Following a highly successful KIEM HighTech call in 2024 and 2025, the KIEM HighTech 2026 grant program will launch in January 2026. With the KIEM HighTech grant program, the Regieorgaan SIA and Holland High Tech stimulate technological innovation by promoting collaboration between researchers, SMEs, and other practical partners. From the start of the program, applicants can submit grant applications to the Regieorgaan SIA in two rounds. Submissions are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Go directly to the call
All information about this call, the call for proposals and the application forms can be found on the website of Regieorgaan SIA.
Background
The Netherlands faces major social and economic challenges. The high-tech, systems, and materials sector plays a crucial role in the urgent transitions required: the energy transition, the circular transition, and the development of digitalization and key technologies.
What is KIEM HighTech
Holland High Tech and Regieorgaan SIA are organizing this accessible grant program for one-year exploratory research into concrete innovation questions from the field – questions that are relevant to businesses, particularly SMEs. Companies collaborate with universities, universities of applied sciences, and other research organizations in KIEM HighTech.
Regieorgaan SIA and Holland High Tech support this subsidy program to:
- form new networks between companies and researchers, and
- address practical questions that can later lead to follow-up projects and/or technological innovations.
Fast to
For which themes can you apply for KIEM HighTech?
A project is eligible if it contributes to the development or improvement of technology within one of Holland High Tech's ten innovation domains listed below. The full list of innovation domains can be found in the call for proposals, which is expected to be published at the end of January 2026.
Practical research into key technologies
By focusing the research question on these innovation domains, the awarded projects also connect to:
- the prioritized key technologies from the National Technology Strategy (NTS),
- and the key technologies as mentioned in the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda for Key Technologies.
Budget
Regieorgaan SIA and Holland High Tech are jointly funding the program. The subsidy ceiling for this call for proposals will be announced upon its publication.
Deadlines for submission
- 24 March 2026 before 14:00 PM
- 15 September 2026 before 14:00 PM
Please note: we operate on a first come, first served basis for all submissions.
Applicants
The grant applicants are research organizations. In addition to the applicant, the consortium consists of at least two partners from the field, at least one of which must be an SME based in the Netherlands.
KIEM HighTech Webinar
Interested in learning more about the new KIEM HighTech 2026 subsidy program? Register now for the KIEM HighTech 2026 webinar, Wednesday 11 February, 12:30 - 1:30 PM. We'll explain how this program facilitates short-term research. Entrepreneurs and researchers will share their experiences successfully implementing KIEM HighTech.
Webinar KIEM HighTech 2024
Here are the videos of our webinar on March 1, 2024 (Dutch only) in which teh KIEM-HighTech 2024 scheme is explained.
