Enhancing Industrial Inspiration and Resilience
Creative Collab
Interactive day with creatives and CEO's of technical companies: brainstorm about real challenges
Overview
What has been done
The pilot aimed to stimulate interaction between technical and creative professionals. We invited 45 creative students and entrepreneurs, together with the CEOs of two technical companies, to the Talent Campus in Pelt, a former industrial area historically known for zinc production. The day started with a general welcome and an introduction to the project and programme. Participants were then divided into two groups for on-site company visits. During the “pokébrain” lunch (combining a poké bowl meal with knowledge sharing), the CEOs presented their companies and pitched their future challenges. In the afternoon, participants were divided into six groups to brainstorm solutions for three challenges from each company.
Why was it needed locally
The pilot aimed to stimulate interaction between technical and creative professionals. This was intended to foster creativity, improve communication and collaboration, and encourage self-reflection within innovation-driven environments. Focusing on soft skills is crucial for the North Limburg region in order to manage the industrial transition, tackle persistent staff shortages and enhance the employability of talent.
Target Groups: How were they activated and their benefits
University / college – LUCA School of Arts
Activation: Students were personally invited through their final-year Product Design lecturer. In agreement with the department head, participation in the pilot was integrated into their curriculum.
Benefit: Students had the opportunity to connect their education with real business contexts. They were able to showcase their creative skills and talents to potential future employers or clients.
Industrial / technological SME – Burocad (printing); PAMI (office furniture)
Activation: Companies were selected by mapping of relevant businesses. Activation was achieved by intensive personal contact with CEOs via local networks and municipal connections, presentations to industrial associations, and outreach via social media and newsl
Benefit: During the brainstorming sessions, a wide range of ideas was generated to address their predefined challenges. This provided fresh perspectives and potential innovative solutions.
Creative SME – creative (solo) local entrepreneurs
Activation: Creative entrepreneurs were identified both individually and through local creative networks and freelancer communities, as well as through relevant local associations.
Benefit: They gained direct contact with students (potential future employees) as well as companies (potential clients or suppliers). This created opportunities for collaboration and business development.
Resources Required
Staff
2 staff members with competences in company preparation (guiding site visits, defining challenges clearly) and facilitating brainstorming sessions.
Space
Talent Campus Pelt (educational hub and meeting space) combined with on-site company visits.
Equipment
Screen, laptop, transport, flipcharts, Post-it notes, pens, tables, and chairs, and transport
Budget
Small: below 2,000 €
Budget of approx. 1.000 euro covering venue, F&B, equipment & materials, transport for the site visits, brainstorm facilitator.
Methods & Steps
Core Mechanism
Formats applied
Field trip / study tour:
In the morning, creative participants visited local technical companies to gain first-hand insights. These site visits served as inspiration and provided context for the brainstorming sessions later in the day.
Methods used: Company visits: A company visit, as a qualitative observation method, allows to observe reality and analyse interactions in their natural context. This approach was used to gain an understanding of day-to-day practices, corporate culture and information that cannot be gained from documents, interviews or presentations.Workshop:
In the afternoon, participants engaged in structured brainstorming workshops. They worked on real-life challenges presented by the companies visited earlier, generating ideas and potential solutions.
Methods used: Pressure Cooker Brainstorm : The pressure cooker method is an intensive brainstorming technique in which a multidisciplinary team works together in a very short space of time to solve problems or develop concrete concepts and ideas. This method fosters focused creativity (limited time = quick thinking, no filtering), breaks through patterns (thinking outside the box) and delivers immediate results (a wealth of ideas)Steps taken
Preparation
3 months
- Select partners: VLAIO (Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship), Talent Campus (a training centre and hub for education, entrepreneurship and services in North Limburg), municipality of Pelt, Arktos (Flemish centre of expertise dedicated to the personal and social development of children and young people, aged 6 to 25, in vulnerable situations)
- Mapping companies: Mapping and recruitment of companies through presentations (e.g. at Focus Noord, a network of entrepreneurs clubs in North Limburg), personal outreach, and site visits
- Find the creatives: Identification of creative participants via universities and colleges (creative programmes), entrepreneurs, and networks such as CLIP (Creative Limburg Innovation Platform initiated by POM Limburg, provincial development agency implementing socio-economic policy)
- Event organisation: Practical planning including location, transport, catering, materials, and logistics
- Communication: event page, registration form, direct email campaigns, social media posts, newsletters, and press outreach
Event execution
1 day
- Welcome coffee and intro: Informal welcome with coffee and croissants, followed by a short introduction to the programme of the day
- Site visits: Guided company tours (1.5 hours) led by the CEOs; participants were split into two groups, each visiting one company, using their own or organised transport
- Pokébrain lunch: Lunch with poké bowls combined with company pitches presenting their challenges
- Brainstorm sessions: “Pressure Cooker” method: participants worked in 6 groups on 3 challenges per company (6 rounds of 10 minutes), followed by 15 minutes of idea clustering and 6 rounds of 5-minute feedback
- Networking: Informal networking during breaks, supported by name badges, and concluded with a networking drink at the end of the day
After event
2-3 weeks
- Reporting: Collection and documentation of brainstorm results, and thanking partners and companies
- Communication: Sending a thank-you email, sharing results, and publishing a recap on social media
- Evaluation: Collecting feedback from participants to assess impact and improve future editions
- Matchmaking / partnership building: Connecting participants (students, creatives, companies) for potential collaborations or projects
Results
Measurable and Direct Outcomes
The local action brought about the following concrete results:
- Improved transversal skills: The pilot resulted in new collaborations and exchanges between creative professionals and companies, as well as among creatives themselves (including students, entrepreneurs, and organisations such as Arktos), fostering cross-sector interaction.
