After an innovation grant, companies are twice as likely to grow their workforce strongly
Of the 644 companies with an innovation grant, 12.6% also had strong workforce growth in the following financial year, against 6.3% among similar companies.
Strong workforce growth in the financial year after the event
One measurement · 644 companies
After an innovation grant12.6%
Similar companies6.3%
2.0×
as often as among similar companies.
- 95% interval
- 1.6× to 2.5×
- Companies
- 644
- Measurements
- 1 (second to follow)
Source: Hunch Lab, cohort study of 1,141,228 Belgian companies. Compared within sector, size and age, with companies active in the same period.hunchleads.com/en/lab
Does it hold up?
This finding rests on a single measurement. The second follows with the next financial year.
| Measurement | Period | With the event | Similar | Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial year 2025 | event in 2024, workforce in the 2025 accounts | 12.6% | 6.3% | 2.0× |
Technical note
Methodology- Design
- Retrospective cohort study
- Population studied
- 1,141,228 Belgian companies (the full business register)
- Comparison group
- Same sector (NACE section) and headcount band, indirect standardisation
- Cohorts
- event in 2024, workforce in the 2025 accounts
- Observed and expected
- 81 cases, 41 expected
- Factor (95% interval)
- 2.0× (1.6× to 2.5×)
- Multiple testing
- q < 0.001 (Benjamini-Hochberg)
- Second measurement
- to follow
- Employers only
- n/a
- Data up to
- September 2026
Cite this findingFree to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0).
Hunch Lab (2026). After an innovation grant, companies are twice as likely to grow their workforce strongly. Data up to September 2026. https://hunchleads.com/en/lab/subsidie-innovatie-personeelgroeiAbout Hunch Lab
Hunch Lab is the research programme of Hunch. Every finding is free to reuse with attribution. Questions are welcome.
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