Our offer to you
The Faculty of Impact transforms scientific breakthroughs into real-world impact. We offer a two-year fellowship for researchers from Dutch institutes to turn their research into impactful ventures — whether profit or non-profit.
Our new Call focuses on the five themes of mission-driven innovation policy: Agriculture, Circular Economy, Energy, Health, and Safety.
Each time, we prioritize two themes. This round emphasizes Safety and Energy. That means we expect to fund:
- Five proposals within Safety
- Five proposals within Energy
- Five proposals within Agriculture, Circular Economy and Health
It’s competitive, but absolutely within reach. We typically receive around 30–50 applications per round, and we have 15 seats, so about one-third to half of all applicants are accepted into the program. If your idea shows real potential for societal impact and you’re motivated to explore entrepreneurship, you’ve got a strong chance.
It might feel like a big step, but you won’t be doing it alone. At the Faculty of Impact, you’ll receive hands-on support through expert coaching, mentoring, and tailored training to help you develop entrepreneurial skills — even if you’ve never started a venture before. You’ll be surrounded by a community of like-minded fellows and experienced guides who’ve walked the same path.
And the best part? You’re not burning any bridges. If you decide entrepreneurship isn’t for you, you can always return to academia. This program is designed to open doors, not close them.
Yes, it’s real — and there’s a good reason behind it. The Dutch government is actively investing in the commercialization (or “valorization”) of research to stimulate the economy and generate positive societal impact. Through the Faculty of Impact program, researchers can receive up to €200.000 in non-dilutive funding over two years — meaning you keep full ownership of your idea, without giving up equity or IP.
This funding allows you to focus full-time on translating your academic research into a real-world solution, whether it’s a startup or a social enterprise. It covers your salary and essential project costs, so you can move from science to startup with world-class training and support — all backed by the Dutch government.
Build like our fellows
We support your work with a world class entrepreneurship program. Apart from your salary you get:
- Training in business, finance, marketing, negotiations, building a team, how to talk to customers and much more.
- Dedicated mentors that help you take on new challenges.
- A strong community of like-minded fellows.
Click on the fellows to hear their stories.
Who can apply?
Faculty of Impact is for researchers that work at a Dutch public research institute like a university, a university of applied sciences, an academic hospital (UMC) or other organization.
And of course your innovative company will have a big impact on society.
“I was very pleasantly surprised by the presentation from the Faculty of Impact startups, as they had all thought carefully about the market, go-to-market strategy, revenue model, and their growth plan.”
Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau
Member of the Investment Committee at the Dutch National Growth Fund
Book a webinar
You can book webinars with different themes. Join the one that suits your needs, or all of them!
