Supporting innovation in Flanders

IWT wants to encourage Flanders to innovate. We do this in various ways:

• Funding: we finance innovative projects of companies, research centres, organizations and individuals through assignments set by the Flemish Government.  In 2008, we paid out 297 million euros to Flemish innovative projects.
• Advice and services: we support all Flemish companies and research centres. We help them during their applications, we provide technological advice during their innovative projects.  We act as the national contact point for European funding programmes and we assist them in transferring their technologies throughout Europe via the Enterprise Europe Network.
• Co-ordination and networking: we stimulate collaboration by bringing innovative companies and research centres in contact with Flemish intermediate organizations that stimulate innovation. We do this via the Flemish Innovation Network (VIN^?), established by IWT.
• Policy development: we support the Flemish Government in its innovation policy. We study, among other things, the effectiveness of the Flemish innovation initiatives.

IWT supports all types of innovators in Flanders:

• Companies: we support all companies that are actively innovating, from small start-ups to multinationals with a branch in Flanders. We pay specific attention to SMEs, which are so characteristic of businesses in Flanders. They can count on us not only for additional funding, but also for more guidance during their innovative projects and their applications for funding.
• Research centres: individual researchers as well as large research centres can contact IWT for the appropriate support. We offer them funding, advice and contacts with potential partners for innovative scientific research, applied research and technology transfer.
• Organizations: we provide financial support to organizations that stimulate innovation in Flanders. We also unite these organizations via the Flemish Innovation Network (VIN). As VIN co-ordinator, we align the various actions of its members to facilitate the active support of innovation in Flanders.

Activity report 2008 - Together we will turn Flanders into a innovative region

If we want to put Flanders on the international map as an innovative region, we need to intensify our initiatives. We need innovative companies, research centres and governmental agencies to join forces,
because together we are stronger. We need to continue optimizing our innovation policy and expanding our competences on strategically important themes. In 2008, we worked hard to realize these ambitions.

Activity report 2008 - Together we will turn Flanders into a innovative region