Dutch Research Council Launches €2.7 Million Funding Program for Mission-Driven Innovation
The Hague, Thursday, 29 January 2026.
The Netherlands opens its largest entrepreneurship funding round for researchers, offering €210,000 grants to transform academic discoveries into commercial ventures. Unlike previous years focusing on specific areas, the 2026 Faculty of Impact program equally supports all five national priority themes: agriculture and food systems, circular economy, climate neutrality, healthcare advancement, and digital security. Thirteen fellowships await researchers ready to bridge the critical gap between laboratory breakthroughs and market-ready solutions through intensive two-year coaching programs.
Expanded Budget and Strategic Shift for 2026
The Faculty of Impact program has undergone significant changes for 2026, marking a strategic evolution in how the Netherlands approaches research commercialization. The total budget for this round reaches €2,730,000 [1], with individual fellowships increased from a maximum of €200,000 in 2025 to €210,000 in 2026 [1][2]. This represents a 5 percent increase in individual funding capacity. The program expects to support thirteen fellows during this cycle [1][2], providing each researcher with comprehensive financial backing to transform academic discoveries into viable commercial enterprises.
Five National Priority Themes Drive Innovation Focus
The 2026 call represents a departure from previous years by offering equal attention to all five themes within the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ mission-driven innovation policy [1][2]. The agriculture, water and food theme aims for “a vital rural area and resilient nature in a climate-resistant Netherlands” where “water and soil are a driving force” [2]. The circular economy initiative targets making “the Netherlands economy entirely circular by 2050” [2], while the climate and energy theme pursues climate neutrality by the same year [2]. Healthcare objectives include enabling “people in the Netherlands to enjoy 5 extra years of good health with 30% less health discrepancy between socio-economic groups by 2040” [2]. The safety theme focuses on ensuring “the Netherlands is safe and resilient against external threats and undermining crime, both in the physical environment and the digital domain” [2].
Application Timeline and Support Framework
Researchers have until Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 14:00:00 CET to submit their proposals [1][2]. The Dutch Research Council and Faculty of Impact will host multiple online webinars during the application period to provide detailed program information and answer questions from potential applicants [1][2]. Additional resources are available through the NWO website and Faculty of Impact platform, including a comprehensive FAQ section addressing application procedures and program requirements [1][2]. The Faculty of Impact operates as a collaborative initiative between Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), Techleap, and NWO [1][2], providing institutional backing for entrepreneurial researchers.
Real-World Impact Through Research Commercialization
The program’s effectiveness is demonstrated through recent success stories, including AMOLF researcher Agustin Alvarez, who received a Faculty of Impact Award to commercialize Intensity Modulated Photoluminescence Spectroscopy (IMPLS) technology [5]. Alvarez, working with co-founder Sarah Gillespie, developed “a purely optical technique for measuring ionic, chemical, and defect processes in halide perovskite semiconductors” [5]. Similarly, Dr. Andreas Distel from Rotterdam School of Management secured €50,000 in NWO funding on January 28, 2026, for developing an AI-powered smartphone application to support professionals with ADHD [6]. These examples illustrate how the Faculty of Impact bridges the crucial gap between academic research and practical societal applications, enabling researchers to generate meaningful impact through entrepreneurial ventures [3].