Are you an innovative entrepreneur at Campus Groningen with a groundbreaking idea that could strengthen the future of your company and Northern Netherlands? Then the SME Feasibility Voucher might be for you. This grant offers a unique opportunity to assess the feasibility of your idea in a northern testbed, now also available at Innolab Engineering, Innolab Chemistry, Innolab Agrifood, or Zernike Advanced Processing (ZAP) at Campus Groningen. This subsidy is made possible by the ERDF program (European Regional Development Fund) for entrepreneurs in Groningen, Drenthe, and Friesland. The Northern Netherlands Cooperation Partnership implements the SME Feasibility Voucher.

Assess Feasibility

With a feasibility study, you'll map out economic and technical feasibility. This is often complex, but thanks to collaboration with first-line organizations such as IkBenDrentsOndernemer, GroBusiness, and Ynbusiness, this process is streamlined. Testbeds like Innolab Chemistry & Engineering, Innolab Agrifood, or ZAP at Campus Groningen are rich sources of knowledge and facilities that support innovative entrepreneurs.

The feasibility voucher not only promotes this collaboration but also reimburses 40% of your costs for the feasibility study, including labor costs, rent for labs & demo spaces, materials, and advice.

Opportunities for Entrepreneurs at ZAP Groningen

The ZAP facility at Zernike Campus is a testbed for research and education. It's a semi-industrial learning-work environment where knowledge institutions and businesses collaborate on research questions. This research is particularly focused on green chemistry and bioprocess technology.

Rob van Linschoten, director of ZAP Groningen, outlines the opportunities for entrepreneurs: "ZAP gives companies the opportunity to innovate. We offer space, services, and facilities for companies looking to scale up their ideas and processes to a 'proof of concept.' There are opportunities for research in green chemistry, plant biology, fermentation technology, and other technical topics. Additionally, companies get in touch with emerging talent by collaborating with students and researchers. Whatever the idea, at ZAP Groningen, we're happy to brainstorm and support companies in their scaling process."

Conditions

The project must focus on the feasibility of a new product, service, or process, with at least 40% of the total project costs allocated to a testbed. No obligations such as contracts may have been entered into, nor may activities have started before submitting the subsidy application. The project must be completed within 12 months of the decision.

Sven Stielstra, manager of Innolabs at Campus Groningen, says, "It's great news that this voucher is now also available for collaboration with testbeds like the Innolabs at Campus Groningen. This makes the entire 'Campus Groningen Innovation Train' of start-up (Innolab), scale-up (ZAP), and demo scale facilities in the region, such as the CIC, even more accessible for entrepreneurs. Innovation is essential for entrepreneurs, and this voucher for a feasibility study makes it more accessible. Do you have a good idea? Don't hesitate to contact us!"

More info & Advice?

You can still submit your application for the SME Feasibility Voucher until November 30, 2024, via SNN. Would you like help or information from Campus Groningen about this? Then contact Sven Stielstra, business developer, and manager of Innolabs at Campus Groningen (s.stielstra@triade.umcg.nl) or Rob van Linschoten, director of ZAP Groningen (r.j.van.linschoten@pl.hanze.nl).

Source article: Campus Groningen
Pictures: Campus Groningen and ZAP Groningen