The new €2 mil SME Innovation Subsidy from Foodvalley NL – NIZO shares how to achieve a high success rate

Building on the success of the €1 million SME Innovation Voucher in 2023, Foodvalley NL has just launched a second round of subsidies, doubling the available funds to €2 million. This new wave of funding offer SMEs a pivotal opportunity to scale their innovations, and underscores the commitment of Foodvalley NL and Regio Foodvalley Gelderland – Utrecht to drive innovation, economic growth, and sustainability in the agri-food sector.

About the 2024 Food Valley NL SME Innovation Voucher

In Q3/2024, Foodvalley NL, a leading Dutch innovation network in the food and agriculture sector, has introduced an expanded voucher program. Under this new scheme, SMEs have the potential to receive up to €50,000 to conduct technology scaling trial productions. This voucher offers substantial advantages, accelerating technology and product scaling while mitigating financial risks through subsidized access to facilities, thus enhancing market competitiveness.

NIZO, as a recognized leader in food and health innovation, is honoured to be among the partners in this initiative, offering dedicated support to SMEs throughout the grant application process.

NIZO’s high success rate in 2023

Foodvalley NL’s 2023 innovation voucher program empowered SMEs to scale up their innovations, with NIZO playing a crucial role in this success. Eleven SMEs selected the NIZO Pilot Plant as their preferred scale-up facility, where they benefited from NIZO’s guidance throughout the application process. As a result, these projects achieved an over 70% success rate, with eight out of eleven applications approved. Now, with NIZO’s expert support, these companies are developing their products further at NIZO’s Pilot & Scale-up Facilities.

The 2023 success rate is attributed to the voucher program’s effectiveness in bridging the gap between SMEs’ growth momentum and the costs of high-quality consultancy and facilities. Key factors behind this success include the capability of entrepreneurs, the significance of the projects, and NIZO’s experienced support team.

“This success is neither a given nor a matter of luck. NIZO’s achievements are built on 75 years of accumulated expertise, combining deep industry knowledge and experience. We work closely on each submission to make sure that our expertise complements the customer’s innovative ideas, therefore ultimately increasing their chances of success.” said Nikolaas Vles, CEO of NIZO. “The voucher scheme from Foodvalley NL is pivotal, promoting the development and competitiveness of the food industry, particularly in Ede and across the Netherlands.”

Leonie Raamsdonk, NIZO’s Business Development Manager, who works closely with SMEs during the application process, further explained: “NIZO is a key player in shaping the future for food and health products. Applying for SME subsidy vouchers together with our partners is not just an opportunity but a strategic move. These funds enable to accelerate the combined R&D efforts, test new ideas, and bring innovative solutions to market faster. It’s a critical investment in both our growth and the growth of startup community we serve.”

Testimonials from partner companies

Ysamar Rodriguez, CTO at Happy Ocean Foods:

“NIZO has been a skilled and reliable research partner. Their expertise and collaboration were key to the smooth development of our Shrymps 2.0™ product. The SME Innovation voucher from Foodvalley NL was crucial to the project’s execution and especially valuable for a start-up.”

Bert Knol, Founder of Magnificent Proteins:

“We have chosen for NIZO since they have a proven record on developing alternative protein extraction processes and can help start-ups with scaling-up their process as their research partner. The expertise of NIZO and its multi-disciplinary teams approach have been invaluable in accelerating our product development and ensuring the highest quality outcomes. The collaborative approach with NIZO was key to the development of our faba bean protein isolate. The process was fast, which is especially valuable for a start-up.”

How to apply for the €2 million SME Innovation Subsidy

Eligibility: You must be incorporated and registered to operate in the Netherlands or the EU.

Investment Conditions:

The subsidy provides SMEs with a unique opportunity to access the scientific talent and facilities they need to develop (TRL 4-6) and demonstrate (TRL 7-8) innovative products.

SME must be incorporated and registered to execute business in the Netherlands and or EU; €2,000,000 available; Maximum 50% co-financing, with funding from a €10,000 to €50,000 towards an eligible project (See application form). 

The SME Innovation Voucher is intended to subsidize expenses related to the rental or utilization of a shared pilot facility, including the expertise and operational staff necessary for the execution of the proposed project. Accordingly, a minimum of 50% of the total project costs must be allocated directly to the use of the facility. 

Cofinancing may not be applied toward in-kind contributions, internal research activities, or any other internal expenses incurred by the applicant.

SMEs can apply from November 2024, with Foodvalley NL accepting applications until June 2026. The approval process takes approximately 6-8 weeks from the submission date.

NIZO, as a recognized leader in food and health innovation, is honoured to be among the partners in this initiative, offering dedicated support to SMEs throughout the grant application process.

For more information, contact Foodvalley NL or NIZO. We encourage you to share this opportunity with food SMEs in your network seeking funding.

About NIZO Food Research

Based in Ede, the Netherlands, NIZO is a globally leading, private, and independent contract research organization specializing in food and health innovation. Over more than 75 years of development, NIZO has evolved alongside the continuous innovation in the food industry, bringing together experts in many different areas of food science and production, including protein technology, fermentation, bioinformatics, health, food processing, food safety and sensory experiences of food. These steps come together in our NIZO Pilot Plant – the largest open-access food-grade pilot plant in Europe. NIZO leverages the integrated power of science and technology to assist food companies from the laboratory scale to the semi-industrial level. This enables food companies to achieve their innovation goal more successfully, sustainably, and efficiently, ultimately leading to better food and health.

NIZO today focuses on 4 high-value propositions:

• Protein Transition
• Sustainable Processing, Upscaling and Contract Manufacturing
• Fermentation & Food Safety
• Health Benefits Substantiation