PMV Winwinlening — Complete Guide 2026

The Winwinlening is a Flemish government-backed lending scheme managed by PMV (ParticipatieMaatschappij Vlaanderen). It allows private citizens — friends, family members, or acquaintances — to lend money directly to small and medium-sized enterprises in Flanders. The name "Winwin" reflects the dual benefit: the borrowing company gets affordable capital, and the lender receives a 2.5% annual tax credit on the outstanding loan amount.

Created to bridge the financing gap that many Flemish SMEs face, the Winwinlening complements traditional bank loans. Because the loan is subordinated to bank debt, banks actually welcome it — it strengthens the company's balance sheet and reduces their risk exposure. This makes the Winwinlening one of the most effective tools for entrepreneurs who need additional capital but want to avoid diluting equity.

The scheme is administered through the PMV platform, where both borrower and lender register the loan. PMV does not provide the capital itself — it facilitates and guarantees the arrangement between private parties.

The borrower must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) as defined by EU criteria, with its registered office or main operations in the Flemish Region. This includes sole proprietors, partnerships, cooperatives, and limited companies. The company must be in good standing with ONSS (social security) and tax obligations.

Both newly created companies and established businesses qualify. There is no minimum age requirement for the company, making the Winwinlening accessible to startups from day one. However, the company must demonstrate viability — the loan must finance a real business activity, not cover personal expenses or speculative investments.

Companies in difficulty (as defined by EU state aid rules) are excluded. A company cannot receive Winwinleningen totalling more than €300,000 from all lenders combined.

The lender must be a natural person (individual) — companies cannot act as lenders under the Winwinlening scheme. The lender must be a Belgian tax resident. Importantly, the lender cannot hold more than 5% of the shares in the borrowing company, and cannot be a managing director or daily manager of the company.

Each lender can provide up to €75,000 in total across all their Winwinleningen (not per company, but total). The minimum loan amount is €1,000. A lender can have multiple Winwinleningen with different companies, as long as the €75,000 ceiling is respected.

The 2.5% annual tax credit is calculated on the outstanding loan balance and applied directly to the lender's personal income tax. If the borrower defaults, the lender can claim a one-time tax credit of 30% of the lost principal — providing a significant safety net.

The maximum loan amount is €75,000 per lender, with a company-wide cap of €300,000 across all Winwinleningen. The loan term is fixed between 5 and 10 years. Interest rates are agreed between borrower and lender, but must fall within the legal interest rate corridor published by the Flemish government (currently between 0.75% and the legal maximum rate).

Repayment schedules are flexible — the parties can agree on monthly, quarterly, or annual instalments, or even a bullet repayment at maturity. Early repayment is allowed without penalty. The loan is subordinated to bank debt, meaning banks get repaid first in case of default.

The borrower pays interest to the lender, and the lender separately receives the 2.5% tax credit from the government. Together, the effective return for the lender is often significantly better than savings accounts or government bonds, while the cost for the borrower remains lower than equity financing.

The application process is straightforward and entirely digital. Both the borrower and the lender must register on the PMV Winwinlening platform. The borrower creates the loan request, specifying the amount, term, interest rate, and repayment schedule. The lender then confirms the loan on the platform.

PMV reviews the application within 2 to 3 weeks. Once approved, the loan is officially registered and the lender can start claiming the tax credit in the following tax year. The entire process is free — PMV charges no fees for registration or administration.

Tips for a smooth application: prepare a clear description of how the loan will be used, ensure the company's ONSS and tax status is clean, and agree on loan terms with the lender before starting the registration. Use BelGrant's AI assistant Lucas to check if you qualify and get guidance on the optimal loan structure.

Combine the Winwinlening with bank financing — this is the most powerful use case. The subordinated nature of the Winwinlening improves your debt-to-equity ratio, making banks more willing to lend. Many entrepreneurs use it to bridge the gap between their own capital and what the bank requires.

Consider combining the Winwinlening with other Flemish subsidies such as the VLAIO KMO-portefeuille or innovation grants. The Winwinlening covers financing needs, while grants cover project costs — they are complementary, not competing instruments.

Keep your lender informed about business developments. While there is no legal obligation to report, maintaining transparency builds trust and makes it easier to request additional Winwinleningen in the future if needed.