Put your growth plans into practice with the SME growth subsidy
VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship) launched a new call for projects for ambitious SMEs on 20 March. Projects dealing with internationalisation, digitisation, sustainable and circular entrepreneurship or innovation are eligible for financial support.
The SME growth subsidy is intended to support companies that want to explore new markets or launch new products on the market. Project proposals are only eligible for financial support if they are in line with certain important social themes.
The first call for the SME growth subsidy for 2025 will open in mid-March. The relevant themes for this call are: internationalisation; digitisation; sustainable and circular entrepreneurship; and innovation. Small and medium-sized enterprises from all sectors can submit a project proposal.
Does your project idea fit within these themes? Then you can submit your project proposal from 20 March to 22 April.
Conditions
Below you can find the principal conditions for the SME growth subsidy:
- Limited to SMEs operating in Flanders;
- Intended for gaining strategic advice from an external service provider or hiring an employee with a strategic profile
- With a maximum subsidy amount of € 50,000 per growth project
In addition, you may not have received any financial support over the past 36 months within the scope of an SME growth subsidy or a digital transformation project.
Evaluation
Upon assessment of the project proposals submitted, the following 4 criteria are taken into account:
- Ambition: does the applicant have a concrete and ambitious vision?
- Transformation: does this growth project have an impact on current operations and/or critical business processes?
- Substantiated approach: does the company have a well-thought-out roadmap to realise the growth project?
- Need for know-how & expertise: could the company implement the growth project successfully without acquiring certain knowledge?
Practical information
The first SME growth subsidy call of 2025 is open from Thursday 20 March 2025 to Tuesday 22 April 2025 at 11.59 pm. Submit your application.
Do you want to learn more about the SME growth subsidy or do you have any questions on the topic? Please contact VLAIO.
