The 20th edition of the European Congress on Biotechnology (ECB2026), which will be held in the vibrant city of Antwerp. The over-arching theme for this edition of the Congress is “Shaping tomorrow: Biotechnology for Health, Food, Energy, Environment” — issues of global importance that demand collaboration across Industry, Academia, Research Institutes, and national governments. Congress participants will also be invited to submit their work to be considered for publication in a special issue of the EFB journal, New Biotechnology.