ASSOCIATION INTERCOMMUNALE BUREAU ECONOMIQUE DE LA PROVINCE DE NAMUR SCRL

Their core work

B.E.P. Namur is a regional economic development agency serving the Province of Namur in Wallonia, Belgium. Their core mission is helping local SMEs access innovation support, international markets, and EU funding opportunities through the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN). They act as a bridge between Walloon small businesses and European innovation instruments such as the SME Instrument, EIC coaching, FTI, and FET-Open programs. Their work is hands-on advisory — guiding companies through innovation management and connecting them to EU support schemes.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

B.E.P. Namur's trajectory shows a clear progression from broad EEN support toward more specialized innovation coaching. Early projects (2014-2016) focused on general EEN services — assessing innovation capacity, supporting internationalisation, and providing broad advisory to Walloon SMEs. From 2019 onward, the focus sharpened to targeted coaching tied to specific EU instruments (EIC, FTI, FET-Open), reflecting the EU's own shift toward the European Innovation Council model. The consistent KAMWAL project series across all five entries shows this is their dedicated, evolving mandate rather than opportunistic participation.

B.E.P. Namur is moving from broad advisory toward specialized EIC and innovation instrument coaching, making them increasingly relevant for SMEs seeking guided access to competitive EU funding.

How they like to work

B.E.P. Namur coordinated their first project (KAMWAL, 2014) and then participated in four subsequent phases, suggesting they operate within a stable Walloon EEN consortium where roles are established. With only 11 unique partners all within one country (Belgium), they work in a tight, regionally focused network rather than broad European consortia. This is typical for EEN intermediary organizations — they are deeply embedded locally rather than widely connected internationally.

Their network of 11 partners is entirely Belgium-based, reflecting their role as a regional EEN node. They likely collaborate with other Walloon EEN partners, chambers of commerce, and regional innovation agencies in a recurring consortium.

What sets them apart

B.E.P. Namur offers unbroken continuity in EEN service delivery for Wallonia — five consecutive project phases from 2014 to 2021 demonstrate institutional commitment and accumulated expertise. For anyone building a consortium that needs a Belgian regional partner with deep SME networks in Wallonia, they bring established relationships and on-the-ground access that a university or research institute cannot. Their value is not technical expertise but rather the ability to mobilize and coach SMEs in a specific Belgian region.

Highlights from their portfolio

• KAMWAL
  Their only coordinated project — launched the entire KAMWAL series that defined their H2020 participation, focused on assessing Walloon SME innovation capacity.
• KAMWAL 2.1
  Largest EC funding received (EUR 37,188) and broadest scope including internationalisation alongside innovation management services.