Belgian Grants by Sector — Which Startup Gets What

Belgian grant agencies design programs around strategic priorities that differ by sector. A biotech startup in Ghent faces completely different options from a creative studio in Brussels, even at the same stage. Knowing your sector's landscape is the fastest way to narrow the search.

This guide covers the main sectors — technology, green, health, and creative — with the key programs, typical amounts, and application tips for each. For a personalised match, try Lucas, BelGrant's AI assistant.

The Belgian grant landscape includes over 200 active programs. Filtering by sector eliminates most of the noise and lets you focus on the 5 to 10 programs that genuinely target startups like yours.

Tech startups benefit from the broadest support. VLAIO SME innovation grants cover up to 45% of innovation costs, with maxima around €250,000. Innoviris in Brussels offers Explore grants (up to €50,000) and Prove grants (up to €200,000) for prototyping and feasibility.

Wallonia supports tech ventures through Digital Wallonia and DGO6 R&D programs. Federal incentives like the partial wage tax exemption for R&D staff apply to all tech companies regardless of region.

The European Innovation Council and Horizon Europe also provide substantial funding for Belgian tech startups with strong international innovation potential.

Green startups can access VLAIO's Ecology Premium Plus (15–55% of green investment costs), Brussels Climate Fund, and Wallonia's green investment premiums. EU Horizon Europe Cluster 5 targets climate and energy innovation.

Health startups benefit from VLAIO R&D grants (up to 60% for small enterprises), Innoviris Health programme, and the BioWin cluster in Wallonia. The federal innovation income deduction exempts up to 85% of patent income.

Creative startups have the VAF in Flanders (up to €300,000), Screen.brussels, and Wallimage. Many creative tech projects — AR/VR, gaming, generative AI — also qualify for standard innovation grants.

Start by identifying your primary sector and region. Then filter grants by company size, stage, and project type. This three-step approach eliminates most irrelevant results immediately.

Use Lucas for a personalised scan based on your exact profile. The combination of sector, region, maturity, and project scope determines your strongest options — and the landscape changes regularly.