SME Hightech call 2025

SMEs take the lead in determining research

This call was developed by Holland High Tech and specifically aims to involve and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We challenge entrepreneurs to collaborate with research organizations over a two-year period on innovative projects that align with our innovation domains. With a total budget of €5 million, the call supports industrial research focused on the development and application of key technologies. In this way, Holland High Tech strengthens the knowledge position and R&D capacity of SMEs, enabling them to bring innovations to market more quickly and effectively. This call is closed.

Contact

Do you have any questions about this call? Ask our expert:

Daniëlle Kroonenburg (mail)

Programme manager

The call at a glance

Status: call closed
Budget: €5 million

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Call tekst (pdf)

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Innovation domains

In the SME High-Tech call, SME entrepreneurs are challenged to collaborate with a research organization on an innovative project for two years. This will increase the knowledge and R&D capacity of SMEs, giving them more manpower and resources to convert knowledge and innovations into products or services faster and more effectively. The research in this call is industrial and falls within one of the following innovation domains:

Mechatronics & Optomechatronics

Optical Systems & Integrated Photonics

Quantum Technologies

Semiconductor Technologies

Smart Industry

Systems Engineering

Target audience: high-tech SMEs

This call is aimed at high-tech SME participants. These are innovative micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) focused on developing technologies that are in the growth phase (start-up or scale-up) and that focus on the development of technologies and applications of advanced (key) technologies in innovation domains. Further requirements and information can be found in the full call text. Please note: an SME declaration is required for this call.

A project by a project consortium consisting of at least one SME and one research organization. The following applies:

Per SME (or consortium of SMEs): a maximum of €300,000 per project for two years (maximum one application per main applicant).
Per research organization (or consortium of research organizations): a maximum of €150,000 per project for two years.
An SME may finance a maximum of 50% of its eligible costs with a grant, with in-kind co-financing permitted for the remaining costs.
The SME (or multiple SMEs) must incur at least twice the costs of the research organization(s) involved.
A research organization may finance a maximum of 80% of its eligible costs with a grant.

This program has a phased submission process in two parts. More information:

Phase 1 consists of a short project proposal with appendices.
If 100 project proposals have been submitted, the submission deadline will close prematurely.
The projects will be assessed by an evaluation committee of independent experts.
A maximum of 30 project proposals with a positive recommendation will be asked to submit a full project plan and budget in phase 2.
If a project application is rejected during phase 2, the next consortium on the list will be asked to submit a full project plan and budget.

Please note:

SMEs that received a grant in the SME Hightech call 2024 are excluded from participating in this call.
Project proposals submitted in the SME Defence call 2025 may not be submitted in the SME Hightech call 2025 (and vice versa).

Online information session: Wed 10 December 2025, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Apply for Holland High Tech portal user account: apply here, Wed 17 December 2025 at the latest
Phase 1: Project proposal submission period: Mon 5 January 12:00 PM – Fri 9 January 2026, 12:00 PM
Communication of first selection: Mon 23 to Fri 27 February 27 2026
Phase 2: Deadline for submitting the detailed project plan: Fri 27 March 2026, 12:00 PM
Board decision: Mon 18 May 2026
Communication of second selection: Tue 19 toTue 26 May 2026

For the 2025 edition of the SME High Tech call, Holland High Tech has allocated a budget of €5 million. Of this, €3.3 million is earmarked for SMEs. The available budget falls within the framework of the PPP Innovation Scheme (Regulations from 2024 onwards) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs.