Invest In Brussels - English

Investments that are necessary for the professional activity of the enterprise and that are carried out in the Brussels-Capital Region are eligible for subsidies.

The amount of the grant depends on the size of the enterprise, the location of the business (in or outside a development zone) and whether specific objectives are met (e.g. employment, new enterprise).

The investment must be recorded on the asset side of the enterprise’s balance sheet and, excluding VAT, must be in excess of:

• €15,000 for micro-enterprises.
• €30,000 for small enterprises.
• €100,000 for medium-sized enterprises.

Subsidies can be applied for, among other things, the following investments:

• Investments in land and buildings.
• Investments in equipment and furniture.
• Investments in intangible assets (intellectual property, and research into or the development of new procedures).

In certain cases grants are available for economic, technical or financial studies. These studies must be carried out by external consultants with at least two years experience. The Brussels-Capital Region will bear half the cost of the total amount, up to a maximum of €15,000 per study.

In addition, an enterprise can apply for premiums for management consulting. The purpose of this management consulting must be to enlarge the enterprise, and not related to the day-to-day or normal management of the enterprise. The consulting advice must be given by an external consultant having at least two years experience. The maximum contribution by the Brussels-Capital Region is €15,000.

Companies can receive subsidies for their R&D activities from the Brussels-Capital Region.

• Financing of industrial research: any company wishing to carry out an industrial research project can obtain a subsidy of up to 50% of the eligible expenses related to execution of the project. This percentage may be higher for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Financing of pre-competitive development: any company wishing to carry out a pre-competitive development programme may obtain financial assistance from the government, in the form of:
  • A subsidy of up to 25% of the eligible expenses related to execution of the project.
  • A reimbursable advance of up to 40% of these expenses. This advance must be repaid in full if and when the beneficiary project successfully reaches the commercial stage.

These rates can be increased for SMEs.

Under certain conditions, small and medium sized companies can obtain financial incentives to help them pay for business trips, take part in international trade fairs, produce export promotion materials, promote their products or services to foreign trade consultants, participate in export training programmes, etc.

In addition to federal measures that allow for a reduction of social security contributions over a certain period of time, employers can also obtain grants from the Brussels-Capital Region.

An enterprise can also obtain a contribution for training activities organised for its staff or management. The contribution from the Brussels Capital Region amounts to 50% of the price of such training, up to a maximum of €5,000 per training activity.

Enterprises that wish their staff to take language courses (the choice of teaching institution is free) can receive a subsidy amounting to 50% of the costs, excluding incidentals (accommodation, travel, etc.), up to €5,000. 

In order to help identify the measures which apply specifically to your enterprise, the Brussels Enterprise Agency has developed EcoSubsiBru, a database for enterprises located in the Brussels-Capital Region. This interactive site gives information on financial grants for which you may be eligible. You may examine all possibilities with a BEA expert. Feel free to make an appointment.