NWO Take-off
The NWO Take-off is a programme for the stimulation and support of activity and entrepreneurship in the scientific community. Each year, there is a spring round and an autumn round which is open for starters. These open calls offer financing opportunities for entrepreneurial researchers at NWO-recognised research institutes, HBO institutions and researchers who make use of knowledge from TO2 institutions.

NWO Take-off Fase 1: Haalbaarheidsstudie
Subsidy: €20,000 – 40,000
Deadline: Pre-proposal: 8 February 2022 / Full proposal: 8 March 2022. New round expected end of August/September.
Scope: Take-off is a science-based financing instrument from ZonMw and NWO (Secretariat: Applied and Technical Sciences). Take-off is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.
Take-off focuses on facilitating and stimulating business and entrepreneurship from Dutch universities and NWO-recognized research institutes. It is about creating innovative new business that follows knowledge development and utilization by researchers at these knowledge institutions. It may be product, process, care or service innovation in the broadest sense of the word, within all fields of science (beta / technique, life sciences and alpha / gamma).
NWO Take-off Fase 2: Vroegefasetrajecten
Subsidy: (Loan) €50,000 – 250,000
Deadline: Pre-proposal: 8 February 2022 / Full proposal: 8 March 2022. New round expected end of August/September.
Scope: In the early stage project, it is about launching the start-up based on knowledge innovations from research institutions. An early phase project consists of the steps and activities to make the idea/concept commercially viable, to launch the process or service successfully on the market, to grow the company and that money will be earned. This happens by:
- Explain and execute an early phase plan in detail;
- Find contact with the stakeholders and future customers who enter the company enable independent growth and success;
- When applicable: by developing the concept, product or service so that at the end of the process of others – private or public investors – prepared must be the next stage to finance.
About NWO
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) ensures quality and innovation in science and facilitates its impact on society. Its main task is to fund scientific research at public research institutions in the Netherlands, especially universities.
NWO focuses on all scientific disciplines and fields of research. The funds are allocated by means of a national competition on the basis of quality and independent assessment and selection procedures. NWO plays several roles as a broad, national research organisation that actively contributes to various elements of national science and innovation policy.
Visit the NWO website for more information.
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