Minister Eppo Bruins Visits Faculty of Impact

Embracing Entrepreneurial Scientists

Faculty of Impact is a two-year, national fellowship for researchers eager to translate their breakthroughs into businesses or non-profits with societal benefit :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}. During their visit, Bruins learned firsthand how the program offers:

• Time & focus – Fellows spend one week per month together in masterclasses, and three weeks embedded in their home institution, fully devoted to development;
• Coaching & community – Peer feedback, and expert guidance in entrepreneurship, IP, and investment help fellows move fast;
• Real‑world connections – Faculty introductions to industry, potential customers, and funding partners help convert ideas into scalable ventures;

“If you truly want to understand something, try to change it.”

A Fellowship in High Demand

The Faculty team highlighted that applications have quintupled since the last open round—proof of strong interest from entrepreneurial scientists. Yet, co‑funding remains the bottleneck: without additional support from universities and public institutions, the growth of the program is constrained.

“We made our point, were clearly heard and are curious to see if the minister will find a way to scale up valorisation efforts, so we can create more deep‑tech scale‑ups as a country.”

The team urged scaling up to at least 100 fellows annually, to match the demand and impact potential across the research landscape.

Minister’s Response

Bruins—himself a scientist and former AWTI chair—reconfirmed his dedication to valorisation, acknowledging budget reallocations but aiming for creative funding partnerships between government, academia, and business.

“We want to encourage universities to translate research into real‑world applications, while ensuring academic freedom and quality are protected.”

He also noted ongoing plans to support international researcher recruitment, especially scientists who face threatened positions—strengthening Dutch ecosystems “within existing budgets.”

Looking Forward

• Can co-funding unlock the next level? Will university and industry partners contribute to expanding the Fellowship?
• Policy action: Will the Ministry translate goodwill into tangible budget or structural support?
• Societal payoff: How many breakthrough ventures will emerge from this strengthened valorisation pipeline?

Why This Matters

Faculty of Impact embodies a new, Dutch model for research valorisation—rooted in community, training, and real-world connections. Minister Bruins’ visit signals a growing recognition that turning science into impact isn’t just possible—it’s essential. Now the focus shifts to co‑funded action and bold delivery.