Innovation Impact Challenge QDNL

What is an Innovation Impact Challenge?

The Innovation Impact Challenge challenges entrepreneurs to develop and bring new products and/or services to market. The Innovation Impact Challenge harnesses the innovative power of entrepreneurs to help tackle societal problems. Through a competition, entrepreneurs are challenged to submit a proposal. Participants stand a chance of being awarded a contract to carry out a feasibility study. The companies with the most promising feasibility studies will be commissioned to further develop their solution into a prototype.

Themes of this Challenge

The QDNL Challenge focuses on 4 themes:

Theme 1: Water

The Netherlands is dependent on a complex water system. Climate change is increasing the risk of drought, flooding and water shortages. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to maintain good water quality. We need a better understanding of water systems in order to detect pollution, manage scarce sources of fresh water effectively and protect our country from environmental changes.

Theme 2: Energy

The transition to a sustainable energy system presents major challenges. Increasing amounts of renewable energy are being generated, putting even greater strain on the already overloaded electricity grids. The energy system must also be better able to cope with fluctuating volumes of energy from renewable sources. This requires better planning, optimisation, monitoring and control.

Thema 3: Physical infrastructure

The Netherlands’ physical infrastructure is compact, heavily used and of great importance to the economy. Many bridges, roads, railways, waterways and other facilities are ageing and require thorough maintenance or replacement. At the same time, the organisations managing this infrastructure are faced with limited resources and staffing levels. It is therefore important to make better use of existing infrastructure and capacity.

Thema 4: Digital infrastructure

Digital infrastructure has become indispensable to almost all aspects of society and the economy. Increasing amounts of data are being processed and energy consumption is rising. There are also growing threats to digital security. This places greater demands on the efficiency, reliability and security of the digital infrastructure.

Scope

This Challenge forms part of the QDNL National Growth Fund Programme. The QDNL programme is organised around 3 quantum technology domains, represented by 3 catalyst lines (CAT lines):

1. Quantum Computing & Simulation (CAT 1): utilises controlled quantum states and operations to model and process complex computational problems. Quantum properties and effects, such as interference, are utilised to gain insight into the solutions to these problems.
2. Quantum Communication & Networks (CAT 2): utilises the distribution of quantum states between remote nodes to enable new forms of communication, coordination or computation via quantum networks.
3. Quantum Sensing (CAT 3): utilises the interaction between coherently controlled quantum states and their environment to measure physical quantities. Effects such as entanglement or squeezing can be employed to achieve performance and increase sensitivity beyond classical limits.

Available budget per phase

Phase 1 maximum budget per CAT:

• CAT 1 – Quantum Computing & Simulation: € 600,000 (including VAT)
• CAT 2 – Quantum Communication & Networks: € 800,000 (including VAT)
• CAT 3 – Quantum Sensing: € 600,000 (including VAT)

The maximum budget per feasibility study in Phase 1 is €200,000 including VAT.

Phase 2 maximum budget per CAT is € 1,500,000 (including VAT). The maximum budget per phase 2 project is € 1,500,000 including VAT.

The procedure

The Innovation Impact Challenge consists of two phases which you, as an entrepreneur, may go through:

Phase 1: the selected companies/entrepreneurs are tasked with investigating the feasibility of the innovation to be developed and, where appropriate, seeking out collaboration partners.

Phase 2: Participants receive a budget to develop and test the innovation and to produce a limited pilot batch. During a final meeting, the prototypes are presented and the ultimate winner is announced by the client.

This Innovation Impact Challenge is currently in tender phase 1.

Would you like to take part in the QDNL Innovation Impact Challenge?

Read the full call for proposals for details and further information. You can also find all the details and documents relating to the call on Tenderned.

Download the document below:

Submitting your proposal

Submit your proposal between 9 November at 9:00 CET and 25 January, 2027 at 13:00 CET. 

More information follows soon.

Want to know more? 

• Do you have additional questions on this Innovation Impact Challenge? Send an email to innovationimpactchallenge@rvo.nl.
• Read more about the Innovation Impact Challenge.