New fellows announced

We’re delighted to share that this month NWO has announced the seventeen fellows selected for our fourth cohort. They will start their Faculty of Impact journey in March.

This talented new group will work on an exciting range of innovations – from tackling neurodegeneration and improving heart health in women to breakthroughs in quantum computing and next-generation solar energy. Fellows have been appointed across the themes Health & Care, Climate & Energy, and Safety, reflecting both the breadth and societal relevance of their research. For more information on their names and topics please look at the NWO website.

At the Faculty of Impact, we support entrepreneurial researchers in turning their scientific insights into scalable solutions with real-world impact. Over the next two years, our new fellows will receive intensive coaching and training to help transform their ideas into commercial or social start-ups. Thanks to additional funding from NWO, several highly rated proposals could also be included in this round – further strengthening the impact potential of this cohort.

Looking ahead, the next Faculty of Impact call is expected to open at the end of January 2026. This upcoming round will give equal attention to all themes within the mission-driven innovation policy: Safety, Climate & Energy, Agriculture, Water & Food, Circular Economy, and Health & Care. Keep an eye on the NWO and FOI websites in January for the official announcement.