SME stands for ‘Promoting Smart Mobility Abroad’ – Macq’s technological ambition.
Founded in 1923, Macq is a family-run business based in Brussels that specialises in mobility analysis and management technologies. Drawing on its long-standing expertise in sensors and automation systems, the company has gradually established itself as a recognised leader in the development of smart solutions for road safety and traffic management.
Today, its smart cameras and data analytics platforms are being deployed in Belgium and internationally to help public authorities better understand traffic flows and improve road safety. This development clearly illustrates the challenges faced by a technology-based SME: turning innovation into practical solutions, structuring its growth and promoting smart mobility across borders.
An interview with Nicolas Braun, CFO.
Could you tell me about Macq and what it does?
Macq is a family-run business founded in 1923. It was set up by the grandfather of our current CEO, François Macq, an engineer who, at the time, was developing tube radios.
The next generation steered the company towards the automation and monitoring of industrial processes, particularly in demanding environments such as the nuclear industry and cement works. Macq then developed sensors capable of transmitting information essential to decision-making.
When François Macq took over the company some thirty years ago, Wallonia’s industrial sector was in decline. He therefore decided to apply our technological expertise to a new sector: mobility.
Today, our flagship product is the NPR camera, a smart camera designed to improve road safety. Installed in public spaces, both in Belgium and internationally, it collects and analyses a wide range of data: number plate, vehicle make and model, mobile phone use whilst driving, estimated speed, number of passengers, vehicle classification, etc.
This information is centralised via a digital platform, combined with other data sources, and made available to local authorities to help them make informed decisions on safety and traffic management.
Contrary to popular belief, our role is not to facilitate the issuing of fines. Our primary aim is to help prevent accidents and make the roads safer for all road users: children near schools, pedestrians, cyclists and all drivers.
What challenges did you face when you applied for funding?
We sometimes like to say that Macq was a ‘sleeping beauty’: a company with real technological and human potential, but one that needed to organise its growth in order to realise that potential to the full.
The Covid period was both extremely difficult and transformative. In 2020, mobility came to a virtual standstill and public priorities shifted.
For us, this was a turning point. We had two options: to cut staff numbers or to invest heavily in research and development to transform our business model. We chose to invest.
The challenge was to move away from an approach heavily focused on bespoke solutions towards a more structured, standardised offering that could be rolled out on a larger scale. The aim was to build a genuine product range that could be replicated internationally.
The support from finance&invest.brussels was crucial. It enabled us to fund this strategic transition, against a backdrop of uncertainty, and to accelerate the transformation of our business model.
Could SME stand for ‘Promoting Smart Mobility Abroad’?
Exports are now a key driver of our growth. To persuade a country to invest in our solutions, we must first set up pilot projects: install our cameras, integrate local data into our platform and demonstrate in practical terms the added value of our technologies. These initiatives require time and significant investment.
The solutions offered by finance&invest.brussels, particularly those involving grace periods, have enabled us to launch these pilot projects in new markets, such as Poland and Africa, without compromising our financial stability.
This is a great way to support Brussels-based SMEs: enabling them to invest, trial new ideas, export and grow, whilst safeguarding their financial stability.
What stands out for you from your partnership with finance&invest.brussels?
Beyond the funding itself, what stands out most for us is the quality of our discussions. Our contacts understand finance, but they also grasp the day-to-day realities of running a technology and industrial company. They take a genuine interest in how we do business and in our prospects for growth.
You can really sense a genuine desire to help and support. This combination of financial expertise and a strategic understanding of the situation on the ground makes the partnership particularly valuable.
Looking for financing solutions for your SME? Find out more at https://finance.brussels/en/our-financing-solutions/sme/
