TechBridge: Grant for Key Enabling Technology Development

Background

The key enabling technologies from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs’ National Technology Strategy (NTS) are the strategic building blocks of tomorrow’s economy. They not only strengthen the Netherlands’ earning capacity, but also help tackle the major societal challenges of our time.
International collaboration is essential to accelerate these technologies and achieve global impact.

TechBridge offers Dutch companies and research institutions the opportunity to work with international partners on groundbreaking innovation projects. By joining forces with leading innovative economies, new opportunities arise to strengthen key enabling technologies and bring market-oriented solutions to practice more quickly.

Read more about the National Technology Strategy.

Budget and Topics

For each TechBridge call, a notice is published in the Dutch Government Gazette (Staatscourant) specifying:

• the innovative country/region/economy involved;
• the technology topic;
• the Dutch budget;
• the maximum grant per project;
• the submission deadline.

Maximum Grant and Funding Rates

Only research and development (R&D) activities are funded. All other costs must be covered by the participating parties themselves.

Subsidy percentages of eligible R&D project costs:

• SMEs: 45% for research activities, 35% for development activities
• Large companies: 35% for research activities, 25% for development activities
• Knowledge institutions: 50% for research activities, 25% for development activities

The grant amount depends on the type of organization and the project activities. The maximum subsidy per project may vary per call and will be announced for each call.

Conditions

In each TechBridge call, the Dutch government - together with one or more priority countries - invites Dutch businesses to submit a joint project proposal with one or more organizations from a specified innovative economy. This may be a country or a region.

When this requirement is met, other organizations, such as knowledge institutions, can also participate as partners. Project partners can receive funding if they meet the rules and conditions of their own funding bodies. In the Netherlands, that body is the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

To qualify for funding, a Dutch company must always be part of the Dutch side of the consortium. Knowledge institutions can receive funding only as a project partner of a Dutch company that submits the application to RVO.

In addition, the proposal must match the call’s topic and meet its international requirements. Details are provided on the page of the relevant call.

Secure and resilient collaboration

When collaborating internationally on knowledge-intensive technologies, products, and services, you may face economic security risks. Be aware of these risks and prepare carefully. Read more about secure and resilient entrepreneurship (in Dutch), including the 'WeerbaarWijzer' and information from the Economic Security Entrepreneurs’ Desk (OLEV).

Open Calls

You can submit an application from 15 September through 28 October 2025 for the TechBridge United Kingdom 2025 – Quantum Technologies call.

Preparing Your Application

Include the following attachments with your grant application:

• TechBridge Project Plan
• TechBridge Budget Template
• TechBridge Public Summary Template
• For each company: Statement of no enterprise in difficulty (in Dutch)
• For each company: Decision tree for the above statement (in Dutch)
• A signed consortium agreement (this may also be submitted at a later stage)

Templates for the budget, project plan, and public summary are available on the page of the relevant call.

Applying

To qualify for TechBridge funding, you must always submit a national application to RVO. Application procedures for your foreign project partners may differ.

TechBridge issues calls for different countries, with varying topics and procedures. See the 'Open Calls' and 'Closed Calls' pages for details.

Interested in participating? We recommend contacting the advisors of Team IRIS (in Dutch) or the advisors listed in the call in advance

After You Apply

During assessment, RVO may request additional information about your project budget. You will receive a decision within 13 weeks of submission.

Project Changes

If you wish to make changes during the project period, first discuss them with an RVO advisor, then submit them in writing as soon as possible.

• Report changes in project, implementation, or organization (format in Dutch)
• Report a change of lead applicant (format in Dutch)

Project Progress

During the project, you must submit a progress report once a year. An RVO advisor will also call once a year to discuss progress.

• Submit progress updates (format in Dutch)

Finalization

After your project ends, you must submit a request for final grant determination and a final report. You will receive a reminder by email a few weeks before the project end date. Use the TechBridge Final Report template. This will be available for download here shortly.

When an audit protocol is part of the grant award, an external auditor’s assurance report is mandatory for each participant with project expenditure above €125,000.

Closed Calls

No TechBridge calls have been fully completed and closed yet.