Life sciences
Life Sciences in Belgium-Wallonia, a culture of technological, scientific and entrepreneurial excellence.
Wallonia is home to a vibrant and innovative life sciences ecosystem of global industrial leaders, SMEs and start-ups developing products or offering state-of-the-art technologies/products/services, 5 universities and several world-class research centres, dedicated science parks, supply chain experts & 2 CEIV Pharma airports.
4 strategic areas are covered :
- (bio)pharma
- medical devices & in vitro diagnostics
- nuclear medicine
- digital health
All areas represent unique value chain allowing to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative products throughout Europe and beyond.
For more information about the Belgium-Wallonia life sciences ecosystem, visit BioWin, the Health cluster of Wallonia.
Ludovic Waha - Senior Business Developer
Our region offers world-class talent, high investment and a robust, business-friendly environment to reliably trade and invest.
Feel free to call me !
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Discover the strengths of Belgium and Wallonia in the life sciences sector
Key figures
- 2nd worldwide in Biopharma Talent Development
- Top 3 in EU for AGGREGATED MARKET CAP IN BIOPHARMA
- Gross Added Value in Life Sciences 4x higher than surrounding EU countries
- €16.2b invested in Wallonia by foreign companies between 2000-2020
- Leading region for EXPORT of Biopharmaceuticals (+33% of total Walloon export)
- 2 CEIV Pharma AIRPORTS
- 20,000 hospital beds
- 11,000 researchers
- 6 private research centers
- 12 world leaders
- +250 innovating SMEs
- 5 universities (including 400 research units)
Mehdy Oozer - Senior Industry Specialist
Wallonia is world-renowned for its expertise in biologics for vaccines and advanced medicinal therapies. This leading position is not a result of mere chance, but of conscious long-term political decisions and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Call me to join the health and biotech valley !
Why Wallonia ?
- Exemption of 85% of innovation-related net income
- Exemption from payment of 80% from the withholding tax on professional income on researchers' salaries
- Ruling Practice: the Investor describes the facts to the tax administration, allowing him to know, in advance, how the tax laws are to be applied
- Innovation Box: effective tax rate below 10%, related to intangible assets for which an R&D declaration has been obtained
- Lower social security contributions For the 1st recruitment : exemption up to € 4000/quarter of the social security contributions of the Employer, for life
R&D support
Wallonia offers a series of incentives for R&D which aim to help companies reinforce their innovation potential, acquire external knowledge for a project's implementation, conduct a research project, carry out a development project, create a spin-out from technologies mastered by the company but not exploited, protect innovation or even prepare a European intervention application or acquire the Eureka label.
