NWO will soon launch seven calls within the innovation programme NWO-KIC 2024-2027. These upcoming calls offer funding for thematic PPP research. The themes are directly linked to the societal challenges of the Netherlands; for example, research for combatting microplastics in plastic use and for sustainable climate control of buildings. NWO makes 7 million euros available per research programme.
The upcoming calls fall under the Mission main line NWO-KIC 2024-2027. Characteristic of the research within NWO-funded projects within the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC) is that researchers collaborate within consortia containing relevant parties as co-funders and collaboration partners.
Available funding
Per call, NWO funds research for 7 million euros, with 750 thousand to 4 million euros available per project. The requested co-funding at project level in NWO-KIC 2024-2027 has three variants, 10, 20 and 30%, of which at least half must be of private origin. The co-funding may be provided both in cash and in kind. Specific choices are made per research programme, you will find all conditions in the call for proposals. Every year NWO launches 8 to 12 calls within the Mission main line.
Read more about the main line Mission of NWO-KIC 2024-2027
Research themes
The calls NWO is preparing to open cover various research themes. The expected opening date is from July 2024. The themes are:
- Future Plastics
- Nature-based solutions for sustainable climate control of buildings
- Value(s) in transition(s)
- Future broad-spectrum optical systems
- Biodiversity informed decision making in Agri-Horti-Water-Food sectors
- Digital Identities - a foundation for trust in the digital world
- High performance materials for Defence and Security
Eight Knowledge and Innovation Agendas
The central government's mission-driven innovation policy focuses on the opportunities of major societal themes and on key technologies and societal earning capacity. A Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA) has been drawn up for each.
Changes conditions
In the calls resulting from the main line Mission of the NWO-KIC 2024-2027 innovation programme, a number of changes have been made compared to the KIC 2020-2023 period:
- Co-funding conditions: the requested co-funding at project level in NWO-KIC 2024-2027 has three variants, 10, 20 and 30%, of which at least half must be of private origin. The co-funding may be provided both in cash and in kind.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration: the degree of interdisciplinary collaboration in the consortia should match the objective of the research project. In this way, it can contribute to the intended societal impact, but interdisciplinary cooperation is no longer mandatory as in the period KIC 2020-2023.
NWO-KIC: innovation programmes in the knowledge and innovation covenant
NWO develops innovation programmes that focus on societal challenges in the Netherlands. These programmes aim to have an impact on the economy, people and society. The focus is on cooperation between knowledge institutions, private parties and the government. The results thus contribute to the realisation of economic opportunities. It is therefore essential that companies invest in every research project.
