3 projects
All three KAMWAL projects (2.1, 2.2, 2.3) focused on delivering EEN innovation management and coaching services to Walloon SMEs.
Organization
HERACLES
Walloon business innovation centre providing Enterprise Europe Network SME coaching, innovation management, and EU funding access services in Belgium.
Innovation consultancysocietyBENo active H2020 projectsThin data (2/5)
H2020 projects
3
As coordinator
0
Total EC funding
€63K
Unique partners
11
What they do
Their core work
HERACLES is a European Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) based in Charleroi, Belgium, operating as part of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) in Wallonia. Their core work is helping Walloon SMEs access EU funding instruments (SME Instrument, FTI, FET-Open), providing innovation management coaching, and supporting internationalization. They act as a regional gateway connecting small businesses with EU innovation programs rather than conducting research themselves.
Core expertise
What they specialise in
3 projects
Consistent focus across all projects on SME Instrument, FTI, and FET-Open application support, helping SMEs access competitive EU funding.
SME internationalizationsecondary
2 projects
KAMWAL 2.1 and 2.2 explicitly included internationalization services alongside innovation support.
Evolution & trajectory
How they've shifted over time
Early focus
General EEN SME support
Recent focus
Specialized EU instrument coaching
HERACLES maintained a consistent focus throughout its H2020 participation (2015–2019) on EEN-based SME support in Wallonia. The notable shift is in the later period, where their service portfolio broadened to include coaching for more specialized EU instruments — specifically FTI (Fast Track to Innovation) and FET-Open — suggesting a move from general innovation support toward helping SMEs access more advanced and competitive funding streams. However, the core mission remained unchanged: regional SME innovation services.
HERACLES expanded from basic innovation management toward coaching SMEs on advanced EU instruments (FTI, FET-Open), but no H2020 activity after 2019 raises questions about their current engagement level.
Collaboration profile
How they like to work
Role: active_partnerReach: regional1 countries collaborated
HERACLES has only participated as a partner, never leading a consortium, which is typical for regional EEN nodes that operate within nationally coordinated networks. With 11 partners across just 1 country (Belgium), they work within a stable domestic consortium — the same KAMWAL network repeated across three funding cycles. This suggests a reliable but inward-facing partner, well-suited for Belgian-focused consortia rather than pan-European coordination.
HERACLES worked with 11 consortium partners exclusively within Belgium across three consecutive KAMWAL projects. Their network is entirely domestic, reflecting the regional EEN structure in Wallonia.
Why partner with them
What sets them apart
HERACLES is one of the established Business and Innovation Centres (BICs) in Wallonia with direct access to the regional SME ecosystem through the Enterprise Europe Network. For consortium builders, their value lies in reaching Walloon SMEs and providing on-the-ground innovation coaching — they are a distribution channel to small businesses, not a technology provider. They would be most useful to projects needing regional dissemination, SME engagement, or technology transfer pathways into the Belgian SME market.
Notable projects
Highlights from their portfolio
- KAMWAL 2.1Their largest funded project (EUR 37,188), establishing the initial EEN advanced support services framework for Walloon SMEs in 2015-2016.
- Kamwal 2.3Their most recent project (2019), which broadened scope to include FTI and FET-Open coaching, signaling a shift toward more specialized EU instrument support.
Cross-sector capabilities
Energy sector SME supportInnovation management consultingTechnology transfer to SMEsEU funding advisory
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