From Dreams to Virtual Reality 
 
Flanders Multimedia Valley (FMV) is a cluster initiative aimed at providing a dynamic and innovative working environment for companies engaged in a sector that is continually pushing out the boundaries of achievement in the dissemination of both information and entertainment.

Some 100 businesses and organizations are members of the cluster and include Interelectra, Cegeka, RUG, AnaXis and PIMC. Most FMV members are small or medium sized companies active in online and offline multimedia production, content and application development, Internet services and E-business & E-government.

A major supporting organization for companies within the cluster is the university-based Expertise Center for Digital Media (EDM), an applied research organization. With a team of some 50 ICT specialists, its research covers computer graphics, animation and virtual reality, multimedia technology and telematics, and multimedia environments. Flanders Multimedia Valley has also gone into partnerships with other knowledge institutions and programs such as the Media & Design Academy (KHLim), Master in E-Media Engineering (Groep T) School for Information Technology (tUL), IMEC and the Free University of Brussels Iris research department.

Flanders Multimedia Valley is officially recognized as a Flemish innovation cluster. As such, the organization's most important goal is to stimulate technological innovation among Flemish multimedia companies. On average, FMV has helped members in obtaining research funds worth more than €2.5 million a year. FMV's innovation guidance consists of benchmarking, partnership search, market analysis and technology advice. Other services include offering frequent seminars, training programs, promotion initiatives and international benchmarking and networking (through the European Multimedia Forum).

Since 1999 Flanders Multimedia Valley has evolved into a full-grown cluster, creating a Flemish multimedia network foreign investors find appealing to tap into.

More info: www.fmvvalley.org