Technology, Art and Innovation at the Winter Circus in Ghent

Presentation Description

Once upon a time, in the city of Ghent, Belgium, there was a permanent circus that captivated audiences for five decades with stunning performances featuring dancers, acrobats, and elephants.

The circus closed its doors in 1944. In 1947, a car dealer transformed the venue into a garage, selling cars until 1978. Afterward, the owner used the space as a depot for vintage vehicles before ultimately selling it to the city.

After years of neglect, the building fell into a state of disrepair until Ghent initiated a renovation project. A consortium of entrepreneurs came together to revitalize the circus, transforming it into a dynamic hub where technology, art, and innovation converge.

The new Winter Circus officially opened on September 6, 2024. Being one of the early investors in the project, Bruno Lowagie will talk about the past, present, and future of the initiative.

Presenter Bio

Bruno Lowagie
Bruno is the original developer of iText, an open-source PDF library. Together with his wife, Ingeborg, he founded iText Group, a company with subsidiaries in the US, Belgium and Singapore. The couple built the business from startup to exit. Today, they live in Ghent, Belgium, where they engage in several projects, one of which is the Winter Circus, an innovative place with a fascinating history where technology, art, and innovation converge.
Bruno Lowagie