Get support from an expert in setting up your business - "business start-up advice" voucher

You can receive this voucher if:

• You are a project developer, i.e. a person who has not yet started a business registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE), or a self-employed person as the secondary occupation.
• You are a company (natural or legal person)
• whose main place of business is in Wallonia
• who has been carrying out a business activity registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE) for a maximum of 3 years
• Your activity is not in a sector excluded pursuant to the De minimis regulation (fishing, aquaculture, the primary production of agricultural products).

Non-profit associations are not eligible for business vouchers.

Wallonia covers 75% of the costs (excl. VAT) of the expert's services. The costs not covered by the voucher (travel expenses, production costs, etc.) and VAT are your responsibility.

For example, if you receive support from an expert and the invoice is €1,000 excluding VAT:

• Wallonia will cover €750 of the invoice
• You have to pay €460: the remaining €250 (your share) and the VAT (€210).

Ceilings fix the total amounts to which you are entitled (see Conditions). 

Registration on the platform

Create a "citizen" account on the business vouchers platform, or validate the account created by your service provider. Registration/activation is via strong authentication only.

Submitting the application

• Is this your first application? If so, ask your service provider to submit it for you on the platform.
• Is it not your first application? You can submit the voucher application yourself, but your service provider can also submit it for you.

All applications are submitted via the business vouchers platform. It will be processed electronically.

You need two documents to submit your application:

• The service agreement between you and your service provider
• The application for a business voucher

These two documents are automatically generated by the platform. You need to sign them and enclose them with your application.

If you are a project developer, you need to enclose a certificate from the NISSE (see supporting documents). If you are a company, you will need to complete and sign the SME test and the declaration on de minimis aid (see supporting documents).

Examination of the application

We have 5 working days to check that your application is complete and in compliance with current regulations. If this is not the case, we will ask you for further information.

Payment of your share

Once your application has been approved, you will be requested to pay the 25% of the service which falls to you (your share). This sum will remain in our account until the application is completed. If the service was successful, it will be paid to your service provider at the end of the assignment, and we will cover 75%.

Service

The service can start once payment of your share has been received. You and your service provider will receive an e-mail informing you of this. The assignment must be performed within 12 months of notification of approval.

Completion of the application and payment for the service

• At the end of the assignment, the service provider adds their invoice and a report of the services to the application.

• You have 15 days to validate the invoice and the report. After this period, the documents are automatically validated and the application is sent to us.
• We have 15 working days to verify it.
• If the application is approved, we pay the full invoice, i.e. your share plus the contribution of the Walloon government.
• You pay VAT and any non-eligible costs directly to the service provider.

Inspection

Your application may subsequently be inspected via sampling.

Services

The expert you work with must be a certified service provider, i.e. a company or individual who has been authorised to provide services for this scheme. We check both the economic viability and the areas of expertise of our service providers.

Find the list of certified service providers on the Business Vouchers (Chèques-entreprises) portal 

You can use the "business start-up advice" voucher for 3 sections: the start-up kit, innovation start-up and post-start-up. Please note that the services authorised in this voucher are limited to advice.

The "start-up kit" section includes advice on:

1. A feasibility study;
2. A business plan;
3. Market research (purchase or production);
4. Deciding on a legal structure;
5. Preparing a finance application with a view to raising funds;
6. Drafting a communication plan;
7. Mobilising and coordinating cooperators and investors.

All in the context of setting up your own business.

The "innovation start-up" section includes advice on:

1. technological validation and support, including producing prototypes;
2. intellectual property;
3. managing an innovative product, such as producing a minimum viable product (MVP);
4. the legal and financial aspects of a transfer.

All in the context of setting up your own business.

The "post-start-up" section includes advice on how to make the process of setting up your company more viable and effective during the post-start-up period (maximum 3 years from the date the company is registered with the CBE).

Ceilings

You must not have reached the ceiling of the voucher

The "business start-up advice" voucher has a triple ceiling: for the scheme as a whole, by theme and by voucher. 

1. For business vouchers as a whole, the ceiling depends on your profile:
   • For the project developer, the ceiling is €37,500 over 3 years.
   • For the company, it is €100,000 per calendar year.
2. For the theme "start-up", which includes the training voucher and the business start-up advice voucher, the ceiling is €15,000 per beneficiary over 3 years.
3. For the theme "business start-up advice'' voucher, the ceiling is €15,000 per beneficiary over 3 years. Please note that for the second voucher of the theme (''business start-up training'' voucher), the ceiling is €6,000 per beneficiary over 3 years.

Time frame

The service must be performed within 12 months of notification of approval of your application.