From idea to product

How to optimize your innovation and subsidization strategy, protect IP, and secure fiscal benefits

Whether it pertains to subsidy and grant applications, patents or other IP-related registrations, or securing the subsequent fiscal benefits of your innovative efforts, Cont&nd is your one-stop-shop partner on this exciting road from idea to product.

One-stop shop

At Cont&nd, we specialize in guiding businesses through the intricate journey of turning groundbreaking ideas into successful market-ready products. From the initial spark of innovation to securing the right protection, we are your trusted partner every step of the way.

Our team of experts offers tailored services that help you navigate the complexities of subsidy applications, ensuring you can access crucial financial support for your projects. We also assist in securing your intellectual property through patents and trademarks, ensuring your innovations remain protected. Finally, we help you take full advantage of fiscal benefits tied to your IP, allowing you to optimize your investment and maximize returns.

We distinguish ourselves from other similar service providers due to our hands-on practical experience in innovation, research, subsidization, IP protection, etc. This makes us ideally suited to assist you in your innovation process and act as a sparring partner, offering an A-to-Z service aimed at unburdening you as much as possible.

Worth the effort

International and national agencies, The European Union, Belgium and Flanders in particular, offer a myriad of very interesting support measures for companies wiling to invest time and resources in developing innovative products and services, and bring them to market.

Up to more than 50% subsidization of costs for R&D. Subsidization of investments in production facilities, machines, training, and recruitment. Potential tax exemptions for companies taking appropriate measures to patent or protect IP of innovative goods and services.

Integrating all of this in your strategy and planning, successfully navigating the relevant regulations and procedures, drafting a high-quality proposal, and knowing the particular ins and outs to maximize a successful outcome, is often complicated and time-consuming. That's where we come in.

Our USPs

What distinguishes us from the competition is our hands-on experience with regard to the services we offer. In 2014 we started our own engineering firm, OptiQuench. We've developed several innovative inventions through the aid of Flemish innovation subsidies, written and secured our own patents, and successfully applied for fiscal benefits based on that IP. Afterwards we decided to put our practical experience to good use, offering our services to others. Cont&nd was born.

Through our link with OptiQuench we can call on a multi-disciplinary team of highly skilled technical and scientific engineers and PhDs, making us ideally suited to assist in scientifically and technically challenging projects and innovations. This also allows us to independently verify scientific and technical claims and innovations with regard to the current state of the art, before evaluating the project's chances of success and whether or not to proceed with the relevant applications.

One-stop-shop

Ranging from subsidy and tender applications to IP protection and securement of fiscal benefits.

A-to-Z service

From initial innovation scan, to a personalized road map, applications, registrations, and reporting.

Team

Multidisciplinary team, comprised of engineers and PhDs in various scientific and technical fields.

Practical experience

Our services result from prior practical experience established via our own engineering firm OptiQuench.

Preliminary check

In-depth verification of innovative claims and eligibility before deciding whether or not to proceed.

Track record

More than € 10 million subsidies and fiscal benefits secured for clients and our own engineering firm.

R&D

Our experience with prototyping in our own lab makes us ideally suited to manage subsidized R&D journeys.

International projects

Experience re. subsidies and tenders in other countries for i.a. innovation and export (e.g. EU, G-STIC).

Timing is of the essence

It is paramount to put the required steps in motion beforehand in order to meet the conditions for future subsidies, patents, fiscal benefits, and sales later on down the line.

Secondly, it is important to start the work related to subsidy applications on time, leaving enough margin to write a quality proposal. You don't want to miss out on potential financial support for big upcoming investments!

Subsidies

Only costs incurred after submission of an application are eligible for subsidization or fiscal benefits.

Intellectual property

IP protection is only granted if the required prior actions and registrations are taken correctly and in a timely fashion.

Fiscal benefits

Fiscal benefits are only awarded if the necessary IP measures and registrations were executed beforehand.

Everything begins with an idea

Thanks to our highly skilled and multidisciplinary team, we are able to carry out high-level scientific and technical research in an independent manner and write high-quality technical applications and reports. We always start with an in-depth preliminary research. Should we find any issues (just as later evaluating officials would also), those will be truthfully detailed in our report.

