What EKLO does

EKLO is the Centre d'Entreprise et d'Innovation (CEI) for the Province of Liège, Belgium, operating as a publicly funded, non-profit business advisory organization. For more than 20 years, it has provided free or subsidized consulting services to entrepreneurs and project holders across Wallonia, structured around four lifecycle phases: pre-creation (ideation, market analysis, business planning), creation (subsidy dossiers, financing research, pitch training), development (growth diagnostics, strategic monitoring, operational excellence), and transition (sustainability, ESG, circular economy). The organization also offers specialized life sciences technology accompaniment. Service delivery is anchored on a team of nearly 30 multidisciplinary experts across three Liège offices (Place Saint-Denis, La Grand Poste, and LégiaPark).

The business model is institutional rather than commercial: EKLO is primarily funded by the Wallonia regional government and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER 2021-2027, projects 834-840), with additional demand-side leverage through the chèques-entreprises regional voucher program, under which EKLO is a labeled provider for creation, growth, and transmission themes. No proprietary technology platform exists — the digital footprint is a WordPress website with Complianz cookie consent. The go-to-market is sales-led through direct expert consultations, free 15-minute phone previews, and ecosystem referrals via Wallonia Entreprendre and Plug'R's Néohub. Customer segments span pre-creation entrepreneurs, growing SMEs, and sustainability-transition companies, with visible client logos including Osivax, Trasis, Balteau Group, IOL Strategic Design, and Elysia Raytest.

There is no disclosed revenue, no equity funding, and no parent company; ownership is institutional at the provincial level. Activity scale in 2025 was 435 accompaniment missions and 114 specialized advisory missions, with over 5,500 missions completed in total across the organization's history.

Name

EKLO

Legal name

EKLO

Website

https://eklo.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EKLO is the publicly funded Centre d'Entreprise et d'Innovation (CEI) for the Province of Liège, Belgium, providing free or subsidized advisory services to entrepreneurs and SMEs across Wallonia across the full business lifecycle from pre-creation through sustainability transition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Consulting Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Economic Growth, Livelihoods & Private Sector Development (BPADAEAE)

Keywords

• Business advisory services
• Innovation center consulting
• SME development support
• Sustainability transition consulting
• Entrepreneurship coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Liège

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Subsidized Advisory Services: EKLO provides free or preferential-rate services to project holders and innovative enterprises, financed by Wallonia and European FEDER funds. As a labeled chèques-entreprises provider, certain services are partially subsidized through the regional program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

EKLO is the official Centre d'Entreprise et d'Innovation (CEI) for the Province of Liège, providing subsidized business advisory services to entrepreneurs and innovative SMEs across Wallonia. Its offering is structured around four lifecycle phases — pre-creation, creation, development, and transition — covering ideation, market analysis, business planning, financing research, growth diagnostics, strategic monitoring, and sustainability/ESG transition support. Services are delivered by a team of nearly 30 multidisciplinary experts and are funded through Wallonia and European FEDER resources.

