Venture Challenge Spring 2027

About

An eight-to-ten-week NWO programme that helps early-stage Life Sciences & Health teams in the Netherlands turn research-based products or services into a venture plan and investor pitch.

Benefits

• 💶Participation grant
  For awarded teams, the NWO subsidy per team is €16,170 for 3 team members without a startup; €16,650 for 4 team members without a startup; €13,016 for 3 team members of a startup; and €13,326 for 4 team members of a startup.
• 🎓Coaching programme
  An eight-to-ten-week trajectory with two three-day bootcamps and regular coaching sessions under experienced coaches, with possible expansion by life sciences & health experts and entrepreneurs.
• 📈Venture plan and investor pitch
  Teams develop or improve a business/venture plan and pitch it before a jury that includes experienced entrepreneurs and investors.
• 🤝Investor and expert access
  The programme provides an introduction to relevant investors and experts from the life sciences & health field.
• 🏆Jury prize
  The jury decides which team wins €25,000 in prize money, conditional on selection and the jury decision.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: The team must consist of at least three and no more than four natural persons who live and/or work in the Netherlands; the team must intend to bring a new product, process, or service to market based on a new technical invention or a new application of existing technology originating from scientific research; the product, process, or service must be a new medicine or therapy, a new diagnostic tool, a new medical device, or a new technology that improves or enables the discovery, development, or use of medicines, therapies, diagnostics, or medical devices; the originator or discoverer of the scientific idea or principle must be a member of the team; the team must intend to establish a startup in the Netherlands or have recently done so; if the application is submitted by a startup, the startup must not be active or have been active in the market.
• Preferred: No preferred eligibility criteria are publicly stated.

Participation Commitments

• Selected participants pay a personal contribution of €2,000 per team of 3 team members or €2,500 per team of 4 team members. Teams must be available on all programme dates, and at each Venture Challenge meeting at least two and at most four team members must participate, never more than stated in the subsidy application.

Target Region

Netherlands — at least three and no more than four natural persons on the team must live and/or work in the Netherlands; the team must intend to establish a startup in the Netherlands or have recently done so.

Target Sector

Healthcare & Life Sciences