Digitalisation grants in Flanders: what is left in 2026

Are there digitalisation grants in Flanders? In October 2026, hardly. The two schemes small and mid-sized companies used, the SME growth subsidy (kmo-groeisubsidie) and the SME wallet (kmo-portefeuille), have stopped or are ending. What remains is mostly federal tax relief: the Belgian investment deduction rose to 20 percent for digital fixed assets, and for genuine innovation the Flemish agency VLAIO still funds projects. So if your company has an entity in Flanders, judge an investment in software or a new site on what it returns, not on support.

This guide is for companies with a Belgian or Flemish entity, and for foreign firms weighing a Belgian supplier. Support schemes are tied to where your company is established: a German or Dutch company cannot use Flemish grants, but can use the European hubs described below. What custom software costs: custom software development cost.

What is closed and what is open

Brussels is a different story: its digitalisation grant still runs and can cover a website, as explained on web design in Brussels.

The SME growth subsidy is over

The SME growth subsidy helped Flemish companies pay for a growth step, including a digital one. The third call of 2025 did not go ahead and no new calls are coming. Applications already submitted are still being processed. If you read that you can "still quickly" apply for a growth subsidy for digitalisation, that message is outdated.

SME wallet: the final months

The SME wallet had two parts: advice and training. After the reform at the end of 2025, the advice part has covered only cybersecurity advice since 1 February 2026. Advice on digitalisation or AI no longer qualifies.

The training part stayed open longer: a small company received 30 percent support, a mid-sized one 20 percent, up to 7,500 euros of support a year, through a registered provider. But the 2026 budget ran out on 15 October 2026, and the Flemish government decided to end the SME wallet. Pending applications are being completed. For new training on AI or digitalisation, you can no longer count on it.

Investment deduction for digital assets

The Belgian federal investment deduction still exists. For investments from 1 January 2025 the basic deduction is 10 percent, raised to 20 percent for digital fixed assets. On top of normal depreciation, you deduct an extra share of the investment from your taxable profit. It is available to individuals and to small companies, for assets directly linked to your activity.

Worked example

A small Belgian company invests 20,000 euros in its own platform, booked as a digital fixed asset. We use the reduced corporate tax rate for small companies on the first bracket, 20 percent, as an example.

It is not a grant that halves your investment, but it is money. Whether your site, software or platform counts as a digital fixed asset depends on what you buy and how you book it. Ask your accountant before you sign, not afterwards. A good quote helps: when each item is listed, your accountant can say faster what qualifies.

Increased deduction for e-invoicing

Since 2026, structured e-invoicing through Peppol has been mandatory between Belgian businesses. Small businesses and the self-employed deduct e-invoicing subscriptions at 120 percent up to and including 2027. How to register: Peppol registration; the full picture in e-invoicing Belgium.

Training stays deductible

The SME wallet support disappears, but training costs remain deductible as a business expense. AI training for your team still costs less than the invoice says. That also helps with the EU AI Act, which since 2 February 2025 has required companies to support the AI literacy of their staff; see EU AI Act summary.

Support for genuine innovation

VLAIO still funds innovation and development projects, at 25 to 60 percent of the project budget. That support is for genuine innovation: developing something new without knowing in advance whether it will technically work. A new website, an online store or rolling out a standard software package does not qualify. Your own AI application that solves a new problem might, but with a project plan, a budget and an application that takes time.

European Digital Innovation Hubs, in every member state

Outside Flanders, or on top of it, the EU funds European Digital Innovation Hubs: regional one-stop shops that help companies test technology before investing, train staff and find financing, half-funded by the Digital Europe programme and half by the member states. There are hubs in every EU country, so a company in the Netherlands, Germany or Sweden can ask its regional hub what is available for a digitalisation project at home.

Working it out without a grant

A site or software pays for itself through what it delivers, not through a grant. Work it out like this:

If an investment earns back its cost in two to three years without support, it is sensible. If it only works with support, it is often too big. The site we built for Business Centrum went from 220 to 10,200 impressions a day in Google in five weeks; that is the kind of return to count on, not a grant.

Mistakes around grants

• Waiting for a new grantPostponing digitalisation until support returns costs you the hours you wanted to save.
• Inflating a quote for a grantA project that only pays off with support usually does not pay off.
• Involving your accountant too lateWhether something is a digital fixed asset is decided at purchase, not at filing.
• Believing old articlesMany sites still describe the SME growth subsidy as something you can apply for.

How to go about it now

1. List what you want to digitalise: which task, how many hours a week, which mistakes.
2. Work out the return without support with the table above.
3. Ask your accountant whether the investment counts as a digital fixed asset, and whether your e-invoicing subscription qualifies at 120 percent.
4. Plan a first phase that pays for itself, and write it down in our software requirements template.
5. If it involves AI, check what you need to arrange with the EU AI Act checker and read AI implementation.