We would never go ahead with a submission unless we know beforehand the chances of success are high, thus limiting our clients' initial risk to the preliminary research fee. Only after receiving your go-ahead based on our report, will we start work on your personalized road map as well as the required documents and applications.

State of the art

Before beginning your road to innovation, it is paramount to start with an in-depth research into the current scientific and technical state of the art.

Desk research

We start by investigating and comparing the innovative aspects of your product or service with existing competitors and worldwide patents and studies.

Report

We provide you with a report confirming or refuting the innovative aspects, any potential issues, or suggestions on alterations if need be.

Writing

After approval we draft your personalized road map and necessary documents, proposals, and applications when required according to the planning.

R&D as a catalyst

Why focus on R&D?
R&D costs are often one of the biggest initial investments related to the development of innovative products and services. They are especially burdensome for start-ups. Luckily they are potentially also one of the most subsidized parts of your journey.
What is innovation?
Innovation can consist of entirely new or considerably improved products or services compared to the current state of the art. In any case, new insights and experience should be applied. It also entails new procedures and risks compared to more common projects.
How much subsidies are we talking about?
Depending on whether it is fundamental research or development, up to several millions of euros subsidies can be awarded (e.g. up to € 3M in Flanders), covering up to 50% or more of the relevant costs (even up to 100% for smaller call-based subsidy mechanisms).

Which costs can be subsidized?
Subsidization of e.g. personnel costs, subcontractor invoices, consumables, machines and infrastructure (amortization), etc. Be aware that only costs incurred after the submission date of the application are accepted.
What is fundamental research?
Fundamental research can be categorized as a long-term project aimed at surpassing and reinventing the current state of the art. It involves many challenges, risks and unknowns. E.g. lab research and testing, early prototyping, etc.
What is development?
Development can be categorized as a more short-term project aimed at validating (prior) research results via tests and alterations. It involves more routine challenges and risks. E.g. real-life testing, final prototyping, etc.

IP protection pays off in the long run

Before investing time and money in IP protection, a rigorous state of the art research is required to confirm whether your invention is new.
Patent submission should be considered once the innovative aspects of your product or process compared to the state of the art have been determined.
To obtain a patent the invention must be new, statutory, useful, and non-obvious. Furthermore, patents are only granted for inventions not yet made public (importance of e.g. NDAs).
Patents, NDAs, and other IP registrations and protections are all crucial elements in due diligence requirements to attract investors for the next steps in your corporate journey.
Early brand research and registration is paramount for certainty re. potential conflicts before publicly communicating the new brand and avoiding counterclaims by earlier registered brands.
Subsequent production and sales of innovative goods and services that have been correctly protected may lead to potentially huge fiscal benefits (up to 85% of net income exempt from corporate income tax).

Putting the parts together

After investing in innovation and securing your IP protection, it is now time for production and sales of your new product or service.
Companies can get subsidies aimed at producing the innovative goods and services, making their facilities more sustainable, and exporting their innovation.

Investments

Investments in buildings, future-proofing production facilities and making them more sustainable, new machines and production lines for the manufacturing of innovative products, hiring of strategic management profiles or external professional advice to carry out the future plans, etc. on the condition these investments are linked to the company's prior innovation.

Sustainability

Companies investing in performant green technologies such as energy or heat recuperation, durable cooling systems, green power generation, charging stations and green vehicles, wastewater treatment and reintegration, etc. can have part of the additional expense of the green technology subsidized.

Internationalization

Subsidization of costs related to the first export of innovative goods and services, mainly to developing countries. This includes e.g. travel costs for prospecting trips, establishment of foreign offices, and participation in foreign industrial fairs. Similarly the EU and national agencies may issue tenders to attract companies willing to install innovative, sustainable technologies in countries where these might offer solutions to local issues.

Contact information

Phone

+32 (486) 50 31 89

Email

info@contand.com

Address

Limburgstraat 78, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

Legal information

KDCCVM bv, VAT number BE 0560.666.928