- Stakeholder awareness / network extensions: It also strengthened the local network by building connections between participants and project partners (VLAIO, Arktos, municipaltiy Pelt, companies).
- Business models: Partners are considering to repeat the action. Additionally, the Creative Collab format proved to be easily transferable and replicable in other regions, with different companies and participant groups.
Indirect Impacts
The pilot strengthened the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem in North Limburg by fostering a local hub for collaboration between creative and technical actors. It also led to follow-up initiatives, such as a starter programme for creative youth with Arktos NextGen, and contributed to exploring a sustainable business model for future editions. Overall, it supported the development of longer-term cross-sector collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Local Outlook / Follow-up
- Entrepreneurship programme for creative youth: Develop a follow-up programme that supports creative young people in building entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to position themselves towards technical companies as employees, freelancers, or entrepreneurs.
- Development of a local hub in Pelt: Further strengthen North Limburg as a hub where creatives and entrepreneurs can meet, collaborate, and co-create around innovation challenges.
- Repeat the Creative Collab in the future: In collaboration with local stakeholders, it was agreed that this format can be easily repeated now that it has been developed. It is a proven, ready-to-use concept that can be replicated with minimal additional cost or effort (“easy to copy-paste”).
Evaluation
Satisfaction - Overview
Participant feedback was highly positive, as reflected in the evaluation survey results. Companies appreciated the wide range of ideas generated and left the event with concrete inspiration for their challenges. Participants, in turn, valued the opportunity to work on real-life cases and found the day inspiring and engaging. The varied programme, including different locations and group compositions, contributed to a dynamic and enjoyable experience.
Satisfaction - Details
- Analysis of participant feedback : Feedback was highly positive across all target groups. Participants particularly valued the diverse mix of profiles, which enabled cross-sector exchange and networking opportunities. The combination of company visits, presentations and brainstorming was perceived as engaging.
- Key performance indicators: Strong engagement was evident, with 50 participants contributing across 6 brainstorm sessions and generating more than 200 ideas. The idea volume surpassed expectations, and energy stayed consistently high, in smaller breakout groups of 6–8 people.
The local action directly addressed the challenge of strengthening transversal soft skills and cross-sector inspiration in industrial regions. By bringing together creative professionals and technical experts, it created an environment where creativity, communication, collaboration, could be actively applied. The informal and interactive format allowed participants to demonstrate their skills in a tangible way to companies. This approach helped bridge the gap between sectors.
Transfer Hints
- Involve company CEOs: Inviting CEOs ensures strong engagement and gives weight and credibility to the event, increasing motivation for all participants.
- Include company visits: Site visits are essential to provide inspiration and a clear understanding of the company’s identity, activities, and challenges.
- Ensure ownership of creatives: Give creatives an active role in the process. Assign table facilitators to guide discussions, ensure equal participation, and support idea clustering.
- Work with real challenges: Using concrete, real-life company challenges increases relevance and leads to more applicable outcomes.
- Flexible target groups: The format can easily be adapted by selecting specific target groups of creatives, such as only professionals or only students, depending on local needs.
- Single-location format: The event can be organised within one company, combining the visit and brainstorming session in one place, making logistics simpler.
- Scalable format: The number of participants, companies, and challenges can be adjusted depending on available resources and objectives.
- Unclear challenges from companies: If company challenges are not well-defined in advance, brainstorm sessions can lack focus and impact.
- Insufficient facilitation during brainstorming: Without strong facilitation, discussions may remain superficial or dominated by a few participants. Clear roles and structure are key.
- Overly tight or unclear planning: A programme that is too rushed or not clearly communicated can reduce participant engagement and create confusion.
Participant Testimonials & Impressions
Impressions
Replicate This Application?
Access the complete implementation guide and connect with the team
Contact: Esther Vandebroek
Phone: +32488816955
Email: esther.vandebroek@stebo.be
Need more information?
Project manager:
Franziska Görmar
IfL - Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, Germany
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This project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.
Find more information about the x-Inno Radar project on the Interreg CE projectwebsite.
x-Inno Radar is a project of: 
Creative Region Linz & Upper Austria Gmbh, 
The Regional Chamber of Commerce of the Karlovy Vary Region, 
Padova Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture, 
Creative Industry Košice, n. o., 
BSC, Business support centre, ltd., Kranj, 
Regional Development Agency in Bielsko-Biała, 
Stebo Competence Centre Community Developmentm, 
Association of Cultural and Creative Industries Chemnitz and Region (Creative Chemnitz), Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography – Germany, Otelo Cooperative