Province of Antwerp launches Innovation Fund: up to 1 million euros in subsidy per innovation project

Many innovative ideas get stuck between research and application. With the Innovation Fund, the Province of Antwerp aims to support precisely that crucial phase in which collaboration, testing infrastructure, and investment space are needed to make innovation economically impactful. The focus is on projects in a research, start-up, or development phase that accelerate innovation, strengthen collaboration, and help anchor new solutions in the Antwerp economy. 

Luk Lemmens, Deputy for Economy and Chairman of POM Antwerp: “The Province of Antwerp is a top economic region. We can only maintain this position if we continue to invest in innovation, collaboration, and talent. With the Innovation Fund, we give enterprises, knowledge institutions, and young entrepreneurs extra clout to convert new ideas into economic added value. In this way, we invest in the sectors that make our province strong today and keep it competitive tomorrow.”

New financial leverage for the Antwerp economy

The project subsidy is the first component of the Province of Antwerp Innovation Fund. It bundles support for innovation projects into a single financial leverage and fits within the provincial economic policy that focuses on three pillars: space, innovation capacity, and the human capital of enterprises. Focus on spearhead sectors

The Innovation Fund prioritizes projects within the Province of Antwerp’s economic spearhead sectors: port and logistics, chemistry and life sciences, construction, and the agribusiness complex.

Projects eligible for support from the Province of Antwerp Innovation Fund focus, among other things, on sustainable and circular business activity, valorization-oriented research, product development, and the recruitment, development, and retention of talent in the workplace.

The Innovation Fund targets companies that wish to develop new products, processes, or circular applications; knowledge institutions that want to valorize research; local authorities that want to establish innovative collaborations; and young entrepreneurs who want to develop innovative ideas. In doing so, the province aims to deliberately focus on projects that bring together various partners and contribute directly to the economic anchoring of innovation in Antwerp.

Deputy Luk Lemmens: “Within our strong spearhead sectors, we want to strengthen innovation clusters and campuses. After all, that is where knowledge, entrepreneurship, talent, and infrastructure come together.” The Science Park in Niel, an initiative of POM Antwerp and the University of Antwerp, demonstrates how such a collaboration can develop into an inspiring model to accelerate innovation.

Student entrepreneurs are also eligible

Notably, student entrepreneurs can also apply for support. With this, the province aims to give young entrepreneurship and innovative talent opportunities at an early stage to develop ideas into economic projects.

Applications open from June 1, 2026

All information can be found on the Innovation Fund pages. The province works with predetermined submission dates and may also launch targeted, thematic calls.

Applications can be submitted from June 1, 2026.

More information: https://www.provincieantwerpen.be/nl/innovatiefonds