The NWO Take-off programme encourages entrepreneurship within Dutch knowledge institutions. It supports researchers in bringing their innovative research results to the market. The Take-off programme consists of two components: phase 1 (feasibility study) and phase 2 (early stage route). Phase 1 projects receive funding up to €50,000 as a grant. Phase 2 projects receive funding up to €450,000 as a loan.
About the awarded projects:
Prof. Frank Chan (UG) and Prof. Gerton Lunter (UMCG)
Phase 1
Our DNA encodes the blueprint for life. In this digital age, breeders use genomic selection to produce better crops and doctors are increasingly informed by genomic information. However,
existing methods are limited by out-dated designs, costs and/or scalability. Haplotagging is a new genome sequencing technique that is at once simple, low-cost and scalable. The goal of our Take-off 1 project is to explore commercial applications in the breeding space, taking advantage of Netherlands’ world-class agritech position.
Prof. Tamalika Banerjee (UG)
Phase 1
Training a high volume of power-hungry computing models required for Artificial intelligence adoption, using existing von-Neumann architecture, is unsustainable. Taking inspiration from the human brain, our research group has demonstrated neuronal functionalities such as leaky-integrate-fire and oscillatory patterns, using memristors, device components for developing energy efficient non-von Neumann computing hardware. The goal with Take-off 1 is to develop a technology demonstrator and perform feasibility studies on a neuromorphic oscillatory neural network in collaboration with IMChip.
Prof. Hedderik van Rijn (UG)
Phase 2
MemoryLab Health tracks memory decline using computational phenotyping. Computational phenotyping is based on the idea that one can more precisely measure cognitive functioning by fitting mathematical models of, for example, the human memory system to observed behavior. Using this approach, MemoryLab Health’s SMGA tool can, based on an 8 minute test at home, come to the same mild cognitive impairment diagnosis as after two days of clinical testing at a memory clinic. MemoryLab Health has received the Take-off 2 loan to further develop the SGMA tool.
The Take-off call has two rounds of submission per year. The autumn round is now open for Take-off 1 and Take-off 2 and closes 9 September. Pre-application is no longer required and the budget per application has increased to €60,000 for Take-off 1 and €450,000 for Take-off 2.
