Startups or scale-ups are often at the forefront of innovation. However, they often face challenges due to their limited market knowledge, lack of previous entrepreneurial experience, or limited financial resources. An innovation broker can provide valuable assistance. An 'innovation broker' offers SMEs, among other things:
- Guidance and coaching in developing a business plan, company strategy, or value proposition.
- Patent advice, assistance with patent uniqueness research or knowledge exploitation.
- Support in becoming 'investor ready', including finding investors or closing deals.
- Assistance in finding and setting up consortia and project formation with other companies and/or knowledge institutions.
-
Enterprises are eligible for a financial contribution to support an innovation broker if they:
- Qualify as a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) with a primary establishment in the Netherlands.
- Offer a product or service that is innovative and contributes to a rapid transition towards a sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy system.
- Have received no more than one subsidy in the past years for hiring an innovation broker.
- Have an innovation intended for the market segments targeted by the respective TKIs (TKI Energie & Industrie, TKI Nieuw Gas, TKI Urban Energy, and TKI Offshore Energy). The innovation may also be an existing technology already applied in another sector but is innovative for the markets of the Topsector Energie. The applicant must have the ambition and business strategy to bring the technological innovation to the market (at their own expense and risk) and scale it up.
- Meet the requirements specified in the 'Explanation of Application Form for Innovation Brokers 2024'.
-
The innovation broker subsidy scheme will be in effect from January 24, 2024, until December 1, 2024.
The total budget allocated for the subsidy scheme is € 200,000, and the allocation will be based on a "first come, first served" principle. In the event of oversubscription on the same day, the allocation will be determined through a lottery.
It's important to note that certain activities are excluded from the scheme, such as hiring an innovation broker for the sole purpose of writing a grant application, patent application or engaging in engineering activities. Additionally, out-of-pocket costs, including patent filing fees or travel expenses, are not eligible for reimbursement. Please refer to the 'Explanation of Application Form for Innovation Brokers 2024' for further information on other exclusion criteria.
Please consult the official guidelines and documentation for the most up-to-date and comprehensive details regarding the duration, budget, and exclusions of the innovation broker subsidy scheme.
-
The subsidy contribution is available for innovative SMEs operating within the domains of TKI Energie & Industrie, TKI Nieuw Gas, TKI Offshore Energy, or TKI Urban Energy.
-
Entrepreneurs who meet the eligibility criteria for this scheme can submit an application from from January 24, 2024, until December 1, 2024. They can receive a reimbursement of up to 80% of the costs for the support of an innovation broker. This reimbursement can amount to a maximum of € 10,000 subsidy (excluding VAT) per company. The remaining 20% must be contributed by the SME itself (so, for example: total project costs of € 12,500, € 10,000 subsidy, € 2,500 own contribution - all amounts excluding VAT).
-
The Financing Desk has compiled a list of innovation brokers for you. This list is intended for inspiration. It is not mandatory to hire one of these innovation brokers, and you can also bring your own innovation broker.
Apply now
The TKI (Energie & Industrie, Nieuw Gas, Urban Energy, or Offshore Energy) under which your innovation falls will perform the substantive assessment of the application. Interested in submitting an application? Download the application form here and send the completed form to Martin Weissmann. (If you are unable to fill out the PDF, you can request a Word version of the form from Martin Weissmann.) To provide clarification on the form, you can find the explanation of the application form here, which includes all the important conditions that apply to the application. After completing the activities, you are required to submit a final report. You can request a template for the final report from Martin Weissmann.
Please note that: the Topsector Energie will only disburse the granted subsidy amount to you after the completion of the activities, invoicing, approval of your report, and payment to the innovation intermediary.
Contact
Would you like to learn more about the Financing Desk? Please contact:
Martin Weissmann
T: +31 (0)30-747 0027