The Innovation Park Vision
I had a vision of Innovation Park shortly before I started travelling the world in 2017-2018. The phrase, “I am a creator” popped into my mind several years ago and changed my life
Co-growth had always been one of my core values and I realised that building a community would be how this manifested. The community would provide the best resources, wealth and support for innovative businesses to be built and change the world we live in, step by step.
The vision seemed almost impossible
When I asked the few investors I knew, they were adamant I couldn’t achieve it — even if I dedicated my life to it. That was fine with me. I decided I was still going to do it… Even after several unsuccessful attempts, which helped to shape the vision even better.
Eventually in 2020-2021,
my team members found me. One by one, all sharing similar values and visions, showing up in the strangest of synchronicities at the perfect moment. We found support from the Flanders Investment group and many other businesses, investors and professionals. It was clear that this time, nothing would stop us from founding Innovation Park.
Finally, the vision had come to life
I have the tools to link innovation companies, investors, family businesses and expanding corporations to co-create and co-support. Our international network is constantly reinvesting into itself and expanding. New, sustainable, groundbreaking ideas are bubbling away. Little by little, we are changing our world.
Innovation Knows No Borders
Many companies are willing to implement their inventions in a range of countries or internationally. Businesses grow, expand and optimize for the most effective and lean structure, with readily available investment and professionals to back them up and help them succeed.
Some businesses are looking at how to optimize their taxes so they can invest more in business growth
Other business owners decide where they want to live now that they can actually choose their homes and need support with the logistics
One day back in 2017 in Canada
I sat with my husband and business partner, discussing options for getting a second passport and what would best benefit our business and life.
After consuming hundreds of blogs and articles, Belgium was our primary choice – except there was little information on the actual total cost of our move. And even less information on who could support us and what they could do. The estimates for the cost I was seeing varied from ten thousand to half a million euros. What a range! It was impossible to plan for because of the lack of consistency.
I decided to reach out to some local Canadian businesses
and big firms specializing in tax optimization and offshore business paperwork, but couldn’t make it through to anyone. My emails were unanswered, calls met with requests to email, and when I finally came to the firm in person, I was told that they don’t accept walk-ins. Just like that.
Eventually I had to subscribe to a bunch of online subscriptions and through one of them, got a referral to a firm where my now legal partner worked. That changed everything.
A Tangled Immigration Experience
Long story short, my business and family move to Belgium took almost 2 years and over $100k in various expenses, some of them having to do with COVID delays in the middle of the immigration. At one point, we had a week of waiting and were ready to buy plane tickets for the whole family to fly to Canada in the middle of lockdown and quarantine in a hotel room for 2 weeks in both countries just for an extra passport stamp before going back. Another moment, we had to simultaneously hire 2 different legal companies because our case didn’t “go as planned” and we needed more support, for which we got billed hourly. It was clear: there was:
- No company or service that would support me throughout the whole transition
- No solution to help me navigate the bureaucracy, read and fill out paperwork in French and Dutch
- No understanding how to do the simplest things like submitting an insurance claim or customs declarations
Be The Person Who You Needed
When You Were Younger
Innovation Park is everything I ever needed during different stages of my business. It’s not an incubator or accelerator but rather a collaboration network for innovation.
Maybe you have an innovative startup you pivoted away from and someone else wants to buy a new innovative business
Or you want to move to Europe with your family and live a good lifestyle while having a fully managed-for-you business, knowing you’re fully supported with all paperwork you’ll have to deal with. Possibly, you are looking for ways to optimize your business structure and innovative ways to invest.
Meet the team
Julia Vorontsova
Marketing development specialist, Revenue Optimization Strategist
Monika Frackowiak
Business Immigration and International Tax Expert
Alex Temiz
Business Research and Grant Writer
Natalia Belousova
Creative Director