Brussels, Belgium - October 10, 2025 – This week, the Belgian economic mission to the United States, led by Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, visited Microsoft’s Bay Area Campus. This visit underscores the strong partnership between Microsoft and Belgium in shaping the digital future. For Microsoft, a company with a long presence in Belgium, this mission is about the value of transatlantic collaboration to drive innovation and growth.
Belgium’s Digital Transformation
Belgium’s digital journey is one we are proud to be a part of. For more than 30 years, Microsoft has worked hand in hand with Belgian businesses, governments, and institutions, to build a strong and dynamic digital ecosystem. Our commitment has always been to support Belgium’s digital transformation, by investing in digital infrastructure, making sure people learn the necessary AI skills of tomorrow, and to let technology serve society as a whole.
That is why we launched the Digital AmBEtion plan in 2021: a multi-year investment plan with the goal of accelerating Belgium’s digital transformation. It is built on three key pillars: delivering world-class digital infrastructure, supporting the development of digital skills with a strong focus on AI training, and creating meaningful societal impact. Through this plan, we launched the AI National Skilling Initiative, aiming to equip 600,000 people in Belgium with essential AI skills by 2028. I believe the benefits of AI must be accessible to everyone.
European Commitment
These efforts are part of Microsoft’s broader Digital European Commitments. These cover a number of areas, including the commitment to expand our Cloud and AI infrastructure across the continent with 40% over the next two years. This is one of the largest infrastructure investments in Microsoft’s history in Europe and reflects Microsoft’s priorities: to support Europe’s competitiveness and resilience, boost economic growth, and ensure the digital stability that fuels innovation.
Marijke Schroos, General Manager, Microsoft Belgium and Luxembourg
These investments must go together with trust and control. That is why we strengthen our commitment to digital sovereignty and data protection. We meet customers’ digital sovereignty needs through initiatives such as the EU Data Boundary, giving greater choice to customers with our Sovereign Public and Sovereign Private Clouds, Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty and the Azure ExpressRoute interconnect node in Brussels. These initiatives show our commitment to comply with European regulations, providing advanced cybersecurity protection, and enabling organizations to innovate while maintaining full control over their data.
Long-term Engagement
The Belgian Economic Mission to the United States reminds us that our digital future is shaped through cooperation across borders. Transatlantic partnerships, based on trust and innovation, are essential to ensure that Europe and Belgium remain at the forefront of the digital age. We are honored to welcome HRH Princess Astrid and this large business delegation to our Campus, and this is also a tangible symbol of Microsoft’s long-term engagement with Belgium: more than three decades of presence in Belgium, collaboration across sectors, and a deep belief that digital innovation can drive sustainable growth for the country.
As Belgium moves forward, Microsoft will continue to stand alongside businesses, policymakers, and citizens, to make sure that we seize the opportunities of the digital age. Our commitment is thus clear: to help build a digitally secure and economically vibrant Belgium.
By Marijke Schroos, General Manager, Microsoft Belgium and Luxembourg
Strengthening Transatlantic Ties for Belgium’s Digital Future