Receiving a FIRST Entreprise subsidy

Companies that are incorporated as commercial companies, as referred to by the Companies Code:

• active in any sector;
• of any size: SC, MC, LC.

FIRST ENTREPRISE AND FIRST ENTREPRISE DOCTOR:

Admissible expenses include:

• the researcher's costs;
• €5,000 per semester for the partner host organisation;
• general costs.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL:

Admissible expenses include:

• the researcher's costs;
• €5,000 per semester for the partner host organisation;
• general costs;
• travel and accommodation costs in the host country.

The portion covered by the Walloon region is:

• For industrial research projects
  • Small enterprise: 70%
  • Medium enterprise: 60%
  • Large company: 30%
• For experimental-development projects
  • Small enterprise: 55%
  • Medium enterprise: 45%
  • Large company: 35%

“Industrial research” refers to planned research or critical investigations that aim to acquire new knowledge and skills, with a view to developing new products, processes or services, or leading to a significant improvement in existing products, processes or services. “Experimental development” refers to the acquisition, association, shaping and use of scientific, technological and commercial knowledge and skills, as well as other relevant knowledge, with a view to developing new or improved products, processes or services.
Experimental development may include the development of prototypes or pilot projects under environmental conditions that are representative of real-life conditions. It does not include routine or regular changes that are made to existing products, manufacturing processes and services, even if these changes represent improvements.

Applications for technological research and innovation aid may be submitted at any time during the year to the Research projects department, by means of the form and completed annexes below.

Each project submitted is reviewed by technical manager, who examines the file along with the project leader and the help of the DGO6 Financial analysis department, based on the established criteria.

At the end of the review phase, the file is presented to the selection committee, which issues an opinion to the Minister responsible for research. This committee is made up of representatives of the administration and representatives of the Minister.

In the event funding is granted, the execution of the research phase is subject to technical and financial reports.

You own the results of your research.

Deadlines:
You are guaranteed to receive an opinion (be it positive or negative) within 3 months of receiving your completed file

Identification and signing conditions:
Statement to be signed on the paper form
Scanned statement, in the case of electronic submission

Appeal procedures:
The appeal procedures are explained in the downloadable “appeal procedures” document, which is available below:

• contact the relevant administration
• make a claim to the ombudsman for the Walloon region
• to the State Council 
  • make a request for cancellation to the State Council within 60 calendar days from the date of notification for the disputed decision
  • The request for suspension may be submitted before, at the same time as, or after sending the request for cancellation. In exceptional cases, and under specific conditions, you may also request the suspension of the decision in cases of extreme emergency

Eligibility criteria

• The company is incorporated as a commercial company, as referred to by the Companies Code;

• The company has a business unit in Wallonia;

• The company must not be experiencing financial difficulty;

• The company complies with the region’s VAT and social-security regulations;

• The project has not already received public funding.

Assessment criteria

• The innovative nature of the project;

• The quality of the project, its technical feasibility and its relevance to the region's technical and economic needs;

• The company must be able to highlight the expected results of the project;

• The project must aim to contribute to sustainable development;

• The company must be able to cover the current and expected future financial needs of the project, or be able to find additional funding for these needs;

• The project must represent an obvious degree of risk.

Specific criteria

FIRST ENTREPRISE:

• the training of a young researcher;

• the transfer of knowledge between the host organisation and the company.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL:

• the training of a young researcher;

• the transfer of knowledge between the host organisation and the company;

• the relevance of the international partnership, in light of the work planned by the host organisation.

FIRST DOCTOR:

• the qualification of the researcher;

• • cooperation between the company and the host organisation.