business modelling. As a consequence the package of services that iMinds can offer changes and this creates new opportunities and brings in new dynamics.

Read more

8 related events
2011-2016
Living lab approach evolves and becomes more clearly conceptualised
2013
Integration of business modelling
2014-2015
Dimitri Schuurmans' PhD
Beginning of 2015
iMinds will be restructured, the position and future of the living labs unit gets questioned (CTP5 and CTP6)
December 2015
Publication of ‘ Exploring the Benefits of Integrating Business Model Research within Living Lab Projects’
End of 2015
City of Things promises to be a new critical turning point
2015-2016
iMinds and Imec merge
24th of February 2016
Smart Cities Seminar and Book Launch
2016

New iMinds structure

This critical turning point elaborates on the new structure of iMinds and then mainly zooms in on the consequences that this has for the iMinds Living Lab unit.

Read more

8 related events
2008-2015
Development of living lab methods and Living Lab Academy
2015
Impact study shows that the living labs within iMinds are very successful and impactful
2015
Bootcamps and masterclasses about the living lab approach
End of 2015
Move from Ghent to Technology Park in Zwijnaarde
End of 2015
City of Things promises to be a new critical turning point
2015-2016
iMinds and Imec merge
May 2016
EWI Vlaanderen study reported positively about iMinds living labs
Early 2017
iMinds living labs move

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Living Labs ‐ Imec living labs (former iMinds Living Labs) (Belgium)

Initiating iBrussels

Questioning the Flemish living lab projects

Consolidating 3 Flemish living lab projects

An iMinds Living Lab team