About us

Who is Konnekto?

Strong ideas deserve strong support. Nothing less. That’s what we believe at Konnekto.

Since 2019, we’ve been helping companies — from SMEs to large enterprises — turn their innovative ambitions into reality through regional, national, and European funding.

We are an experienced and recognised partner in grant consultancy. Our support goes far beyond simply writing proposals: we think strategically, identify the right partners, structure the project, build the application in line with funders’ expectations, and continue to guide you after submission, all the way through to successful implementation.

Our expertise lies in complex and technical projects in fields such as AI, blockchain, health tech, and the circular economy. Thanks to our broad network in the public sector and close collaborations with universities and research institutions, we bring together the right players to make innovation happen.

At Konnekto, quality comes first. Every proposal we submit is thoroughly reviewed and carefully built — with one goal in mind: to maximise your chances of success. With over 200 successfully funded projects behind us, we put our knowledge and experience to work every day to turn ambition into impact.

Meet the team

Behind Konnekto is a passionate and versatile team of grant experts. Our people make the difference. Each colleague brings unique experience and expertise, enabling us to tackle any challenge together. Driven by a shared ambition to help organizations move forward, we combine our strengths to achieve the best possible results. Meet the people who help shape your project and take it to the next level.

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Winnie Vincken

Partner

With nearly 30 years of experience as a strategic consultant — including at Ernst & Young — as an interim manager for blue chip companies, and as an entrepreneur in the digital sector, e-commerce, retail, and the public sector, he has applied his broad management expertise to help build Konnekto. Throughout his career, he has developed in-depth knowledge in conducting impact analyses, drafting technical plans, and creating well-founded business cases — all essential components of a successful grant application. His strong interest in innovation, combined with an academic background in both computer science and business administration, makes him particularly well-positioned to manage complex and technically demanding grant projects.

In line with his enduring passion for investing, he began an Executive PhD in Finance in 2024, focusing his research on the topic: “Building a pattern detection model to identify buy-and-hold stocks using deep learning techniques.”

Subsidy projects hold no secrets for Ruth. She began her career as a scientific project officer, funded by the IWT (the predecessor of VLAIO). During her years in higher education, she continued to build her expertise as a grant applicant and was regularly invited to serve as a jury member for the evaluation of subsidy projects. Over time, she grew into a seasoned expert in applying for, coordinating, reporting on, and evaluating a wide variety of projects. Ruth truly masters the entire subsidy spectrum — from project officer to project coordinator, from applicant to evaluator.

In addition, Ruth remains closely connected to developments in higher education through her role as external secretary at the NVAO and as a sought-after guest speaker on subsidies for businesses.

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Ruth DeVreese

Partner

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Jan Vermeulen

Grant consultant - Innovation

Jan studied materials science at Ghent University and soon immersed himself in the world of grants, where he has been a well-established figure since 2010. With a wealth of experience, he has successfully guided numerous companies – from dynamic start-ups to established multinationals – through successful funding processes. His expertise lies mainly in the field of innovation: research and development, sustainable investments, scaling and internationalisation, both within Flanders and at the European level. The projects he supports span diverse ecosystems such as mechanical engineering, materials, energy, chemistry, agro-industry, medical technology, and more.

Beyond his passion for innovative projects, Jan finds great joy in music. Whether playing solo, with his band, or together with his children, he sings and plays (bass) guitar, fully enjoying every musical moment.

Koen earned a PhD in Physics from Ghent University in 2013 and went on to work for over three years at EY Subsidia. Since 2019, he has been writing research and development grant proposals for Konnekto, supporting businesses across a wide range of sectors — AI, fintech, blockchain, 5G, cybersecurity, robotics, and more. He enjoys applying his expertise in funding, clear writing, and strong visuals to such a diverse set of topics.

Beyond grant writing, Koen has a passion for infographics and data visualisation. Under the name Baryon, he transforms complex technical or scientific information into clear charts, insightful reports, and engaging visuals.

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Koen Van den Eeckhout

Grant consultant - Innovation

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Kristine Piccart

Grant consultant - Innovation

After studying veterinary medicine, Kristine began her career in research and innovation. She completed a PhD at Ghent University, where she was first introduced to grant support and project management — a specialisation that immediately suited her. She continued along this path at the Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO), where she spent four years writing and coordinating projects. Since 2024, she has been supporting Konnekto in developing research and development projects for companies in sectors such as agrifood, bioeconomy, healthcare, and cleantech.

In addition, under the name Cow Coach, Kristine provides technical and strategic advice to dairy farmers. In short, helping businesses grow is what drives her.

Why does Konnekto exist?

At Konnekto, passion, experience, and peace of mind are at the heart of everything we do. Driven by genuine commitment, we help organisations realise their ambitions through successful grant acquisition. With our expertise and proactive support, we take the burden off your shoulders — so you can fully focus on growing your organisation.

Passion

Konnekto was born from a shared passion: helping organisations make the most of available funding opportunities. We clarify complex subsidy schemes, lower the barriers to access, and guide you step by step towards a successful grant application that truly drives your project forward.

Experience

Konnekto brings together expertise from both the public and private sectors in one experienced, multidisciplinary team. From writing strong applications to providing guidance and reporting, we have all the knowledge needed to successfully deliver your grant project.

Peace of mind

Konnekto does more than just write grant applications. We closely monitor funding calls, highlight opportunities that align with your goals, and provide strategic support. Whether you’re a start-up, a multinational, or a public organisation, we offer proactive advice and full grant management so you can focus on growth.