NWO Take-off Grant
Funds NWO Take-off Grant for university spin-offs with feasibility support from prototype to market readiness.
Take-off Phase 1 is NWO's feasibility route for Dutch researchers who want to test whether a university or institute result can become a company. It sits under the Dutch Research Council and is aimed at commercialising innovative research across all scientific fields, especially university spinouts. The 2026 call is a grant with a maximum of EUR 60,000 per project over up to six months, on an annual cycle with a total budget of EUR 4.5 million. It is open to researchers from Dutch universities, university medical centres, and listed research institutes in the Netherlands, with the WO variant covering universities and sister HBO or subsidiary versions noted elsewhere in the umbrella. Applications are judged in batches of 40, with 15 awards per batch and up to five batches before the December deadline. The programme fits teams that can show commercial potential, technical credibility, and a practical plan for feasibility work, because NWO is looking for a concise route from research result to market.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.