Rewarded Take-off and Demonstrator funding

Various projects within the Amsterdam knowledge institutions have received funding through a Take-off or Demonstrator program from NWO. This will allow researchers to further develop their results into a commercial product, carry out a feasibility study into the commercialisation of their innovation or enter the market as a start-up.

Take-off phase 1 – Feasibility study 

• ChloroSpec-A novel system for non-invasive characterization of plants 

Prof. dr. R.G.M. Croce, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
This project builds on the physical knowledge of the photosynthesis system of plants to develop a device that can measure plant health and identify potential problems (such as water shortage, nitrogen deficiency, etc). This device is relevant for both research institutes and breeders.

• Science Center for Patient Engagement

Dr. T.J. Schuitmaker, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
This project aims to create an application with “consultancy services” to help pharmaceutical companies involve end users in their R&D. This tool, based on scientific principles, will be able to make a lasting change in the way companies develop medicines.

Take-off phase 2 – early stage route

• Dual-Wavelength Micro-Lithography

Dr. A. Kostenko, Photosynthetic bv
Photosynthetic B.V. brings a completely new way of 3D printing to the market, based on numerical technology from the CWI and optical knowledge from the VU. With this technology, microscopic scale 3D prototypes can be made very precisely and quickly.

Demonstrator

• Holocue: Assisting gait in Parkinson’s disease with intelligent mixed-reality cueing

Dr. M. Roerdink, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Cues, such as stripes on the floor, can help relieve and sometimes even prevent freeze when walking in people with Parkinson’s disease. However, different people prefer different types of cues: some require 3D cues to step over, while others require 2D cues to move on. Recent technological breakthroughs have led to a prototype of a smart wearable cueing tool called Holocue that offers cue options. Holocue allows users to activate preferred visual cues using voice commands. Working both indoors and outdoors, Holocue also records data about users’ movements and environments. With this data, Holocue can predict when and where freeze when walking is likely to occur, followed by pre-emptive automatic activation of the cue.

Read more: Toekenningen Demonstrator en Take-off: een stap dichter naar de markt | NWO

About Take off and Demonstrator

NWO has various valorisation instruments for bringing developed knowledge to the market.
The Take-off phase 1 finances a ½-year feasibility study at the university or through a spin-off. This allows researchers to further develop their results into a “minimum viable product”, and explore the possibilities for commercialization of their innovation.
With Take-off early stage routes, companies (start-ups) which have just been initiated by researchers or entrepreneurs can request a loan of 50,000 euros to a maximum of 250,000 euros. The loan is utilised for the early stage route with a maximum term of two (2) years.
Via Demonstrator researchers can further develop their results all to transfer the underlying knowledge to a third party.