Get Funded

Utrecht Holdings is here to help you find funding for valorization.

When bringing an academic finding to the market, people often talk about encountering the so-called valley of death: the critical, yet underfunded gap between promising academic research and its successful commercialization and market adoption. At Utrecht Holdings we recognize this gap, and we will help you find ways to bridge the valley of death. There are multiple funding streams

Utrecht Science Park

Research funding

There are various financial instruments aimed at valorization, such as NWO Take Off, ERC Proof of Concept, EIC Pathfinder, EIC Accelerator, and others.

Both Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht have their own research support offices (RSO). The RSO has extensive experience with the different funding schemes and can offer specialized support for researchers to maximize their chances of success, once we have determined together that funding like this makes sense for your project.

For some of these funding instruments, a letter of support from the KTO is required for submission of your proposal.

National programs

In addition to our own support, there are several Dutch government–funded initiatives that help researchers bring their discoveries closer to impact. These programs provide funding, mentorship, and networks to accelerate the journey from idea to application. Utrecht Holdings can help determine which programs may be suitable.

Make It Matter Voucher Program

This is Utrecht Holdings’ own funding program to bridge the gap between academic discovery and commercial potential. More info can be found here: Make It Matter Voucher Program.

Utrecht Holdings Seed Fund

External investors might be hesitant to invest in early stage companies. To bridge this gap, the Utrecht Holdings Seed Fund provides pre-seed and seed investments for spin-off companies. See UHSF.nl for more information.