Grant scheme

R&D scheme for high-tech companies

To stimulate innovation and accelerated development of new technologies for the Einstein Telescope (ET), a R&D scheme for high-tech companies has been launched this fall. €12.085 million is available for this purpose. The scheme is part of the Einstein Telescope valorization program and will be open to individual companies and partnerships around five technology domains relevant to the Einstein Telescope. Consortia can include startups and SMEs, large companies and knowledge institutions. LIOF implements the scheme under a mandate from the Ministry of OCW.
The call for the domain 'optics' is now open. You can find more information under the Timing heading on this page.

Alone or together

You can apply as an individual company or within a consortium. If you are interested in participating, please contact us. Together we will be happy to see which consortium and technology domain you may be able to join. Check our contact page for a business developer near you.

Program Manager Jorg van der Meij (LIOF):

The fact that there will now be an additional incentive specifically for high-tech companies is a very good addition to some particularly successful cross-border programs

Five technology domains

These domains are:

Vibration-free cooling: development of vibration-free cooling of mirrors to temperature 10-20 K.
Vacuum technology: cost savings of vacuum system and design of production facility and installation scenario.
Vibration damping: development of optimal combination of passive and active vibration damping.
Optics: development of large Si mirrors and coating for application at temperature 10-20 K.
Thermal deformations: development of technology to monitor and compensate for thermally induced deformations.

Application process

If a call is open, there is an opportunity to request an application form through this website. After leaving your details, you will receive the application instructions and the necessary documentation. The R&D scheme itself can be found in a PDF format at the bottom of this page.
After submitting the application, the applicant will receive an email acknowledgement of receipt.
LIOF will check that the application is complete, has been used the application form established for this purpose and has been submitted in a timely manner.
If the application is incomplete, LIOF will feedback this to the applicant. If there is still time until the close of the call, the applicant is free to resubmit the application after adjustment. Only obvious errors can be completed by the applicant after the close of the application period.
When the application is complete, the applicant will receive an email confirmation. This application will then be included in the review process.

Criteria

Applications are reviewed by an independent guidance group. This guidance group uses the following criteria in evaluating R&D projects:

Connection to technology domain;
Economic perspective;
Quality of the applicant or consortium;
Quality project plan.

Timing and contacts

The opening period for the Technology Domain of Vibration Damping closed on May 31, 2024 at 11:59 pm. The openings of the other domains are:

Optics: This call is now open and closes at September 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
Thermal deformations: September 2, 2024. This call closes at October 17, 2024 at 11:59 PM.
Vacuum technology: more information on the opening- and closing date will follow soon.

Scheme

The complete R&D scheme can be found in the first Staatscourant publication on vibration-free cooling (October 2023) and can be downloaded here. (R&D scheme available in Dutch only). Application documentation is available via the green button on the top right.

Contact

Limburg Region and other regions: Jorg van der Meij;
Brabant Region: Karin van Dalen;
South Holland Region: Albert van Dorssen;
East Region: Melissa Jonkman.

For contact information, please refer to the team page.

Of course, you can always contact us outside of the openings as well. We are building a strong ecosystem and you can contribute to that too!

Staatscourant publication

The opening up of a technology domain is always announced via a new Staatscourant publication. The first Staatscourant publication on vibration-free cooling (October 2023) is important in all openings as it contains the full R&D scheme.

Publications (in Dutch) in the already opened technology areas are: