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VLAIO

Brussels, Belgium · Leuven, Belgium · Ghent, Belgium · Bruges, Belgium · Hasselt, Belgium · Antwerp, Belgium

vlaio.bevlaanderen.be

VLAIO is the Flemish government’s Agentschap Innoveren en Ondernemen (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship), an internally autonomous agency without separate legal personality, operating for the Flemish Region. KBO0316.380.841 is the shared Vlaams Gewest government identity, not a separately incorporated VLAIO investment company. The present agency was formed January1,2016 by the November12,2015 restructuring decree, combining the business-oriented processes of IWT with Agentschap Ondernemen. It supports entrepreneurs through information, advice, business innovation and research grants, economic and ecological support, cluster programmes, European programmes and industrial-location data. Its AI, digital-health and deep-technology relevance includes AI/cybersecurity innovation support, international life-sciences R&D and primary-source neuroscience research grants to Augustine Therapeutics. Mark Andries has been administrator general since January1,2019 and remains named in the current official directory. The public profile includes source-qualified department leadership, administrative/programme contacts and VLAIO representatives in the2026 Taftie and2026–2027 Belgian Eureka presidencies. International delegation functions are labelled as such; dated historical titles are not guessed current appointments. Current headquarters is the Marie-Elisabeth Belpairegebouw, Simon Bolivarlaan17,1000Brussels, with provincial offices. Fonds voor Innoveren en Ondernemen, formerly Hermesfonds, is a statutory public type-A financing institution supporting the agency mandate; its public programme envelopes and agency budgets are not LP venture-fund closes or agency AUM. VLAIO also serves as managing authority for ERDF programmes in Flanders. The branded business advisers form the separately established Team Bedrijfstrajecten vzw front office under a2023–2027 public convenant; they are not automatically agency employees. Conflicting extracted personal-name spellings and unavailable native roster imagery remain explicit verification gaps. Awards and grant support are distinguished from paid cash, equity investments and commercial relationships. The profile image is the authentic VLAIO partner label published in an EY/VLAIO programme; it is identified as a published label rather than substituted Taftie branding.

Founded 2016

Team

Alain ThielemansAlain ThielemansVLAIO representative — AAL national contact · Treasurer — VLAIO Taftie Presidency2026
Bart CandaeleAfdelingshoofd VLAIO Netwerk (documented2024; continuing VLAIO affiliation2026)
Bart DewandeleerAfdelingshoofd Europese Programma’s
Cedric CorteelAfdelingshoofd Data & Interne Innovatie
Daniël VerléAfdelingshoofd Relatiebeheer Ondernemingen
Els SchelfhoutEls SchelfhoutAdministrative Assistance — VLAIO Taftie Presidency2026
Eric SleeckxAfdelingshoofd Steun Ondernemingen (documented2023)
Janne CarnelJanne CarnelCommunications Manager — Belgian Eureka chair team, VLAIO
Jef WillemsJef WillemsInternational Networks and Policy · Deputy Executive Secretary — VLAIO Taftie Presidency2026
Karolien GoossensCommunications contact — VLAIO cluster partners
Lieve ApersLieve ApersDeputy High Level Representative and National Project Coordinator — Eureka Flanders
Ludo PolleunisContactpersoon arbeidsreglement
Maarten SileghemMaarten SileghemHead International Collaboration and Strategy · Executive Secretary — VLAIO Taftie Presidency2026
Mark AndriesMark AndriesAdministrateur-generaal · Chairperson of the Board — VLAIO Taftie Presidency2026
Mieke BartholomeeusenMieke BartholomeeusenCoordinator EEN Flanders
Patrick Van HoordeDiensthoofd Interne Innovatie (documented official article)
Wim De CorteWim De CorteEvent Manager — Belgian Eureka chair team, VLAIO

Investments