New Call: Get financial support for product or process innovation in industry

Are you and your industrial SME planning a product or process innovation that will make your business more energy efficient, sustainable or digital? Submit your project by noon on 4 November 2024. You could win financial support to help you innovate faster.

Industrial SMEs in Antwerp can submit a product or process innovation project to the city. If your project is selected, you will receive financial support for the investment costs required for your innovation.

Submit digitally via the link in the article below.

You want to implement a product or process innovation in your industrial SME. The innovation has a positive impact on energy efficiency, sustainability or the digitalisation of your company.

• Your project is sustainable and environmentally friendly.
• Your investment makes your SME smarter through automation and digitalization.
• Your project monitors safety and a healthy working environment in your SME.
• Your innovation focuses on reuse or recycling, or uses innovative materials.
• You want to integrate 3D printing into your existing production processes.

• has not yet started;
• has a total cost of at least 25.000 Euros;
• involves investment costs only;
• the costs are mainly direct costs attributable to design, testing or implementation;
• will be operational within 9 months of approval;
• ensures accelerated growth or (inter)national positioning of your company;
• strengthens the visibility of Antwerp as a city for entrepreneurs.

You run an industrial SME in Antwerp or you have regular activities and several clients in the city of Antwerp (city and districts). In addition to industry, the industrial sector also includes energy, water and waste management, construction, food and textiles. You will stay in Antwerp for at least 5 years.

Note - Collaboration with innovative start-ups, service companies or social economy companies is encouraged.

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 action plan,
• the impact of the project on the city of Antwerp,
• the innovative nature of the project,
• the expertise and resources available to carry out the project,
• cooperation with other companies or organisations.

The maximum grant is 100.000 Euros per project. You must contribute at least 50% of the total cost.

In this document you will find all the details and conditions that your innovative project must meet in order to receive financial support from the City of Antwerp.

• Launch of call on 2 September.
• The deadline for submitting your project is 4 November at 12:00.
• A jury will evaluate the projects submitted on time on 2 December 2024.
• If your project is selected, you will pitch your project on 9 January 2025.
• The jury will write a report, that will serve as the basis for the College of Mayors and Aldermen, to make the final selection and award the financial support per project. The selected projects will be announced on 7 February 2025.

Send a mail to businesseninnovatie@antwerpen.be. We will answer you as soon as possible.

The City of Antwerp has already called on entrepreneurs in Antwerp 9 times to submit innovative projects. A total of 63 entrepreneurs have already received financial support to accelerate their innovation. Are you next?