Venture Centre
HBO Take Off
Your product can be the solution to a social challenge. You therefore want to investigate the feasibility of your innovative idea by mapping the technical and economic opportunities and risks. The coordinating body SIA gives you this opportunity by financing feasibility studies for your idea that arises from research. The Venture Centre AUAS and IXA are here to help you with your application for the HBO Take-Off. Below you will find how to make an appointment to discuss the options.
The HBO Take-Off Arrangement
This arrangement finances a feasibility study. You can do a patent search, make an inventory of available technology or perform a market analysis.
You can apply for a minimum of 10.000 euros and a maximum of 40.000 euros.
AUAS Students and employees who want to research the feasibility of an innovative idea can submit an application. These applications are assessed based on 4 criteria that count equally in the assessment:
- knowledge base and innovation
- commercial potential
- quality of the team
- quality of the project plan
The university of applied sciences is the applicant
It is important to know that if a Take-Off higher professional education project proposal is approved, the SIA Governing Body pays the money to the university of applied sciences that bears the financial responsibility for the correct implementation of the project plan. With that money, the university college will reimburse the costs of the feasibility study in accordance with the budget included in the application.
How and based on what are the applications assessed?
The submitted proposals are assessed by an independent committee. This committee consists of entrepreneurship researchers from various research areas, entrepreneurs, external experts and private funders. After an initial written assessment, you will be invited to briefly explain your plans to the committee. This is an important part of the application process.
The feasibility study
The HBO Take-off is intended for conducting a study on the technical feasibility and/or market feasibility of your product/service. In short, the funding is intended to investigate or validate one of the following three things:
- The technology or process delivers a particular value.
- The need of the intended target group to solve a problem with the help of the product.
- The commercial feasibility of getting a solution to the target group.
Finally, it is not uncommon to include a risk inventory in this study.
Below is a video explaining the value of conducting a feasibility study.
Starting with an application
If you, as a student or alumnus of the AUAS, want to apply for a HBO Take-off subsidy for your project or company, you can! You can request a meeting with one of our coaches by filling in this form.
It is important to take two things into account:
- At the AUAS, a lectorate must be involved in the application. Check the AUAS website in advance to see if there is a lecturer or researcher who would be a logical match in terms of expertise as a partner for this project (https: //www.hva.nl/research/lectorates).
- The subsidy has two fixed application moments and the writing and preparation of a good application takes 1 to 2 months - for students we recommend that you first follow the 10K Incubator program. (www.hva.nl/10K)
Upcoming submission rounds:
Currently, there is no new application round for the HBO Take-off subsidy. For current information about this reach out to Innovation Exchange Amsterdam (IXA).
Also possible: Take-off Phase 2
In addition to the HBO Take-off, a Take-off Phase 2 application is also possible. This arrangement focuses on early phase trajectories and provides subsidies in the form of a loan of a minimum amount of € 50,000 and a maximum amount of € 250,000 to newly started companies (start-ups) for the implementation of early phase trajectories based on knowledge innovations from Dutch universities, research institutes recognized by NWO (WO), recognized TO2 institutions, and Dutch universities of applied sciences (HBO).
An early phase trajectory consists of the steps and activities to ensure that the idea/concept becomes commercially viable, that the process or service can and goes successfully on the market, that the business will grow and that money will be made.
The early phase trajectories are exclusively intended for innovative new businesses. In addition, "new" must be understood as demonstrably not older than 5 years at the time of submission of an application, calculated from the date of registration with the Kamer van Koophandel.
You can also contact us if you, as an AUAS student, employee or alumnus, are interested in this scheme.