FOM funds two STW Valorisation Grants
FOM has funded two Valorisation Grants from Technology Foundation STW. At the start of July, STW awarded a total of 20 grants totalling 1.375 million euros to help further develop scientific discoveries into applications.
The Valorisation Grant was set up by STW in 2004 and is based on the American Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programme. In practice, researchers find it difficult to acquire funding for the further development of an idea that has emerged from scientific research: they have demonstrated that the idea can work (proof-of-principle), but there is no prototype yet. Standard research funding often provides too little space for the development and additional research that is so vitally needed at this stage. The Valorisation Grant is intended to bridge this 'financial gap'.
Two types of funding
The Valorisation Grant programme has two types of funding: phase 1 and phase 2. Fifteen of the proposals awarded fall under phase 1 (including the two proposals that FOM is funding) and five under phase 2.
Phase 1 is the feasibility study, during which the applicant carries out research into the technological and commercial feasibility of the proposal. A maximum of 25,000 euros can be applied for in phase 1 to cover a period of no more than 6 months.
Phase 2 is the valorisation phase. In this phase, the first steps of the valorisation process are taken, such as the development of a product portfolio, the acquisition of a launching customer and holding negotiations with private financiers. The aim of this phase is to reach a point at which private financiers will assume responsibility for funding the further commercial development. A maximum of 200,000 euros can be applied for in phase 2 to cover a period of no more than 2 years. A condition for receiving phase 2 funding is the successful completion of phase 1, the feasibility study.
Valorisation Grants funded by FOM
The following two phase 1 proposals are being funded by FOM and will also be managed by FOM:
* Dr. V. Zwiller (Delft University of Technology), Superconducting single photon detectors.
* Prof.dr. J.W.M. Frenken (Leiden University), Rapid and sensitive gas analyser for extremely high pressure range.
The proposals awarded now are the outcome of the 14th call for proposals of the programme. STW received 44 proposals for phase 1 and 17 proposals for phase 2. The Valorisation Grant is realised by STW in collaboration with FOM and NanoNed.
The full list of proposals awarded can be found on the STW website. Further information about the Valorisation Grants of STW can be obtained from Dr. Wouter Segeth, telephone +31 (0)30 600 12 74.