NWO disappointed by the discontinuation of Perspectief: at odds with innovation plans

NWO is deeply disappointed that the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK) will discontinue funding for NWO’s ‘Perspectief’ programme. The round scheduled to open in 2026 will be the final one, as stated in the first supplementary budget accompanying the Spring Memorandum, published by the cabinet today. “This programme precisely connects science and practice in the field of new technologies that will shape the future of our country. Discontinuing Perspectief runs counter to the policies of the new cabinet,” responds Marcel Levi, Chair of the Board.

The Perspectief funding instrument promotes large-scale, interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, businesses, and social organisations, focusing on technology-driven innovation. Scrapping this programme contradicts the concrete plans outlined by the Jetten cabinet for science, technology, and innovation. For instance, the cabinet has announced plans to reverse cuts in higher education and research, introduce key measures such as working towards the 3% target for investment in research and innovation, and implement the National Technology Strategy (NTS). The Coalition Agreement also places significant emphasis on innovation, including plans to establish a National Agency for Disruptive Innovation (NADI) and a National Investment Institution (NII). These are important steps toward a resilient and future-proof Netherlands.

Talent magnet

Discontinuing funding for this essential link between fundamental research and scaling up and commercialising innovations makes no sense: “The Perspectief programme fulfils a crucial bridging function between fundamental research and the commercialisation of developed products,” says Marcel Levi in response to the proposed decision. Perspectief focuses on high-risk, early-stage technology development (Technology Readiness Level – TRL 1–6) and successfully fills a gap in the innovation toolkit, as demonstrated in the programme’s evaluation.

“For twenty years, Perspectief has proven to be a magnet for attracting, training, and retaining technical talent in the Netherlands, fostering strong, sustainable networks and ecosystems around key technologies. These are all areas the new cabinet deems essential for securing the country’s future. It is incomprehensible that an existing, proven effective programme is being scrapped. This programme contributes to what our country needs to tackle future societal challenges and strengthen our competitive position.”

Key technologies such as Imaging Technologies

Perspectief has been contributing to so-called key technologies for years: groundbreaking technologies essential for a more productive, sustainable, healthier, and safer Netherlands. One example of such a key technology—addressed in many Perspectief projects—is Imaging Technologies. This technology focuses on generating, analysing, and visualising images (both optical and non-optical). It covers the entire imaging chain, requiring both hardware and software. Imaging Technologies have numerous applications across sectors such as healthcare, the semiconductor industry, security, agriculture, and aerospace. In healthcare, for instance, this technology enables much faster diagnoses without invasive procedures or unpleasant examinations.

Researcher David Abbink, Professor of Human-Robot Interaction at Delft University of Technology, is also dismayed by the news. “The Perspectief programme is such an important instrument for researchers and businesses to learn from each other and bridge the gap between curiosity-driven and practice-oriented research and innovation—exactly what is needed now.” David Abbink led the Human-Centred Haptics project within the Perspectief programme and received the Stevin Prize in 2024, the highest scientific recognition for researchers who have made exceptional contributions to societal impact. “Perspectief gave my colleagues and me the opportunity to learn how to set up an interdisciplinary consortium around research that companies were genuinely seeking. As a result, we became better, more socially engaged engineers. We also trained many talented individuals who could immediately start working at the participating companies, thereby boosting the earning capacity of the involved SMEs and large enterprises.”

Final round

This summer, the final round (Perspectief 2026) will open, leading to funding for new projects in 2027. Consortia consisting of researchers, businesses, and social organisations can still submit their collaboration plans within this funding instrument. NWO remains open to discussions with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy about the decision and the importance of Perspectief’s bridging function between fundamental research and the market introduction of new products and services.