VIA grant

To qualify for the VIA scheme, your company must be established and active in the provinces of Drenthe and/or Fryslân. The grant is aimed specifically at SMEs wanting to carry out innovative research and development projects. This can range from developing new products and services to renewing existing solutions.

The VIA grant — the Accelerator for Innovative Ambitions Drenthe and Fryslân 2025-2026 scheme — is intended to support SMEs in Drenthe and Fryslân in innovative ambitions that contribute to a sustainable, circular, digital and/or healthy North Netherlands. The scheme gives SMEs the chance to apply for funding for research and development projects, including developing new products, services or processes and resolving technical uncertainties. With an available budget of €5 million, VIA encourages research and development so that innovative ideas can become reality.

Projects eligible for the VIA scheme include:

• The development of a new product, new service or new process;
• Significantly renewing existing products, services or processes, aimed at resolving technical uncertainties;
• Proof-of-concept software;
• Embedded software.

The VIA grant has specific conditions that projects must meet to qualify for financial support. The most important conditions are set out below:

• The project must be an innovative development that has not been realised before;
• The project must contribute to key transitions such as circularity, sustainability, digitalisation and health in North Netherlands;
• Your project must fit within the scheme’s assessment framework;
• No commitments may have been entered into before the grant application is submitted;
• The project must be completed within 18 months of the subsidy award, and no later than 30 June 2027;
• The total eligible project costs must be at least €30,000.

The grant can be applied for individual projects, with a maximum of 35% of the eligible costs up to €50,000. For collaborative projects the subsidy is up to 45% of the eligible costs, with a maximum of €100,000. It is important to submit your application during the open window and to meet the stated conditions.

The first VIA application window runs from 11 November to 31 December 2025. During this period applications can be submitted to the Northern Netherlands Alliance (SNN). Note that the available budget of €5 million is allocated in order of receipt.

Thanks to our 25 years of experience, we can optimise your funding process and take it almost entirely off your hands.

What kind of activities might that involve?

• Assessing whether your project is eligible for funding;
• Writing (or reviewing) the grant application and submitting it to the SNN;
• Acting as the point of contact towards the SNN;
• Support in setting up the project administration;
• Handling the interim financial reports and the final accounting;