Kick-start your product or process innovation. Get 60.000 euros support from the city of Antwerp

Do you want to start a product or process innovation that leads to lower energy costs, more circularity, electrification, and lower carbon emissions? Thus, you improve the productivity of your SME?

Or are you a company developing product or process innovations that can be piloted in an industrial SME?

Are you postponing the launch of your project due to a lack of investment budget? Submit your project before 23 May 2025. This will give you the chance - with financial support from the City of Antwerp - to realise your innovation more quickly.

The City of Antwerp calls for projects implementing a product or process innovation in Antwerp's industry. If your project is selected, you can receive up to €60.000 in financial support for the investment costs required to implement your innovation.

EXTRA. Collaboration with an innovative start-up, a service company, a company in the neighbourhood or a social economy company is certainly possible and even encouraged.

Submit your project digitally using the link at the end of this article.

1.          You run an industrial SME in Antwerp. This includes SMEs active in manufacturing, automotive, energy, engineering, printing, wood and furniture, ICT, logistics, aerospace, software, water and waste management, construction, food and textiles. You will remain in Antwerp for at least 5 years.

2.          You run an Antwerp-based company offering solutions to innovate products or processes in the industry. Your application can be implemented directly in an industrial SME in Antwerp.

You want to implement a product or process innovation in an industrial SME. The innovation has a positive impact on energy efficiency, sustainability, carbon emissions and the electrification or digitalisation of the company:

• Your project is sustainable and environment-friendly
• Your investment makes the SME smarter through automation and digitalization
• Your project monitors the SME's safety and healthy working environment
• Your innovation relies on up-cycling or recycling or uses innovative materials
• Your project uses additive manufacturing or 3D printing
• You can motivate another innovation that improves the SME's production, competitiveness or strategic autonomy.

The project you submit

• has not yet been launched
• has a total cost of at least 25.000 euros
• will receive financial support from the City of Antwerp for investment costs only
• will create sustainable added value and permanent jobs
• will be operational within 12 months of approval
• will ensure accelerated growth, strengthening and renewal of your company
• will strengthen Antwerp's industry.

The application for support must meet the criteria. These are clearly defined in the regulations and include

• the extent to which the financial support will stimulate the project
• the quality of the business case and the action plan
• the impact of the project on the city of Antwerp
• the innovative character of the project for the SME
• the expertise and resources available to carry out the project.

Financial support is a maximum of 60.000 euros per project. You contribute at least 50% of the total cost.

Details and criteria can be found in the GUIDELINES FOR THIS CALL (NL)

• Launch of this call on 27 March 2025.
• You will submit your file no later than 12 noon on 23 May 2025.
• The jury will evaluate the projects on 6 June 2025. A selection of entrants will be invited to explain their innovation during a Q&A session on 16 June 2025.
• The jury will prepare a report. On this basis, the College of Mayors and Aldermen will make the final selection and award financial support to each project.
• The selected projects will be announced on 18 July 2025.

During a consultancy with digital and circular project manager Sophie Deckers, you can ask specific questions, go into detail and see if your innovation meets the requirements. Possible collaboration with other companies can also be discussed.

Start of these 1-to-1 meetings: 31 March 2025.

Interested and questions?

E-mail to businesseninnovatie@antwerpen.be and we will get back to you as soon as possible.