Brussels to California: keeping the American Dream alive

Published the 27 October 2025

Despite turbulent headlines, the United States remains an essential economic partner. A clear sign of Brussels’ ambition? The recent princely mission to California, led by HRH Princess Astrid — a resounding success. Behind it lies a well-honed strategy to help Brussels-based companies make their mark on the world’s largest market.

Thirty-seven Brussels companies took part in the mission, which gathered nearly 500 Belgian delegates in total. Organised by hub.brussels and its regional counterparts, the large-scale trade mission led to the signing of 60 contracts, including 7 for Brussels-based firms, and 2 memoranda of understanding between the regional foreign trade agencies and the state of California.

These successes owe much to deep local expertise. We spoke to Eric Gabrys, our representative in San Francisco, who works every day to build bridges between Brussels and Silicon Valley.

Why an office in California?

Eric Gabrys: “Because it’s home to the world’s largest tech ecosystem — and our growth-oriented companies need to be there. California alone is a colossal market: the population of Los Angeles County exceeds that of 40 US states. It also hosts 57 S&P 500 companies. The momentum here is incredible: when we opened the office in 2012, California was the 8th largest economy in the world. Today, it’s 4th — ahead of Japan — with a nominal GDP of $4.1 trillion.”

How do you support Brussels companies?

E.G.: “Over the past 13 years, we’ve built a strong local network with over 5,000 business contacts and 100 experts. We’ve already supported more than 1,000 Brussels companies. We help them fine-tune their value proposition for the US market, navigate legislation, take part in trade shows… In short, we’re their anchor on the West Coast. We’re also a key contact for attracting investment into Brussels.”

Do current EU–US relations affect our exporters?

E.G.: “Tariffs on European goods are certainly a challenge. But it’s worth remembering: the United States remains our top partner outside the EU. And Brussels has a natural strength — services: tech, consultancy, digital. Tariffs don’t apply to services, which means our niche is naturally protected.”

East or West: where should companies focus in the US?

E.G.: “The golden rule is: follow your clients. The West Coast — and Silicon Valley in particular — is the natural playground for tech companies, drawn by venture capital, innovation ecosystems, and giants like Alphabet and NVIDIA. The East Coast, meanwhile, is the go-to hub for agrifood, thanks to a dense network of importers and distributors.”

How did the last economic mission go?

E.G.: “It was a real success! Together with FIT and AWEX, we organised over 100 activities. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the spotlight was on artificial intelligence, an ecosystem of more than 1,000 companies and 70,000 professionals. In Los Angeles, the focus was on the creative industries — entertainment, media and design. Two complementary ecosystems, one incredibly rich mission.”

Looking to export to Silicon Valley? Get in touch with Eric!
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The United States in a few numbers

The US is Brussels’ main trade partner in the Americas, and its largest outside the EU.

When it comes to services, the US ranks 6th, accounting for 7% of Brussels’ total service exports. At national level, the figure rises to 12%, making it Belgium’s 3rd-largest export market for services.

In California, the focus is on high-tech sectors: computer hardware, semiconductors and microelectronics, software and digital services, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and robotics.

In 2022 alone, this sector generated nearly $620 billion, making it California’s largest contributor to the US economy. The region is home to global tech leaders like NVIDIA, Apple, Meta and Alphabet — all major drivers of innovation.