First open AI & Robotics Lab in Belgium
The Vessel
vessel /ˈves.əl/
- A container. Something that holds things.
- A ship. A way to get somewhere.
- A carrier. Something that moves more than itself.
The Vessel is an open robotics and AI lab in the Antwerp port area, supported by Port of Antwerp-Bruges. It’s the start of North Star’s next chapter.
Think of it as a “forever hackathon”: something that runs continuously, projects rotate, people come and go, but the knowledge compounds.
In our first year we built the largest AI and robotics community in Belgium: 800+ builders, 18 events, 20+ hires through our ecosystem, active across six cities. The Vessel is the next step. Instead of one-off events, builders now get sustained access to hardware, industrial context, and real challenges.
The Port of Antwerp-Bruges provides the space and operational context. For them, it’s a new model for engaging emerging technical talent.
During the founding period (through August 2026), we run two core programs. Open Lab Thursdays are weekly coworking days starting March 19th open to anyone who builds. Future in Bloom is a hackathon series where teams spend a day building around challenges in robotics, AI, and automation.
A vessel has a destination. This is the start of our journey.
We’re open for partnerships. Whether you want to sponsor what we’re building, bring a real AI or robotics challenge to the lab, or help shape the skills pipeline so the talent matches what you need, reach out: filip@ns2agi.com
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