Accelerate. Land. Expand.
From Atlantic Canada to Europe — Benelux is your launchpad.
Unlock strategic market access in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg through Scale-up Hub Benelux — a tailored scale-up program designed for high-growth Atlantic Canadian companies.
What is the Benelux region?
The term ‘Benelux’ references three neighbouring states in Western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These three nations are involved in a politico-economic union, alliance, and formal international intergovernmental cooperation – making the region ideal for concurrent engagement.
Why the Benelux region?
The European Union (EU) is one of the most progressive regions in the world’s fight against climate change, dedicating significant financial resources and implementing a wide variety of regulations related to carbon emissions, renewable energy, and sustainability. As one of Europe’s top five industrial hubs by GDP, Benelux has a high density of carbon emissions concentrated in large industrial clusters that are located near major ports. This makes the region crucial to achieving the European Union’s reduction targets, and the level of climate investment in the region is driving economic activity across the clean tech spectrum.
Billions of Euros are being invested into the region’s energy and clean technology infrastructure – creating significant opportunities in areas that align with the clean tech capabilities of export-ready small to medium-sized enterprizes (SMEs) in Atlantic Canada like: onshore and offshore wind, carbon capture utilization and storage, clean fuels (i.e., hydrogen and its derivatives, renewable diesel) production and use, energy storage, environmental characterization and monitoring (i.e., sensors), SaaS, circular economy, digital and remote operations, smart cities and infrastructure, electrification, and many other net zero enablers.
The Benelux region is home to innovation hubs which will provide Atlantic Canadian SMEs the opportunity to integrate themselves within ecosystems and act as a launchpad from which to pursue the broader EU opportunities in the long term.
About Scale-up Hub Benelux
Scale-up Hub Benelux (the Program) helps SMEs throughout Atlantic Canada to unlock new partnerships, gain market access, and position themselves for long-term growth across the EU, using the Benelux region as their launchpad for market expansion and trade diversification.
The program supports will include:
Strategic Market Entry Services
- Dedicated business development services with expertise in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
- Sector-specific insight and partner/buyer identification according to specific SME needs.
- Regulatory and procurement guidance for the EU and the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), and IP strategy development and advice for Europe.
Landing Pad & Operational Hub
- 10–12 months in-market execution (includes planning and follow-up).
- Two in-market trade missions between March 2026 and March 2027. Trade missions will be customized and cater to the needs and opportunities of the SMEs entered into the Program.
- On-the-ground base for meetings, collaboration, and client engagement in strategic locations.
Market Activation & Lead Generation
- Lead generation, investor access, R&D partner/program identification (i.e. Horizon Europe, Eureka, Eurostars), and integration into relevant local cleantech ecosystem(s).
Investment Access & Capital Support
- Connections to EU-based angel investors, venture capitalists, corporate investors, and green finance programs/organizations.
- Investor readiness workshops, pitch preparation, and deal facilitation.
Eligible companies
The Program will be open to a cohort of up to 15 SMEs based in Atlantic Canada that provide exportable technologies and/or services related to:
- Renewable energy – solar, onshore and offshore wind, hydro, etc.
- Energy efficiency – equipment, infrastructure, storage/batteries, software, etc.
- Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)
- Circular economy – advanced waste management, biofuels, bioproducts, etc.
- Digital, remote, and autonomous operations including sensors, SaaS, digital twins, etc.
- Net zero enablers – clean logistics, electrification, port technology, environmental monitoring, etc.
Participating companies will be required to have the proven capacity to engage in long-term international business development, including the capacity to travel multiple times to Europe for the program and dedicate time on a continuous basis throughout the program timeframe. SMEs must have a commercialized technology/service that has generated revenue or have a new innovative technology/service that is ready for export. Preference will be given to companies with existing sales and experience in the European market.
Please refer to the Program Guidelines by clicking the link in the sidebar which outline eligibility in detail.
Costs and benefits
The Program participation fee: $1995.00 ($1,750.00 + $245.00 HST)
Participating businesses will be expected to contribute $1995.00 to access the Program and its services.
In return, businesses will receive up to $10,000 in consulting services in addition to in-market and logistical supports – plus insights from program partners, their networks, and Trade Commissioners within the region.
Applications for the Program must be received by Friday, December 19, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. AST.
How to apply
To submit your application, please click on the link below.
Applicants will be assessed for suitability. Only those selected will be required to submit the Program participation fee.
Contacts
econext is leading the Program in collaboration with the Government of Canada, the governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and tech NL.
Nova Scotia
Diana Ocampo, CITP, Export Development Executive — Clean Technology
Invest Nova Scotia
902.222.0595
diana.ocampo@investnovascotia.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador (Project Lead)
Kieran Hanley, Chief Economic Development Officer
econext
709.979.0403
kieran@econext.ca
New Brunswick
Stephanie Savary, Export Development Executive / Chargé du développement des exportations
Opportunities NB / Opportunités NB
506.566.1373
stephanie.savary@onbcanada.ca
Prince Edward Island
Doug MacDonald, Senior Investment Officer
Innovation PEI
902.314.0897
dougmacdonald@gov.pe.ca
Newfoundland & Labrador
Wayne Roebothan, Provincial Trade Commissioner
Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development
709.729.0594
wayneroebothan@gov.nl.ca
This project is supported by the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces through the Atlantic Trade, Investment, and Growth Agreement.
