Financing resources

Life sciences companies require substantial amounts of funding. Access to seed capital, early and mid-stage capital is critical to their survival and success. Entrepreneurs based in the Amsterdam area have access to a number of funding options, ranging from venture capital to subsidies and the public market.

I amstarter

I amstarter is a local network of research institutes and technology-based companies, which offers beginning entrepeneurs professional support.

EuroTransBio

The strategic objective of the ETB calls for proposals is to foster the competitiveness of European’s biotechnology industry by supporting the research intensive small and medium sized enterprises and their strategic partnerships. The fourth ETB call for proposals is a generic call including all fields of biotechnology. The deadline will be April 27, 2009. The ETB 4th Call is launched with the participation of 12 EU Countries and Regions (Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlands, Basque Country (Spain), Catalonia (Spain), the Madrid Region (Spain), Flanders (Belgium), Wallonia (Belgium)).

Life Sciences Fund Amsterdam

The Life Sciences Fund Amsterdam is established in 2009. Its goal is to provide investment capital to fund biomedical entrepreneurial activity in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area. The fund targets companies that are developing commercially promising products and technologies in life sciences, including: pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, information technology and other high technology opportunities that offer venture capital returns.

Life Sciences & Health innovation program

Companies in Life Sciences can apply for the Innovation Credit instrument. The innovation Credit is meant for high-risk, high-tech innovations with commercial possibilities.

Life Sciences Pre-Seed Grant

The Life Sciences Pre-Seed Grant offers a great opportunity for researchers associated with a Dutch university or research institution. Worth up to € 250,000, the Pre-Seed Grant offers superb prospects for those involved in applied research and who are looking to exploit their fundamental research commercially by starting up a new business.

Mibiton

The mibiton foundation stimulates Dutch life sciences entrepreneurship by investing in the national infrastructure. Equipment and special laboratories are used both by research organisations and (young) life science companies.

TechnoPartner

TechnoPartner, a joint initiative of The Ministry of Economic Affairs and The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, encourages and helps people who want to start their own business in Holland, based on a technical invention. TechnoPartner 1) gives techno starters access to capital, knowledge, experience and equipment; 2) provides a platform where techno starters can ask questions, explore ideas and make comments; and 3) motivates knowledge institutes and investors to invest money and knowledge in pioneers.

WBSO: R&D promotion act

This Act provides a fiscal facility for companies, knowledge centres and self-employed persons who perform R&D work. In this context, R&D means technical/scientific research, the development of technologically new physical products or physical production processes (or parts thereof) and the development of technologically new software (or parts thereof). Non-companies qualify only if they perform R&D on the instructions and at the expense of a Dutch company.