ICON (Interdisciplinary Cooperative Research)

ICON (Interdisciplinary Cooperative Research)

Supports cooperative demand driven research bridging Flemish strategic research centres clusters and at least independent Flemish companies.

ICON (Interdisciplinair Coöperatief Onderzoek) is VLAIO's instrument for demand-driven, cooperative R&D projects in which Flemish research organisations partner with a minimum of three independent Flemish companies to develop new knowledge with practical industrial application. The programme occupies the bridge position between fundamental research and industrial deployment, combining a research component executed by the research organisation and an industry component executed by the participating companies. Both SMEs and large enterprises — including non-profit associations with economic activity — can participate as industrial partners.

Industrial partners receive VLAIO support through the Onderzoeksproject mechanism at rates of 25% to 60% of accepted project costs, with SME uplifts and cooperation bonuses applying as under the standard Onderzoeksproject rules. Minimum award thresholds and maximum caps follow the Onderzoeksproject scale (minimum subsidy equivalent of EUR 100,000; maximum EUR 3 million). Access to ICON is exclusively through one of VLAIO's recognised intermediary organisations: the two Strategic Research Centres (imec.icon for semiconductors/AI, Flanders Make for manufacturing), or one of the seven Spearhead Clusters (Blauwe Cluster for blue economy, Biovia for health innovation, Catalisti for chemistry/plastics, ENT.A for experience innovation, Flanders' FOOD for food, Flux50 for energy systems, VIL for supply chains). Thematic ICON programmes also exist for specific policy priorities; the currently active thematic programme is MateriNex, covering sustainable materials research.

The clusters and Strategic Research Centres publish their own calls for ICON project proposals at irregular intervals throughout the year. Industrial partners engage with the relevant intermediary to scope a project concept that aligns with the intermediary's defined market segments, co-develop the research agenda with the research partners, and then submit their funding request to VLAIO via the Onderzoeksproject portal. VLAIO subsidies awarded to companies under ICON are exempt from Belgian corporate income tax.