R&D Feasibility Study (O&O haalbaarheidsstudie)

R&D Feasibility Study (O&O haalbaarheidsstudie)

Offers Flemish businesses with matched support for short feasibility studies shaping future innovation.

The O&O Haalbaarheidsstudie (R&D Feasibility Study) is a VLAIO subsidy instrument designed to fund short experimental studies that test the technical and scientific viability of an ambitious planned innovation follow-up. The intended follow-up must be a VLAIO-eligible project — an Onderzoeksproject, Ontwikkelingsproject, or ICON project — and must offer sufficient potential for valorisation in Flanders. Defence-related projects became eligible under this instrument from 4 April 2025, following Flemish government reforms to R&D state-aid guidelines.

The study must run for a minimum of three months and a maximum of twelve months. Support is set at a base rate of 40% of accepted costs, rising to 50% for SMEs (base + 10% SME uplift). The maximum subsidy per company partner is EUR 50,000. Where multiple company partners participate in the same study, the total VLAIO subsidy across all partners is capped at EUR 500,000. The study must focus primarily on challenging technical and/or scientific uncertainties through experimental investigation; pure idea-generation exercises, market studies, and short-term problem-solving activities do not qualify. The applicant must demonstrate sufficient net working capital to cover the non-subsidised portion of the project costs, and must not be classified as a company in difficulty at the time of submission.

Applications are accepted on a continuous rolling basis via the VLAIO e-portal using the prescribed application templates. Eligible activities mirror those of the broader Onderzoeksproject and Ontwikkelingsproject instruments and include both technological and non-technological knowledge-acquisition activities that contribute to the development and validation of the planned innovation. The subsidy is exempt from Belgian corporate income tax. VLAIO business advisors can provide free guidance to applicants preparing a feasibility study proposal.