FONDS INNOVEREN EN ONDERNEMEN

Their core work

VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship) is the Flemish government agency responsible for co-funding research and innovation programs across Europe. In H2020, they exclusively participate in ERA-NET Cofund actions, pooling regional Flemish funding with other European funding bodies to launch joint transnational research calls. Their role is not to conduct research but to strategically direct Flemish public R&I investment into European priority areas — from raw materials and energy to agri-food and animal health. They are the bridge between Flemish researchers/companies and European research funding networks.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015-2017), VLAIO focused on foundational sectors — agricultural sustainability (FACCE SURPLUS), smart grids, and photonic sensing — reflecting broad Flemish R&I priorities. From 2018 onward, their portfolio shifted decisively toward circular economy, international cooperation, and funding coordination mechanisms, with ERA-MIN3 and M-ERA.NET3 explicitly targeting raw materials circularity and battery technologies aligned with the European Green Deal. The growing emphasis on "funding synergies" and "international cooperation" in recent keywords signals a maturing role as a strategic funding orchestrator rather than a passive co-funder.

VLAIO is increasingly channeling Flemish funding toward Green Deal priorities — circular raw materials, battery technologies, and international research cooperation — positioning Flanders as a co-investment partner for Europe's industrial transition.

How they like to work

VLAIO never coordinates projects — they participate exclusively as a co-funding body alongside other national and regional funding agencies in ERA-NET consortia. With 155 unique partners across 45 countries, they operate as a high-connectivity network node, linking Flemish research ecosystems to pan-European and international funding pools. Working with VLAIO means accessing Flemish regional funding that complements European instruments — they are a gateway to the Flemish innovation ecosystem, not a research performer.

With 155 unique consortium partners across 45 countries, VLAIO has one of the broadest funding agency networks in Europe, connecting to virtually every national research funding organization on the continent and increasingly to non-European partners through international cooperation ERA-NETs.

What sets them apart

VLAIO is not a research institute — it is the Flemish regional government's innovation funding agency, which makes it uniquely valuable as a consortium partner for accessing Belgian/Flemish co-funding in ERA-NET calls. Their 100% ERA-NET Cofund portfolio means they bring actual funding commitments, not just expertise. For researchers or companies in Flanders, having VLAIO in a consortium signals that regional funding is aligned and available for the topic area.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MarTERA
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 533K) and VLAIO's biggest investment, targeting maritime and marine engineering — a strategic bet on blue economy for a landlocked Flemish agency.
• ERA-MIN 2
  Second-largest funding (EUR 417K) and the start of VLAIO's sustained multi-phase commitment to raw materials circularity, continued through ERA-MIN3.
• M-ERA.NET3
  Most recent major participation (2021-2026), explicitly linking advanced materials and battery technologies to the Green Deal and SDGs — signals VLAIO's current strategic direction.