With this programme, VLAIO wants to encourage starters to push back frontiers and to aim at strong growth trajectories. We do this by providing innovative starters with a mix of financial support (€50,000), external expert guidance and business case advice. 

VLAIO especially targets starters who have the ambition to grow quickly and who are also able to do this. For that reason, SEs must have the potential to create at least 5 FTE jobs in Flanders within the first 5 years after the project has been completed. If it seems plausible that your company will be able to create these jobs within the above-mentioned time period, you can apply for the support. 

Only SEs that can be considered pioneers in their field should apply for this subsidy, i.e. you have a different approach than your competitors and therefore wish to acquire new knowledge and insights. Your innovative project should be more than simply combining known solutions and techniques, your project should require research and development (an iterative trajectory of research, development, testing). 

Applicants should have a competent team at their disposal (either within or outside their enterprise), are building up a network and have thought about how they will establish any missing connections. 

The implementation of your project may be flexible, but you should have a clear vision of both a suitable approach and the goals your project should have reached at the end. This can also be called a ‘Proof of Business’. The ‘Proof of Concept’ (in both technical and non-technical knowledge domains) can be part of this. Your project should require at least one FTE or €70,000, should have a duration between 6 and 12 months and can only start at the earliest at the first day of the month following the month of the submission date.  

You can only apply for this support by contacting one of the selected VLAIO partners. These partners are Agoria, Sirris, Imec.istart, Voka, Unizo, Start-it @ KBC, Birdhouse, Flanders DC, Flanders’ Space, Flanders’ FOOD, LRM - Limburg Startup and VLAIO Team Bedrijfstrajecten.

Please note: Partners need to have your application before the deadline to make a pre-selection. Contact the partner of your choice at least 3 weeks before the submission date to agree when you need to submit your application to them to participate in the next selection procedure.