Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Science
Faculty of Impact

Support for researchers looking to conquer the market

Silent vacuum cleaners, lithium-free batteries, faster treatment for lung cancer patients… By investing 19 million euros over the next seven years, the Dutch government aims to help researchers bring their innovations to market.

(Photo: Canva)

The two-year programme designed for this purpose and aimed at the scientific community is Faculty of Impact, a cross between a business administration course and individual guidance on how to start a business. Participants are selected by the Dutch Research Council with input from relevant experts.

Patents

The selected researchers receive training in key areas such as patenting, setting up a company and presentation skills. The trainers are experts from the professional field, including entrepreneurs, financial experts and lawyers. Their role includes helping the participants to familiarise themselves with the market and to seek funding.

The Dutch Research Council has been running it as a pilot project for two years. The first ten researchers have completed the programme and a further fourteen are about to finish their first year.

  • Also read: TU Delft start-up tackles climate crisis through seawater – and perhaps Elon Musk

One participant has devised a technique for extracting CO2 from seawater and using it to grow vegetables. Another has developed a camera the size of a pill that can help detect oesophageal cancer at an early stage. A third participant is aiming to set up a production facility for batteries that function without the need for rare metals such as lithium.

Promising

Eppo Bruins, the Minister for Education, Science and Culture, describes the programme’s results as highly promising. He has announced 19.39 million euros’ worth of funding for a period of seven years. As a result, approximately 100 researchers will be able to take the programme in the coming period.

The idea for the new programme originated at University of California Berkeley and was picked up in 2022 by Universities of the Netherlands and the Dutch Research Council, in conjunction with Techleap, an organisation that supports young tech companies.

Since 2011, the European Research Council has awarded proof of concept grants worth up to 150,000 euros to scientists working on practical applications for their research. These grants are spent on an individual basis.

HOP, Hein Cuppen
Translation: Taalcentrum-VU

HOP Hoger Onderwijs Persbureau

Do you have a question or comment about this article?

redactie@hogeronderwijspersbureau.nl

Comments are closed.