Proof-of-concept Funding: After your application

Within 13 weeks we assess applications in the order in which they are received. If your application is complete and there is still funding available, one of our advisers will contact you to arrange an initial consultation. You will then receive an invitation to present your plan – together with your investor – to the Proof-of-concept Funding Advisory Committee.

Members Proof-of-concept Funding Committee

• Jan Cobbenhagen (chairman)
• Christiaan Holland
• Gitte Schober
• Olga Liska-Luzi
• Hendrik van der Meulen

Implementation agreement

If the decision is positive, you will receive a loan agreement and an authorisation form along with the decision. You must sign the agreement and return it within 14 days. From that point onwards, you must comply with the applicable rules.

By signing the authorisation form, you give us permission to collect payments by direct debit. You will start repaying the loan in the third year after the start of the programme.

Terms of the agreement

Once the loan agreement has come into effect, you must comply with the following terms:

• You must carry out the activities for which you have received the grant. These must be completed by the end date you specified in your application.
• If we carry out an audit of your activities, you must cooperate. A member of staff from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency may visit you.
• If necessary, you must provide us with documents for the European Commission. The grant is subject to the General Block Exemption Regulation. The European Commission may reclaim the grant within 10 years if it is found to have been awarded unlawfully.

If you fail to comply with the rules, we may withdraw and reclaim all or part of the loan, including statutory interest.

Advance payment

You do not need to apply for an advance payment. You will receive the first advance payment once we have received the signed loan agreement from you. You can request the second instalment of the loan once you have used up the advance payment. To do so, please send us an Excel spreadsheet detailing the expenses incurred, including copies of invoices.

Making adjustments

If you wish to make an adjustment during the course of the project – for example, to the budget, the schedule or the team – please discuss this with your project advisor first. This is because you will need prior approval for certain changes to your project plan or its implementation.

Report an adjustment

Report on progress

During the process, you must submit a progress report at least once. Please use the 'Model voortgangverslag Vroegefasefinanciering' (in Dutch) for this purpose. The dates on which you are required to report are specified in the loan agreement.

Report progress

Applying for final approvement

Once the project has been completed, you must apply for final approval within 3 months. You must submit an audit report and a final report with your application. You can download a sample report below (in Dutch). You will receive a decision on your application for final approval within 13 weeks.

Apply for approval

Repayment

The settlement also includes a repayment schedule. Repayments are made by direct debit. You will need to provide authorisation for this.