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SME Hightech call 2026

New SME Hightech call opens on 23 November

Following two successful editions, Holland High Tech will soon be launching the third edition of the SME Hightech call. This call is specifically aimed at engaging and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The call has been developed by Holland High Tech and challenges entrepreneurs to work, in collaboration with research organisations, on innovative projects that align with our innovation domains. New this year is the specific focus on Cognitive Robotics within the Smart Industry domain.

With this call, Holland High Tech is strengthening the knowledge base and R&D capacity of SMEs, so that innovations can be brought to market more quickly and effectively. A total of €5 million is available for this round, of which €3.3 million is earmarked for SMEs.

Contact

Do you have any questions about this call? Please send an email to our expert, Daniëlle Kroonenburg.

Call at a glance

Phase: 1 (Project proposal)
Call opens: Monday 23 November at 12:00
Call closes: Friday 27 November 2026 at 12:00, or earlier if the maximum of 100 proposals submitted is reached.
Budget: €5 million

The call opens on Monday 23 November at 12:00 and closes on Friday 27 November 2026 at 12:00, or earlier if the maximum of 100 proposals submitted is reached. Would you like to apply? If so, please ensure you apply for a user account in good time via the Holland High Tech portal. You will need this to submit your proposal. On 30 September, we’ll be holding a webinar where you’ll receive more information about the call and the submission process. So be sure to register now!


Quick links to

Info, data & budget
Call text (pdf)
Downloads
Webinar


Timeline


Innovation domains

In the SME Hightech call, you, as an SME entrepreneur, are challenged to work with a research organisation on an innovative project for two years. This leads to an increase in the SME’s knowledge and R&D capacity, giving SMEs more staff and resources to convert knowledge and innovations into products or services more quickly and effectively. The research in this call is industry-driven and falls within one of the following innovation domains:

Circular Economy
Sustainable Mobility
Energy Materials
Imaging Technologies
Mechatronics & Optomechatronics
Optical Systems & Integrated Photonics
Quantum Technologies
Semiconductor Technologies
Smart Industry
Systems Engineering

PLEASE NOTE: Within the innovation domain of Smart Industry, this call places specific emphasis on cognitive robotics. This focus is in line with the National Agenda for Cognitive Robotics (NACR). The innovation domain of Hightech Security is not part of this call. You can read more about the scope, background and requested technologies in the call text.


User account and downloads

Would you like to apply? If so, please ensure you apply for a user account in good time via the Holland High Tech portal. You will need this to submit your application. Below you will find all the forms required for your application.

Target group: high-tech SMEs

This call is aimed at high-tech SMEs. These are innovative micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that focus on the development of technologies, are in the start-up or scale-up growth phase, and concentrate on the development of technologies and applications of advanced (key) technologies in the innovation domains. Further requirements and information can be found in the full call text.

Please note: for this call, a SME declaration is required. Furthermore, Dutch companies applying for a grant under the SME Hightech Call 2026 must not be a firm in difficulty (OIM) as defined. For further information on this, please refer to the RVO’s OIM declaration.

What can be applied for

A project carried out by a project consortium comprising at least one SME and one research organisation. The following applies:

  • Per SME (or consortium of SMEs): up to €300,000 per project over two years (maximum of one application per lead applicant)

  • Per research organisation (or consortium of research organisations): up to €150,000 per project over two years

  • An SME may finance a maximum of 50% of its own eligible costs with a grant, with in-kind co-financing required for the remaining costs

  • The SME (or multiple SMEs) must incur costs amounting to at least twice those of the research organisation concerned(s)

  • A research organisation may finance a maximum of 80% of the eligible costs through a grant

Submission of project proposals

This scheme involves a phased submission process in two parts. Further information:

  • Phase 1 consists of a brief project proposal with a full budget 

  • If 100 project proposals have been submitted, the call for proposals will close early 

  • The projects are assessed by an evaluation committee comprising independent experts 

  • Up to 30 project proposals that have received a favourable recommendation are invited to submit a detailed project plan and budget in phase 2 

  • Should a consortium decide not to submit the project proposal for phase 2, the next consortium on the ranking list will be asked to submit a detailed project plan 

Important dates

  • Online information session: Wednesday 30 September 2026, 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm

  • Request a user account Holland High Tech portal: apply here

  • Phase 1: Project proposal submission period: Mon 23 November at 12:00 – Fri 27 November at 12:00, 2026 

  • Notification of initial selection: Mon 15 to Fri 19 February 2027

  • Phase 2 Deadline for submission of detailed project plan: Mon 22 February - Thu 25 March at 12:00, 2027

  • Board decision: Mon 28 June to Fri 2 July 2027  

  • Notification of second selection: Mon 12 to Fri 16 July 2027 

Budget

Holland High Tech has a budget of €5 million available for the 2026 edition of the SME Hightech call. Of this, €3.3 million is marked for SMEs.

The available budget falls within the framework of the PPS Innovation Scheme (Regulations from 2024) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. 

Please note!

  • SMEs that have received funding under the SME Hightech call 2025 are excluded from participating in this call. 

  • The lead organisation and, where applicable, the other SME participant(s) must each be a Dutch SME with an R&D team based in the Netherlands. 

  • A maximum of one application per lead applicant. Grant applicants belonging to the same group of companies are regarded as a single company; in this case, only one company within this group may apply for a grant for a maximum of one project.  

  • Under current legislation and regulations, Dutch companies applying for a grant under the SME Hightech call 2026 must not be a company in difficulty (OIM) as defined. At the time of submission, the company must be able to provide a declaration stating that it is not an OIM, in accordance with the RVO template. You can obtain this declaration by completing the decision tree on the RVO website. Here you will also find further information about the assessment.

Webinar

On Wednesday 30 September 2026, we are organising a webinar at 12.30 pm, during which you can find out more about this call.

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