VLAIO (Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen)
Supports Flemish small and medium enterprises with innovation aid, competitiveness coaching, and market-readiness financing.
VLAIO (Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen) is Flanders' regional innovation and entrepreneurship agency. It operates under the Flemish Government and serves companies active in the Flemish Region, while Wallonia and Brussels use separate agencies. Its public help line and adviser network make it the main first stop for Flemish firms looking for R&D or innovation support.
The strongest routes are Onderzoeksproject and Ontwikkelingsproject, with support for feasibility studies, innovative startup support, innovation mandates, cooperative research through ICON, innovation clusters, and BEL-COO trans-regional projects. The research project route funds 25-60% of project costs with a minimum budget equivalent to a EUR 100,000 subsidy, while starter support reaches EUR 50,000 and several project routes reach up to EUR 3 million. The agency also links to sectoral work in energy, biotech, manufacturing, semiconductors, materials, and AI infrastructure.
VLAIO tends to back projects that start from a clear innovation question and need new knowledge before the market step. The application flow is digital and Dutch-language, but the agency's advisory staff are structured around helping firms shape proposals, not only receiving them. Since April 2025, defense-related projects can also qualify under the Flemish defense plan.