News item | 28-01-2025 | 07:00
Silent vacuum cleaners, more effective drugs to cure cancer, cheaper techniques to install wind farms and innovative batteries. They are examples of inventions of scientists in the Netherlands that you prefer to see as quickly as possible on a large scale in our lives. That is why the cabinet offers a group of scientists a tailor -made guidance process to get their innovations on the market quickly. Minister Bruins (Education, Culture and Science) will withdraw a total of 19.39 million euros for the next seven years. Scientists can register from today.
Minister Bruins: “We have world -class research in the Netherlands. But converting research into a product, starting a company or looking for financing to get your innovation further is a completely different branch of sport. With this program we ensure that more research is directly of value for people and companies. Science can thus contribute to our future prosperity.
From idea to practice
The two -year program for scientists, which is called Faculty of Impact, is in the middle between a Tailor -made Business Administration course and the actual establishment of a company. Scientists receive practice -oriented training on, among other things, the establishment of a company, marketing, patents, financing options, presentation skills. Given by people from practice. Such as entrepreneurs, investors, lawyers and patent experts. During those two years, the scientists also explore the market, financing options under the supervision of those people and therefore actually take steps towards realizing and putting their idea into practice.
Use innovative science
The Faculty of Impact has now been in existence for two years. The idea for this program is from Berkeley and was arrested by, among others, Prince Constantijn, from Techleap and Unln. They saw opportunities to also start the idea in the Netherlands. NWO joined and made money available to turn a pilot. NWO carries out the selection procedure. The first ten scientists have completed the program, and 14 others have been working for almost a year now. The results are good, which is why Bruins now makes money available for seven years. Universities also contribute. It is expected that around 100 scientists can follow the program at that time. They can register annually. Only the innovative ideas with market potential and impact are selected. A committee of experts, set up by NWO, assesses the plans. The idea behind the program is to use the potential of science more. Certainly now that there is less money for research and science, it is a shame if a good research stays on the shelf. The program is set up in such a way that more scientists can be guided in the future if there is money for that.
First results promising
The first results look promising. Some examples of scientists on their way towards an application that is of value to society:
CO2 from the sea and on our plate
CO2 in the seawater is a major problem for the climate and the acidification of seawater. Rose Sharifian from TU Delft has devised a technique to remove CO2 from seawater, and then use it to grow vegetables on nurseries. Her first installation now works, and can be seen at the Afsluitdijk.
Targeted cancer treatment
Sebas Pronk and Irati Beltran Hernandez of Utrecht University have invented a new way to combat cancer. Cancer drugs are administered with an infusion, but only work when they have found the cancer cells. As soon as they are stocked in the cancer cells, the medicines are activated with light. This way, cancer can be treated much more targeted. First tests show promising results.
Wind farms at sea build smarter
Windmills at sea are of great importance for generating green energy. But its construction is now often done by driving them hard in the soil, with large machines. That yields a lot of noise and is bad for the environment. Stas Verichev, from TU Delft, has invented a way to vibrate windmills with a rotating movement. Less nuisance, cheaper, and better for the environment. The first tests with tubes of limited diameter have since been successful.
Silent vacuum cleaners
Mohammad Kojourimanesh of TU Eindhoven has developed a technology that can reduce thermos-acoustic sound. How nice it is when a vacuum cleaner no longer makes noise when vacuuming. This is also possible, for example, for heat pumps that then make almost no sound and then easier to fit into homes. This scientist now has contracts with large companies that make household appliances and heat pumps. His technology is in principle also suitable for aircraft, for example.
Batteries without rare metals
We are increasingly using batteries, including for the storage of sustainable energy. Problem: they are made from lithium, and other rare metals. Aytac Yilmaz from TU Delft invented a battery made of iron, air and water, components that are much cheaper and easier to win. He is now in conversation about the first pilots of his batteries in the Netherlands and Germany and there are plans for a first pilot factory to produce the batteries.
Retail lung cancer better
Of all types of cancer, lung cancer demands the most fatal victims. This is partly because it is often discovered late. Joric Oude Vrielink from TU Eindhoven has developed robot technology with which much more precise biopsies of suspicious places can be taken. Cancer can be traced earlier, with greater chance of healing. He has done the first successful tests of parts of the technology and is now working on integration into the scanners.
Detect esophageal cancer with mini camera
Anouk Post from the VU developed a camera with the size of a pill. Research into esophageal cancer thus becomes much less painful, cheaper and faster. And because cancer can be traced faster, there is more chance of good treatment for patients. The first patients have been tested in practice with this technique, and there are now exploratory discussions with various investors.