Following the highly successful KIEM HighTech Call in 2025 and 2024, the KIEM HighTech grant programme has reopened this year. With this programme, Holland High Tech and the Taskforce for Applied Research SIA (Regieorgaan SIA) stimulate technological innovation through collaboration between researchers, SMEs, and other practical partners. Registration for the 24 March 2026 submission deadline is now open. We will also be organizing a webinar on 11 February 2026, to provide more information about the programme.
The Netherlands faces major societal 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.
Holland High Tech and the Regieorgaan SIA have introduced an accessible grant programme for one-year research into high-tech issues from SMEs. The programme offers SMEs the opportunity to involve researchers, for example from universities of applied sciences, in their innovation projects.
This involves projects that align with the following 10 innovation domains:
- Circular Economy
- Sustainable Mobility
- Energy Materials
- Imaging Technologies
- Mechatronics & Optomechatronics
- Optical Systems & Integrated Photonics
- Quantum Technologies
- Semiconductor Technologies
- Smart Industry
- Systems Engineering
Grant applications can be submitted by research organizations. The consortium consists of at least one SME based in the Netherlands, in addition to the applicant. The grant is intended for researchers at the participating research institutions and amounts to a maximum of €40,000 per project. The total available budget is €2.7 million, which is expected to support 67 projects.
Submission dates
Within KIEM HighTech, applications are submitted twice. Applications are processed after each submission. Due to the high level of interest in this programme, the principle is: first-come, first-served. The submission deadlines are:
- Submission deadline 1: 24 maart 2026
- Submission deadline 2: 15 september 2026
More information about KIEM HighTech Call 2026
On Wednesday 11 February 2026 Holland High Tech is organizing a webinar from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. In the webinar:
- You will learn more about how this programme makes short-term research possible.
- You will receive all the ins and outs of the programme.
- And you will hear the experiences of entrepreneurs and researchers who have successfully implemented KIEM HighTech.
