Interest in valorization programme greater than expected
Valorisation, like research and dissemination, has not been a part of the multi-year national research and innovation programme Commit2Data from the start. In 2019, the programme was expanded to include valorisation. With the completion of the first research projects in mid-2020, the valorisation programme started and quickly gained momentum. In 2021 the decision has been made for a more individual approach and a focus on customised support. This approach is bearing fruit.
One third of the research projects are currently in contact with the valorisationcoach and trajectory financing appears to be of interest to 65% of them. For the first Take-Off calls for the Commit2Data cluster, considerably more proposals were submitted than anticipated. NWO, which takes care of the execution of the Commit2Data cluster within their Take-off call, observes that the set-up and use of Commit2Data contributes to the high number of applications for the Take-Off calls.The success of the approach and the enthusiasm of the projects to valorise results is reason for the Ministry of Economic Affairs to make additional funds available. hThe expansion of the funding allows the Commit2Data cluster to support more than twice as many projects as foreseen in 2019 at the start of the valorisation programme. These calls are opened for registration twice a year, in spring and autumn.
About the Valorisation Programme
The programme responds to the so-called 'valorisation gap'. This gap arises because existing instruments often focus on start-ups and SMEs, while research groups with promising results have not yet reached this point. The focus on research groups makes Commit2Data's valorisation programme special. What makes it special is that it connects at an earlier stage than the instruments already available.
