20 trainers will travel around Brussels municipalities for three years
AI for Brussels, an initiative of BECI, has set itself the goal of training 10,000 entrepreneurs over the next three years. NSI, one of the project’s first partners, is responsible for defining the training programs.
The adoption of AI in micro-enterprises and SMEs remains limited. No more than 15% according to a European study. Brussels is no exception. This situation reveals a potential that is still largely untapped. However, the expected benefits are considerable: optimization of operations, reduction of costs, and acceleration of innovation. Hence the AI for Brussels project by BECI (Brussels Enterprises Commerce & Industry): to train 10,000 entrepreneurs within three years!
The initiative is all the more ambitious as it targets companies of all sizes and in all sectors. “The project is in BECI’s DNA: apolitical and sector-neutral,” as Alain Heureux,
Member of the Board and of the Executive Committee, BECI, and General Manager of Virtuology Academy, points out. We want to raise awareness among law firms as well as the local florist. Because the potential of AI is limitless. And because every entrepreneur will benefit from it!
NSI will train 20 trainers, 20 “warriors”
According to an OpinionWay survey, 95% of customer interactions could now be managed by AI. It is therefore urgent for these organizations to understand these new technologies in order to remain competitive. “Many entrepreneurs tell me they want to get started, but don’t know which path to follow. Above all, they don’t know where the value lies. Our training courses will therefore focus precisely on value creation. “
In practical terms, NSI will train 20 independent trainers over a month and a half—20 ”warriors,” as Alain Heureux puts it—who will spread their expertise throughout the municipalities of Brussels. This will be a unique feature of the project: reaching out to entrepreneurs where they are active, in partnership with, for example, trade associations. In fact, it will operate like a roadshow!
The focus will be on identifying use cases
There will be no fixed training program. Different formats will be offered, depending on the expectations of the entrepreneurs. However, all training courses will be fee-based. “BECI will play its full role in raising awareness and providing support. We are here to generate enthusiasm and create momentum. “ In addition, organizations such as BeCode and Molengeek—already partners—will play their full role as digital facilitators.
The programs will cover different types of AI, such as agentic and generative AI. ”The focus will be on identifying use cases. In other words: what can AI do for me in the context of my business? In microbusinesses and even SMEs that are not in the tech sector, this is not at all clear. There is a huge amount of work to be done to make it more accessible. That’s our job!”
So, there will be no fixed training courses. AI for Brussels will offer different formats, which entrepreneurs can choose according to their expectations.
Funded solely by the private sector
AI for Brussels is set to officially launch on January 1, 2026. Between now and then, other partners will join to strengthen the initiative. These include SustAIn.brussels (Innoviris, Sirris | Innovation forward, and Agoria) and EULEP – European Learning Platform! Microsoft is also on board as a technology partner.
“Although we are starting from scratch, we have learned from the experience of the Microsoft Innovation Center led by Aurélie Couvreur, which has set itself an equally ambitious goal in Wallonia, and we have also observed what is being done in the north of the country…”
Training 10,000 entrepreneurs is a perfectly realistic goal. Brussels has 35,000 companies of all sizes and 100,000 self-employed people. “Now it’s up to us to create the wave! AI for Brussels will cost the public nothing; everything will be financed by the private sector,” Alain Heureux adds. “BECI will have played its role to the full: connecting businesses to opportunities, serving them by offering expert advice, training, and support services.”
