Newsletter
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Walloon competitiveness clusters
Participation by Brussels research stakeholders in Walloon competitiveness clusters
By decision of the combined regional and community inter-francophone government of 21 January 2010, Brussels companies active in RDI are able to participate in calls for projects launched in the frame of Walloon competitiveness clusters by the Walloon government.
A Competitiveness cluster is a group of public or private companies, training centres and research units working in a specific flourishing economic field. It enables the setting up of synergies between these stakeholders around innovative collaborative projects.
These partnerships are organised around a market and a technological and scientific field and should seek critical mass in order to achieve competitiveness as well as international visibility.
Today, six competitiveness clusters enable the financing of projects in four economic fields chosen by the Walloon government:
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Logistics in Wallonia (Mobility and transport: Logistics)
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Skywin (Mobility and transport: Aeronautics and Spatial)
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Greenwin (Environment and Sustainable Development: Green chemistry and Sustainable materials)
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Biowin (Nutrition and Health: Health biotechnologies)
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Wagralim (Nutrition and Health: Agri-industry)
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Mecatech (Cross-cutting technologies: Mechanical Engineering)
Each competitiveness cluster has its own rules but, in essence, the procedure may be described through the following steps:
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The projects are submitted in the frame of a call for projects launched by the Walloon government.
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Innoviris examines the eligibility of the Brussels project partner stakeholders and communicates its decision to the Walloon Region.
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The Selection committee, which is internal to each centre (comprising experts in the field and the strategic lines covered by the cluster), selects the projects on the basis of criteria specific to each cluster.
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The projects are evaluated by an international jury selected and organised by the cluster concerned. The jury's decision is based on the information provided in the application form as well as on the analysis carried out by the DG06 and Innoviris.
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Brussels' candidates with a project which has received a favourable evaluation from the jury may benefit from funding from Innoviris.
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develop all or some of its activities within the territory covered by the Brussels-Capital Region
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present an innovative RDI project implemented within the territory covered by the Brussels-Capital Region
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show that the project is likely to have a favourable impact on the economy, employment and/or sustainable development of the Brussels-Capital Region
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show one's ability to finance one's share in the project
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have fulfilled its obligations in the context of previous support initiatives allocated by the Brussels-Capital Region.
The applications may be submitted to the clusters in the frame of the calls for projects launched by the Walloon government.
The forms are available on the website of each competitiveness cluster or via the online platform.
Type of financial intervention
Aid may be allocated as a grant or in the form of a recoverable advance.
Rate of financial intervention (maximum)
| Industrial research | Experimental development | Innovation in procedures | |
|---|---|---|---|
Grant |
Grant Advance |
Grant |
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 Micro enterprise/Small enterprise |
70% |
45% 60% |
35% |
 Medium enterprise |
60% |
35% 50% |
25% |
 Large enterprise |
50% |
25% 40% |
15% |
Contact and additional information
For further information about Walloon competitiveness clusters, consult the Vademecum of calls for projects for competitiveness clusters or the Walloon Clusters and Competitiveness Clusters website
Innoviris contact person |
RW competitiveness clusters one-stop service |
 Sebastian SerranoScientific Advisor Industrial Research and Innovation Team
Tel: +32 2 600 50 63 |
Tel: +32 81 33 39 39
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