Product overview

EKLO operates as a Centre d'Entreprise et d'Innovation (CEI) offering an integrated solutions portfolio structured around four life-cycle phases: Pré-création (ideation, market analysis, business planning), Création (subsidy dossiers, financing, partnerships), Développement (growth support, strategic monitoring, operational excellence), and Transition (sustainability, ESG, circular economy). The portfolio also includes specialized Life Sciences technology support, and is delivered through multiple FEDER-funded programs (Projects 834-840) covering business creation, SME growth, circular economy transition, and innovation hub activities. EKLO is also a labeled Chèques-Entreprises provider. Services are provided by a team of nearly 30 multidisciplinary collaborators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pré-création (Pre-creation) Services Advisory services for entrepreneurs in the pre-creation phase, covering ideation, market analysis, business plan and financial plan development, market testing, and technological innovation support.
• Création (Creation) Services Comprehensive support during business creation, including subsidy dossier preparation, financing research, partnership development, and pitch training to ensure successful project launches.
• Développement (Development) Services Strategic support for business growth, including growth diagnostics, strategic monitoring, socio-economic impact studies, operational excellence, administrative and financial support, collective intelligence, market analysis, business development planning, and interim management.
• Transition Services Sustainable transition support, including climate Fresque workshops, low-carbon and circular economy diagnostics and accompaniment, ESG strategy development, carbon footprint assessment, and ESG indicators and barometer tools.
• Accompagnement Technologique - Sciences de la Vie (Life Sciences Technology Support) Specialized technology accompaniment for life sciences innovation projects, helping identify partners and providers in the life sciences domain.
• Accompagnement à la Création d'Entreprises (FEDER Project 835) FEDER-supported program providing coaching and accompaniment for project leaders and new entrepreneurs during pre-creation and the first 3 years of business operation in the Province of Liège.
• Accompagnement Croissance et Développement des TPE/PME (FEDER Project 836) FEDER-supported program for growth and development support for SMEs in the Province of Liège zone in transition.
• Accompagnement Économie Circulaire et Transition Bas Carbone (FEDER Project 837) FEDER-supported program providing circular economy and low-carbon transition accompaniment for SMEs, connecting them with regional ecosystem experts, partners, and subsidies.
• Néohub de Liège by EKLO (FEDER Project 834) Innovation hub program operated with Plug'R advisors to catalyze and test ideas through usage and market testing, featuring entrepreneurship events, workshops, exchange circles, and individual coaching.
• Chèques-Entreprises Advisory Services Subsidized advisory services delivered as a labeled chèques-entreprises provider for business creation, growth, and transmission themes under the Wallonia regional enterprise voucher program.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wallonia (Région Wallonne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEKLO operates as an official Centre d'Entreprise et d'Innovation (CEI) for the Province of Liège, supported by Wallonia and European FEDER funds. The organization aligns with Wallonia Entreprendre's product/service framework for business support.
• Chèques-entreprises (Wallonia)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEKLO is a labeled chèques-entreprises provider, authorized to deliver subsidized advisory services for business creation, growth, and transmission themes under the regional enterprise voucher program.
• Plug'R (Néohub de Liège)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Néohub de Liège by EKLO project operates with Plug'R advisors who catalyze and test innovative ideas through usage testing and market testing, facilitating emergence of high-potential entrepreneurial projects through events, workshops, exchange circles, and individual accompaniment.
• InfomaniakminorOthersSubcontractor providing web hosting services for eklo.be. Data processing agreement in place.
• ID-ClicminorOthersSubcontractor providing web development services for eklo.be.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• European Enterprise Network (EEN): EU-wide SME support network co-financed by the European Commission. Functionally comparable to EKLO as a subsidized advisory channel for SMEs, but operating across Europe rather than within Wallonia specifically.

Broad incumbents

• Deloitte Belgium: Big 4 professional services firm in Belgium with management consulting, ESG, and SME advisory practices. A broader incumbent covering some of EKLO's service lines (ESG, strategy) but at premium commercial rates for larger clients.
• BDO Belgium: Mid-tier professional services firm in Belgium offering management consulting, advisory, and accounting. A broader incumbent peer covering overlapping SME advisory services but on a commercial-fee basis.
• Bpifrance: French public investment bank combining financing, innovation advisory, and SME export support. A broader incumbent peer to EKLO in the public-backed SME advisory space with much larger scale and national scope.

Direct peers

• UCM (Union des Classes Moyennes): Belgian SME representative and advisory organization serving independent professionals and small businesses across Belgium. Comparable to EKLO in providing business creation, growth, and transition advisory, with broader geographic scope.
• PMV (Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen): Flemish regional investment company that combines financing with strategic and growth advisory for SMEs and scale-ups. Comparable to EKLO as a regional public-backed SME development platform.
• UNIZO: Flemish SME organization providing entrepreneurship advisory, training, and advocacy. A structural peer to EKLO on the Flemish side, with comparable service breadth across the business lifecycle.
• Initiative France: National French network of business creation support platforms offering free advisory, mentoring, and financing access to entrepreneurs. Direct functional peer to EKLO in mission, model, and free-of-charge advisory delivery.
• Voka: Flemish business network providing advisory, networking, and policy advocacy to companies. A peer to EKLO in the Belgian SME advisory and entrepreneurship ecosystem, though structured as a membership organization.
• Wallonia Entreprendre: The Walloon region's public investment and SME support vehicle (successor to SRIW/Sowalfin). Like EKLO, it provides subsidized financing and advisory to Wallonian SMEs and is a direct counterpart in the regional SME support ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eklo_be
• Facebookfacebook.com/Eklo.be
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eklo-be

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EKLO