VFF — Early Stage Financing (Vroegefasefinanciering)

VFF Early Stage Financing

Supports early-stage venture financing that helps start-ups turn prototypes into scalable, innovation-driven products.

Vroegefasefinanciering (VFF), also marketed in English as Proof-of-Concept Funding, is a government loan instrument administered by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZK). It provides early-stage repayable loans of up to €450,000 to Dutch startups and SMEs developing technical innovations at the proof-of-concept stage. The 2026 window is open January 1–December 31 subject to budget availability; the 2026 budget for general applicants is €2,250,000. The interest rate is 7.19% per year as of 1 January 2026, with repayment beginning after three to five years.

Three applicant categories are eligible: SME innovators developing technical innovations, innovative startups no older than five years, and academic or HBO/TO2-based entrepreneurs — the last group applies through a separate window via NWO TTW (January 6–February 26, 2026), not directly through RVO. Five core criteria must be met: the project involves technological product development; proof-of-principle has already been completed; VFF funds are directed at the proof-of-concept stage (not basic research); a committed follow-up investor has already been identified; and the applicant can demonstrate repayment capacity. VFF is structured as a bridge loan that assumes a lead investor will close alongside or shortly after the government loan.

Applications are routed through two channels depending on the applicant's province: a Regional VFF covering seven provinces (Friesland, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Utrecht, Zeeland, and Zuid-Holland), and a National VFF for all other provinces. RVO recommends completing a Quick Scan pre-assessment before formal submission for national-route applicants. Because the €2,250,000 general pool can be exhausted well before year-end, early application is advisable. The loan is not a cash grant — full repayment is expected once the follow-on investor or commercialisation revenue is in place.