New innovation pathways with Student Lab 2026
How can you attract international talent to your company?
Co-organized by OpenHub and The POD, with the support of AILouvain and Agoria, this event is designed for companies looking to explore how the StudentLabs program can become a strategic lever for their innovation roadmap.
StudentLabs offers companies a unique opportunity to collaborate with Belgian and international students on real innovation challenges. Backed by expert coaching from OpenHub engineers and a structured methodology, the program delivers concrete results quickly and affordably. Companies benefit from creative input, fresh perspectives, and full visibility throughout the process. The POD contributes by mobilizing its local digital member companies to feed the StudentLabs pipeline with concrete business challenges and project ideas for the 2026 edition.
During this event, you'll hear from companies that worked with international students and past participants, understand how the program works in practice, and explore the opportunity to submit your own project ideas for the 2026 edition.
Who is it for?
This event is intended for companies based in Wallonia, Brussels, or Flanders that are active in innovation, product development, digital or operational strategy, and are looking for new forms of collaboration with talented students.
Detailed program
12:15 – 13:00 | Welcome & Lunch
Informal networking lunch upon arrival.
13:00 | Institutional introduction
Welcome speech by the Rector of UCLouvain.
13:15 – 13:30 | Student Labs program overview
Presentation by OpenHub.
13:45 – 14:15 | Experience sharing
• Two companies that took part in the 2025 edition
• One student from the 2025 cohort
14:15 – 14:30 | Student Labs in practice
How the program works, step-by-step, and what’s expected from participating companies.
14:30 – 16:00 | Project framing sessions
Open discussion tables with companies and OpenHub experts to explore and define potential projects for the 2026 edition.
⚠️ Registration - Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.