Industrial PhD Call 

The Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (LSH) invites companies and research organizations to participate in the Industrial PhD Call 2025. This initiative fosters collaboration between academia and industry by supporting talented PhD candidates in conducting practice-oriented research and developing innovative solutions for the LSH sector. With a total budget of €5.000.000, the call provides opportunities to establish Industrial PhD projects, wherein PhD candidates will conduct their research jointly at a research organization and a company. 

Why participate?  

The Netherlands is internationally recognized for excellence in scientific research; however, translating research findings into practical applications often remains challenging. The Industrial PhD Call addresses this gap by uniting academic expertise with industrial innovation, thereby accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into tangible economic and societal outcomes. By embedding PhD candidates in both academic and industrial environments, the program enhances their professional capabilities, expedites innovation, and strengthens the Netherlands' competitive position on the global stage. 

Who is eligible?  

This funding opportunity targets consortia consisting of at least one Dutch research organization and at least one Dutch medium-sized SME or large company. Together, these partners supervise a PhD candidate who will undertake research activities within both the research organization and the industry partner. Consortia may also be expanded to include additional partners. 

The definition of SMEs is based on the European Commission’s guidelines. A medium-sized enterprise has fewer than 250 employees and either an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million. More information can be found in the call text and in Appendix A of the pre-application form.

Funding availability  

Consortia may apply for a maximum PPP subsidy of €400,000 per project. Research organizations, Dutch SMEs and large Dutch companies can all apply for PPP subsidy, subject to the applicable financial conditions. Co-financing by all consortium partner is required.   

Key participation conditions 

  • A standardized consortium agreement template is mandatory, with only minimal adjustments permitted. It is essential that consortia fully understand and comply with the terms outlined in this template. Detailed information can be found in section 3.4 of the call text. 

  • Companies intending to utilize PPP subsidy must explicitly declare in both the pre-application and the full application phases that they do not qualify as a "Company in Difficulty." 

Application Procedure and Deadlines

Timeline applications for the Industrial PhD Call 

The application process is structured in two stages: 

Step 1: Pre-application: Deadline for submission is May 20, 2025, at 17:00 CET.  

All pre-applications will undergo an initial assessment against the call's requirements. If more than 30 applications meet the admissibility criteria, a selection process as described in sections 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 of the call document will take place. 

Step 2: Full application: Invited consortia must submit their full applications by October 7, 2025, at 17:00 CET.  

A maximum of 30 consortia will be selected to submit full applications. Essential documentation, including the application form, budget form, and commitment letter templates, will be made available by the end of April. The comprehensive application form will include detailed sections on the project plan, budget, economic impact, and societal impact. The consortium agreement template can already be accessed under the downloads section. 

Pre-applications and full applications should be submitted via email to tki@health-holland.com. 

Read the full call documentation  

The full call text and all necessary submission documents are available for download below. The consortium agreement template has already been uploaded for your information.  

For further questions, please contact Annebel Hendrix or Daan Dolfing at tki@health-holland.com. 

Downloads