Terminology
To avoid any confusion, here is what you should understand about the following terms:
State aid
State aid is considered as either direct or indirect economic or financial aid that is given to companies by a public authority. It is granted under certain conditions, which are defined by the relevant European regulations.
De minimis aid
De minimis aid is state aid totalling a small amount (€200,000 over three years) that is exempt from controls pertaining to state aid, since it is considered to have no impact on competition or trade in the internal market of the European Union
Open call (‘help desk’)
An open call (or ‘help desk’) is defined as aid offered by SPW Recherche throughout the year (ongoing help is sometimes discussed). It differs from aid that is offered on a set date (a call for submission of a proposal on a specific date).
Research centre
A research centre is any organisation with the main objective of carrying out research and providing services that contribute to technological and economic development in Wallonia, which does not satisfy any of the definitions referred to in Articles 8 and 12 of the Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Approved research centre
An approved research centre is considered to be any research centre that has been approved in accordance with the Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Experimental development
Experimental development is considered to be any acquisition, association, formatting and use of existing scientific, technological, commercial and miscellaneous knowledge and techniques with a view to producing projects, devices or sketches for the design of new, modified or improved products, processes or services.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
TRL (Technology Readiness Level) scale
The TRL scale is a measurement system used to assess the level of maturity of a technology. It was first developed and used by NASA in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, the TRL scale is widely used. The scale comprises nine levels of maturity (with one being the lowest): the higher the level, the more secure the technology as a selling point for a product (for example, a software application) or a component to be integrated into a system.
Small, non-autonomous company
A small, non-autonomous company is considered to be any company that would satisfy the definition of a small or medium enterprise if it was autonomous, within the meaning of Annex 1 of (EC) Regulation no. 70/2001 of the Commission of 12 January 2001 (as amended).
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Large enterprise
A large enterprise is any company:
- that is incorporated as a commercial company as referred to by the Companies Code;
- and which is not a small or medium enterprise
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Technological guidance
Technological guidance encompasses the activities of an organisation that involve carrying out technological audits on processes or products, or providing consulting services to guide companies towards their technological skills, or the technological skills of other organisations, for companies that request their scientific or technical expertise.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Innovation
An innovation refers to a new or improved product or process (or a combination of both) that differs from a department’s previous products or processes and that has been made available to potential users (product) or implemented by the department (process).
Source : Oslo Manual
Organisational innovation
Organisation innovation is considered to be the implementation of a new organisational method in the practices, workplace organisation or external relations of the company.
Organisational innovation does not include changes to company practices, workplace organisation or external relations based on organisational methods that have already been used within the company, changes in commercial practices, mergers and acquisitions, discontinuing the use of a process, simple replacement or expansion of equipment, changes resulting exclusively from changes in the price of factors, custom production, regular seasonal and other cyclical changes or the sale of new or significantly improved products.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Process innovation
Process innovation is considered to be the implementation of a new or significantly improved production or distribution method. This concept implies significant changes in techniques, materials or software applications.
Process innovation does not include minor changes or improvements, an increase in the means of production or service through the addition of manufacturing or logistics systems that very closely resemble those that were already in use, discontinuing the use of a process, simple replacement or expansion of equipment, changes resulting exclusively from changes in the price of factors, custom production, regular seasonal and other cyclical changes or the sale of new or significantly improved products.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
(Business) process innovation
A business process innovation refers to a new or improved business process for one or more functions, which significantly differs from the previous business processes of the company and which has been implemented.
Source : Oslo Manual
Product innovation
A product innovation refers to the introduction of a new or improved good or service, which significantly differs from the goods or services offered by a company up to that point, to the market.
Source : Oslo Manual
Young innovative company
A young innovative company is considered to be any small company that was founded less than six years ago, which satisfies one of the following criteria:
- an evaluation conducted by an external, independent expert, in particular based on a business plan, indicates that the beneficiary will develop products, services or processes that are new or significantly improved in terms of technology in the foreseeable future, compared to the state of the art in the relevant sector within the European Union, and that there is a risk of technological or industrial failure
- its research and development costs represent at least 15% of its total operating costs during at least one of the last three years, or, in the event that it was founded too recently to have a financial history, based on an audit of the current fiscal year, with the figure being certified by an external certified accountant in all cases
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Micro-enterprise
A micro-enterprise is a company:
- that employs less than 10 people
- and whose annual turnover, or annual balance sheet total, does not exceed €2 million
- and which is autonomous, with respect to the meaning of Article 3 of the Annex to the regulation
Medium enterprise
A medium enterprise refers to any company
- that is incorporated as a commercial company as referred to by the Companies Code;
- and which satisfies the definition of a medium enterprise in Annex I of (EC) Regulation no. 70/2001 of the Commission of 12 January 2001 (as amended)
In this, a medium enterprise is defined as a company:
- that employs less than 250 people
- and whose annual turnover does not exceed €50 million, or whose annual balance sheet total does not exceed €43 million, and which does not satisfy the definition of a small enterprise
- and which is autonomous, with respect to the meaning of Article 3 of the Annex to the regulation
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Public research body
A public research body is any organisation governed by public law whose main aim is to carry out industrial research or experimental development activities.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Technological innovation partnership
A technological innovation partnership is considered to be any partnership pertaining to a project that simultaneously:
1° includes several companies and several entities that satisfy one of the definitions outlined in Article 8 or Article 10, Paragraph 2 of the Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia, at least as members, without excluding other partners
2° has a primary aim of conducting or coordinating research that contributes to the scientific, technological and economic development of Wallonia.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Small enterprise
A small enterprise refers to any company:
-
that is incorporated as a commercial company as referred to by the Companies Code;
-
and which satisfies the definition of a small enterprise or micro-enterprise in Annex I of (EC) Regulation no. 70/2001 of the Commission of 12 January 2001 (as amended)
In this, a small enterprise is defined as a company:
-
that employs less than 50 people
-
and whose annual turnover, or annual balance sheet total, does not exceed €10 million
and which is autonomous, with respect to the meaning of Article 3 of the Annex to the regulation
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Experimental research and development
Experimental research and development (R&D) encompasses creative and systematic activities by companies that aim to increase the body of knowledge, including knowledge of humanity, culture and society, with a view to designing new applications from the available knowledge.
Source : Frascati Manual 2015
Industrial research
Industrial research refers to any planned research or critical investigations that aim to acquire new knowledge and skills, with a view to developing new products, processes or services, or leading to a significant improvement in existing products, processes or services.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
College department
A college department is considered to be any department, laboratory, team or other entity, whether legally distinct or not, that is dependant on one or more colleges, as referred to by the Decree from the Council of the French Community of 5 August 1995, establishing the general organisation of higher education in colleges, or by the Decree from the Council of the German Community of 27 June 2005 concerning the creation of an autonomous college.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
University department
A university department is considered to be any department, laboratory, team or other entity that depends on one or more university institutions organised or subsidised by the French Community (Walloon Federation – Brussels) and which is not legally distinct from these institutions.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia
Technology intelligence
Technology intelligence refers to all of the activities of an entity that involve staying consistently up-to-date with scientific and technical progress that has occurred, in Belgium and abroad, in relevant fields and that has significant potential for industrial innovation.
Source: Decree of 3 July 2008 concerning support for research, development and innovation in Wallonia