Wallonie Entreprendre (WE)

Wallonie Entreprendre (WE) contributes to Wallonia’s economic development through awareness programs and by supporting and financing Wallonia-based companies in a wide range of sectors, including life sciences, deeptech, energy and aerospace. It provides, alongside private investors, equity and debt financing to companies of all sizes and in different stages of their development. In doing so, WE contributes to the development of ecosystems in order to generate employment, create value and attract further investment

Our ambitions and objectives

• To strengthen our impact on the Walloon economic fabric
• To stimulate growth, innovation and resilience of businesses
• To stimulate their adaptation to new energy and digital realities
• To stimulate job creation
• To invest in companies that have a positive & measurable social and environmental impact
• To guarantee the continuity of Walloon businesses

Our different areas of expertise

Support & Awareness : “WE” raises the business community’s awareness of a variety of economic issues.
It demystifies these economic issues in order for business owners to take them into consideration when developing projects, whatever their stage of development.
“WE” provides support and guides businesses across its network to meet the most appropriate advisor (either from the public or the private sector), and based on their specific needs.

Digital & Deeptech : We support digital and disruptive technology start-ups.
We focus on innovations and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, SaaS software, blockchain technology, medtechs or augmented reality.
We provide financial support for the different phases of your development, via the W.IN.G. by Digital Wallonia fund, through more significant investments or by financing funds linked to these sectors.

Energy & Circular Transition : The energy transition is one of the urgent issues facing every entrepreneur.
We support your initiatives to address it.
Whether it is to decarbonise your infrastructure or production processes, or to produce green energy.
We also support all those who are committed to the circular economy.
We offer specific financing to reduce the global carbon footprint in a sustainable way.

Growth : Walloon companies are currently, on average, too small compared to their competitors.
We need to step up to the plate to support Walloon businesses in their growth.
We help you to grow, to seize new opportunities to create more value and jobs.
We have developed a wide range of support services to help you achieve these objectives.

Social & cooperative economy : Initiatives abound in the social and collaborative economy.
Many stakeholders want to create a fairer society, more respectful of human values and environmental heritage.
But it is not always easy to raise the necessary funds to implement such projects. We support your companies and cooperatives, whatever their stage of development.
W.ALTER will give you access to funding tailored to your ambitions. In this way, your projects to foster a different kind of economy, can become a reality.

International : Exporting your products to new markets and conquering new customers is a lever for growth and value creation.
We are your partners in this adventure, including the creation of subsidiaries outside Belgium, or the acquisition of companies abroad.
Whatever your international project, we will help you to secure the financial closing of your projects, with “We International”, which provides a wide range of financing solutions for international projects of Walloon businesses.

Life Sciences : Pharmaceutical research is a major asset of Wallonia. That is why we invest in this sector, from the exploration and innovation phases, right through to the maturity of your companies.
We support projects in a wide range of technologies, focused on multiple pathologies, but also on diagnostic technologies.
We also fund CROs and CDMOs. We are connected to the Walloon medical ecosystem to support your entrepreneurial initiatives.

Industrial policy : We are stimulating Wallonia's industrial policy by launching Calls for Projects in emerging sectors (such as sustainable construction, for example) to strengthen value chains in areas with a promising future.
We are investing significantly over slightly longer periods than usual.

Site redevelopment : We are involved in the conversion of industrial sites, which is crucial for the revival of Walloon cities and economic areas.
We steer the production of master plans, attract new players and develop business zones to revitalise these sites and their environment.

Retournement : We support companies in turnaround situations that are redeploying on the basis of a credible and sustainable business plan.
We have developed a wide range of operational financial solutions to support you in the transitional phases of a turnaround.
We offer you an interim management solution to meet your needs in terms of company management functions.

Health infrastructure : The health and social services sector will find solutions with us to finance their equipment and infrastructure.
We want to contribute to meeting the major challenges of tomorrow, by providing the necessary support for an ageing population and quality care for patients.
We support you in your energy and digital transition needs.
We stimulate innovation in the healthcare infrastructure sector, via Wallonia Health.

Sale & Acquisition : There is no question of losing entrepreneurial energy!
We help you to transfer your business or to buy a company that is looking for a buyer.
We match sellers (business owners) with potential buyers, with the help of experts in business transfer.
We also offer several types of financing for acquisitions: equity participation, share holiding, equity loans or so-called "mezzanine" loans to facilitate the change in shareholder control (whether it is an intra-family, managerial or industrial transfer).

Loans & Guarantees : Our toolbox includes many different kinds of loans, some of which are unique on the market and, depending on the size of your company, can reach amounts of several tens of millions of euros.
We provide subordinated loans, convertible loans, equity loans, and "pari passu" loans with one or more private partners (maximum of €1 public for €1 private). The formulas can be combined, which makes it possible to intervene both in capital and in the form of a loan, each situation being specific.
To make it easier to obtain a loan from the banks, we can guarantee a percentage of the loan, whether for an investment, to cover cash flow needs or to buy back an asset. In addition to the partial guarantees for bank loans decided upon after examination of your file, which can also reach several million euros, there is an automatic guarantee for smaller files.