Government support consists of cash grants and public financing solutions, as well as tax benefits. The cash grants and public financing solutions are organized on a regional level, in particular by VLAIO – Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship via subsidies and by PMV, the investment company of the Flemish Government, in the form of (subordinated) loans, venture capital, warranties, etc.

VLAIO cash grants

VLAIO has several cash grants to offer companies. The most importants are:

• The SME e-wallet
• Ecology premium plus
• Strategic Transformation Support (STS)
• Strategic Ecology support
• SME Growth subsidy
• GREEN
• Innovation support:
  • R&D feasibility study
  • Development project
  • Research Project
  • Support for innovative starters
  • Baekeland mandates
  • Innovation mandates

For the complete overview of the VLAIO cash grants please take a look at Subsidies.

NCP Flanders

VLAIO is also the National Contact Point for the Flanders region for European support. 

NCP Flanders can help to:

• Navigate the EU funding landscape for research, innovation & digitalisation
• Shed light on administrative procedures & legal and financial rules
• Support in partner searches
• Support in preparing your proposal

We can introduce you to our NCP colleagues to check whether European support is possible for your project.

PMV

offers financing solutions to all companies that operate in Flanders. They cover a company’s entire development cycle, from its earliest inception to its growth and internationalization. Depending on the situation or the purpose of the SME or large company in question, PMV offers risk capital, guarantees for capital loans, advantageous loans or investments via external funds.

Learn more about PMV support via www.pmv.eu.

Tax incentives

Our VLAIO invest team often works together with the Fiscal Department for Foreign Investments (within the Federal Public Service of Finance) for a tailormade overview of the applicable tax benefits for specific investments projects. We would be happy to introduce you to this team to guide you towards to the main tax incentives, such as: measures for the logistic sector and headquarters, rulings, measures in favour of R&D (deduction of IP income, withholding tax for researchers, deduction for investment or tax credit, etc.), double taxation agreements, extension of the parent-subsidiary directive (withholding tax exemption), tax shelter for audiovisual works, stage works and gaming industry, VAT-unit, tax regime for expats, and further more. They can help you to apply the Belgian tax legislation in the field of corporate income tax, personal income tax, non-residents tax, VAT, customs and excise and more.

VLAIO’s subsidy database

All measures by VLAIO, Europe, PMV,  tax incentives, as well as employment benefits, social security reduction, cash grants offered on a provincial or city level or other governmental organisations, etc. can also be found in the VLAIO subsidy database. Please contact us for more information.