OPEN | Digital Twinning (KIC)

In short

• Funding for public-private collaborations focused on Digital Twins
• Aimed at improving insight, optimisation and decision-making in societal domains
• Grant size between €1,500,000 and €2,200,000 per project
• NWO funds up to 80% of the total project budget
• Matchmaking event on 3 February 2026
• Application deadline: 14 April 2026

What is this funding for?
With this call for proposals, NWO supports the development and application of Digital Twins: digital models that help better understand, monitor and improve complex systems and processes. The use of Digital Twins can lead to increased productivity and more informed decision-making.

The call focuses on both knowledge development and lowering barriers for real-world application. Projects can span a wide range of sectors and are expected to contribute to tackling societal challenges and creating societal impact.

Who is this funding for?
This call is open to public-private collaborations involving researchers from universities, universities of applied sciences, university medical centres and other research organisations in the Netherlands, working together with practice-based organisations.
A project team must include at least one main applicant, one co-applicant and two co-funders. Additional partners may join the collaboration.

What can you apply for?
Projects can apply for between €1,500,000 and €2,200,000 in funding. NWO covers up to 80% of the total project budget; the remaining part must be provided through mandatory co-funding. Eligible costs include, among others, personnel, materials, investments, knowledge utilisation and project management.

Timeline and procedure
Ahead of the application deadline, NWO organises a matchmaking event on 3 February 2026. This event is intended to help further develop project ideas and connect with partners and co-funders. Participation is strongly recommended, but not mandatory.

The deadline for submitting proposals is 14 April 2026. For foreign organisations, the deadline to request eligibility assessment is 17 March 2026.

Want to know more?
Full details of the call for proposals, including conditions and application guidelines, can be found on the NWO website.

DISCLAIMER
This message is for informational purposes only and is intended to highlight potential funding opportunities. The exact rules and conditions for participation are available on the official website of NWO.
No rights can be derived from the information on the CLICKNL website. Amounts, deadlines and call texts may change; the official website is always leading.