UvA valorisation funds

Grant and Funding resources, the difference

Proof of Concept (PoC) and Pre-Seed fundings finances feasibility and/or commercial studies for your concept or invention. In case of success, a percentage of, the proceeds deriving from license revenues will flow back into the Valorisation Fund. This way we can finance other UvA projects and maintain this Fund.

A Grant is a gift that is made available under certain conditions.

How to apply?

• Initiators can apply for funding by sending IXA UvA the application form, which can be downloaded here (conditions are stated in the applicable Application Form).
• This application form shall include a well-reasoned exploitation plan consisting of a budget with an estimate of costs.
• IXA will support Applicants to complete the application form.
• Deadline: continuously.

Review, assessment and procedures of your application

• For some types of funding, such as PoC and Pre-Seed, Applicants will be invited to pitch their proposal for an IXA expert panel. This panel assesses the application and the business case. This involves a review on technological feasibility, commercial potential and the business model for the projects subject.
• In case of a Valorisation Fund application, IXA will consult external parties to review the request. On basis of their review IXA UvA decides whether or not to grant the applicant.
• Approved applications will receive an Agreement from IXA UvA.
• The fund will be made available by providing IXA with a WBS number of Applicants department, after which you can start!
• Applicant reports the progress and results during and after of the project to IXA UvA.

Exploitation of project results

Project results will be licensed to an applicant's enterprise or Start-Up initiative for exploitation purposes. PoC and Preseed funding are a soft loan with a revolving character in case of successful exploitation of the results. This means that proceeds deriving from license revenues will flow back into the Valorisation Fund to support and finance other UvA projects and thus maintain this Fund.

Do you have questions or want support?

If you could do with advise or more information to decide which type of funding fits your needs or when you want support with your application, please contact Albert Wijnen at IXA UvA 020 525 5417 or a.wijnen@ixa.nl

Patent costs for UvA IP

Any person who develops a potentially patentable invention must notify the dean and IXA UvA. A business developer of IXA UvA will discuss the invention with you, determine whether it is new and patentable, and establish whether the invention has commercial potential. If so, IXA UvA and the director of the relevant research institute and the faculty dean will make a decision about submitting a patent application. Secrecy is essential to obtaining a patent, at least until the patent application is submitted.

Once a patent application has been submitted, IXA UvA will draw up a commercialisation plan together with the inventor. The inventor, his or her faculty or research institute and IXA UvA Patent Fund ( Octrooifonds) are each entitled to receive one-third of the proceeds from the invention following the deduction of patent charges. The  maximum amount available to per invention and per patent is €2,500,000.

For more information contact our team at octrooi@uva.nl

For feasibility and/or commercial studies, up to 100k€

IXA offers the following PoC and Pre-Seed funding:

• Academic Proof of Concept Fund Amsterdam (APCA): feasibility studies in collaboration with third parties, up to 45k€
• Proof of Concept Fund: feasibility studies, 25-100k€
• Pre-Seed Fund: commercial (start up) activites, up to 100k€

Proof of Concept (PoC) funding finances feasibility and/or commercial studies for your concept or invention. In case of success, a percentage of, the proceeds deriving from license revenues will flow back into the Valorisation Fund. This way we can finance other UvA projects and maintain this Fund.

Review, assessment and procedures of your application

• Initiators apply for funding by sending IXA UvA the application form, which can be downloaded on this site (conditions are stated in the applicable Application Form).
• Applicants will be invited to pitch their proposal for an IXA expert panel. This panel assesses the application and the business case. This involves a review on technological feasibility, commercial potential and the business model for the projects subject.
• Approved applications will receive an Agreement from IXA UvA.
• The fund will be made available by providing IXA with a WBS number of Applicants department, after which you can start!
• Applicant reports the progress and results during and after of the project to IXA UvA.

For feasibility/ commercial study, up to 45k€

This funding type offers researchers and students from the Institute of Informatics UvA an opportunity to carry out technical and/or commercial feasibility studies on their concepts, inventions or ideas. IXA UvA manages the Informatics Feasibility Fund. The conditions under which the funding can be provided are briefly summarized below. IXA provides this Fund for a period of 3 years.

Who is eligible?

The funding can be provided to researchers and students, from the Institute for Informatics of the UvA.

Conditions for Feasibility Funding

• The idea is promising and expected to be both technical and commercial
• The initiator or team looks capable
• Commitment of the manager of the Institute for Informatics
• The available (or remaining) budget is sufficient to grant the requested funding as administered by IXA.

Funding types

1. For researchers: funds up to 70k€.  
2. For students: 5 funds of max 5k€ for a 10 months period of 500 €/pm student salary

Application, assessment, and management procedures for funding

• Download Application Form here
• IXA will help applicants to complete the application form.
• Applicants will be invited for a Pitch presentation for an expert panel. The panel assesses the application and the associated business case. This involves an examination of criteria such as technological feasibility, commercial potential, business model
• Approved applications will receive an Agreement from IXA UvA.
• The fund will be made available by providing IXA with a WBS number of Applicants department, after which you can start!
• Applicant reports the result of the project to IXA.

Interested in IXA UvA Informatics Feasibility Fund?

Please contact IXA UvA info@ixa.nl, call 020 525 5417 or visit our office at B0.159 Sciencepark 904, next to the chess board.

For physics related projects, up to 10-35k€

With this grant IXA stimulates the receiver to validate physics related research towards exploitation in cooperation with an industrial partner. The primary criteria are:

• There is a true demand for a concrete step, the proposal has a specific start and end point.
• The requested funding can bring the cooperation with already identified partners, a step closer.

Who is eligible?

Researchers (permanent staff, incl. tenure track) of the IXA partner organizations: HvA, UvA, VU, Amolf and Nikhef.

Conditions for funding

• Speed is important; funding for projects not completed and reported within one month after their projected duration will be discontinued (unless specifically motivated).
• There should be enough human resources to start immediately after approval.
• The available budget at the time of application should be able to accommodate the requested grant.
• The researchers need to report the results in a brief report (1-3 pages), justifying their hours, costs and describing how the grant has contributed to bringing their plan closer to a follow-up project with a private partner (in relation to the plan laid down in the project proposal).

Available budget

The budget per project is 10 to 35k€. This can be spent on personnel costs, consumables and small, well-motivated investments.

Application, assessment and management procedures for funding

• Download the application form here. There is no deadline; application is possible continuously for the duration of the IXAnext program.
• The application form is to be completed together with a business developer at IXA and should be submitted to IXAnext Project Manager Dr. Joost van Mameren, through info@ixa.nl. Applications will be reviewed by at least one independent expert.
• IXA is not responsible if the maximum awarded budget is exceeded. All costs incurred above this amount will be met by the Initiator or the department.
• The fund will be made available via the employer of the applicant (one of the of the IXAnext partner organizations: HvA, UvA, VU, AMOLF, Nikhef). The applicant receives a dedicated project  number from the project control department of the applicant’s employer for declaration of hours and costs. The project can start thereafter.
• The project control department of the applicant’s employer will submit the costs of the Physics2Market Grant to the main applicant (IXA UvA).
• Payment shall be made only if all costs are justified via time sheets (according to the requirements of the EFRO), actual paid costs etc. After the termination of the IXAnext project (end date: 30 September 2021) no costs will be reimbursed.

Interested in a IXAnext Phyiscs2Market Grant?

Call, mail or visit IXA Office UvA-HvA:  020-525 5417, info@ixa.nl or visit the office at B0.160 Sciencepark 904 next to the chess board.