NWO facilitates non-thematic project applications in all domains; the so-called Open Competition. These grants can require large consortia or can be aimed at small collaborations.
- Open Technology Program (OTP) in Applied and Engineering Sciences
The Open Competition AES consists of two programmes.
Open Mind is a grant for technology ideas that can be used to solve major societal issues. In this grant, you can try out-of-the-box research ideas and work on them for a year. The application is open once a year, and you must also record a movie with the application. The maximum amount you can ask for your idea is 50.000 euros.
Open Technology Program (OTP) is open to innovative research in the technical domain with a clear focus on the application of the results in the industry. It is a collaborative proposal, containing a group of researchers with a minimal 2, up to 4 (ideally) non-academic partners who are the next users of your technology. Applications can be submitted throughout the year. The size of the application is a maximum 800.000 euro, where above 600.000k co-funding is mandatory.
- Open Competition in Exact Sciences
The Science Domain (or Exact and Natural Sciences) has an Open Competition with several options to fund one or more scientific positions, investments, and collaborations with other scientists.
- ENW XS: This grant is open for all university employees across the line: from postdoctoral researchers to professors. It has several application rounds per year. It is meant for encouraging curiosity and new ideas in research as part of promising, high-risk projects. The maximum you can ask for is 50.000 euros.
- ENW M: These grants are intended for realising curiosity-driven, fundamental research of high quality or scientific urgency. Researchers have the possibility to elaborate on creative and risky ideas and to realize scientific innovations that can form the basis for the research themes of the future. The M grants have a continuous application procedure. You can submit for a single scientific PhD/post-doc position in M-1 or in collaboration a M-2 proposal for two positions. Next to this, there is a M-invest to invest in infrastructure.
- ENW XL: This grant gives researchers the opportunity and freedom to strengthen or expand excellent, challenging and innovative lines of research, as a part of a consortium for curiosity-driven, fundamental research. It is only open every two years. The total amount you can request is 3 million with a minimum of 1 million.
- Open Competition in Medical or Health Sciences
This ZonMw Open Competition is a curiosity-driven research programme that gives you the possibility to renew your research line, start new collaborations and perform innovative, groundbreaking science in the health domain. It has two main grants types:
Off-road grants are targeted at young (bio)medical and/or health researchers developing an innovative idea into a proof-of-concept. Applications have a high-risk profile and do not fall within established lines of research.
Open competition grants are there for team-science, where innovative collaboration are a key criterion in the application. The main applicant should be past Vici-age to be able to submit. The process involves a pre-proposal and full proposal phase.
- Open Competition in Social Sciences
These curiosity-driven open competition grants are for scientists with a research question rooted primarily in the social sciences and/or humanities. The scheme has three different types of grants.
XS: small grants for candidates who received their Ph.D. 5 to 10 years ago. There are three submission rounds each year.
M for those receiving their Ph.D. at least 10 years ago. The maximum budget is 400k.
L: for those who received their Ph.D. at least 15 years ago. The maximum budget is 750k.
The M and L grant are open alternately. If you submitted in M the previous year, you can't submit in L the subsequent year.
