Deadline Date: February 03, 2026
The Venture Challenge Spring Edition 2026 offers early-stage entrepreneurs in life sciences and health an opportunity to develop their scientific innovations into market-ready ventures through a structured support programme.
The Venture Challenge is designed to address the gap between scientific discovery and market application, as many promising research outcomes never reach patients or users due to a lack of entrepreneurial experience among researchers. By offering an intensive programme of eight to ten weeks, the initiative supports starters in transforming their research-based ideas into viable commercial propositions.
The focus of this call is on life sciences and health innovations, shortening time-to-market, supporting the setup of a new company, developing a scientific idea into a solid business plan, and bringing new therapies or medicines, diagnostics, medical devices, or technologies that improve existing or accelerate the development of new therapies or medicines to the market.
During the programme, participating teams receive guidance in setting up a company and in shaping a well-thought-out business plan. This process helps clarify what is required to successfully introduce a product or service to the market and provides a stronger foundation for future development beyond the initial start-up phase.
The available budget for this call for proposals is €200,000, with €100,000 allocated to the spring edition and €100,000 to the fall edition. For each edition, a maximum of six proposals are expected to receive funding, ensuring focused support for a select group of promising teams.
Applications are open to teams consisting of at least three and no more than four individuals who intend to establish a new start-up. The team must include the person responsible for the scientific discovery, along with other founders, and may be supplemented with relevant advisors such as business developers from a Knowledge Transfer Office when needed.
The Venture Challenge specifically targets innovations grounded in scientific research and encourages researchers to take the first concrete steps toward commercialization at a stage where private investors or experienced entrepreneurs are not yet ready to engage.
For more information, visit NWO.
