In May 2026, the national valorisation programme InFECT-TT, under the umbrella of the InFECT-NL, will officially launch, together with the Infectious Diseases Innovation Fund (IDIF). InFECT-NL supports the clinical development of vaccines and therapies against infectious diseases and strengthens the pandemic preparedness of the Netherlands.

Within the programme, knowledge institutions, companies, and societal partners collaborate to translate promising academic innovations into startups and clinical applications with societal impact.

A total of €1 million is available for vouchers through InFECT-TT (pillar 1). The IDIF investment fund has approximately €6 million available for early-stage investments (pillar 2).

Two pillars: from knowledge to investment

The programme has been established within the Thematic Technology Transfer (TTT) of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and consists of two complementary pillars:

Pillar 1 - InFECT-TT: valorisation and validation

This pillar focuses on supporting preclinical academic innovations on their path towards spin-outs or startup formation.

The InFECT-TT consortium consists of:

  • Amsterdam UMC
  • Leiden University Medical Center
  • UMC Utrecht
  • Radboudumc
  • University Medical Center Groningen

Together, the partners combine expertise in infectious diseases, valorisation, and venture building. The programme collaborates with an initiative uniting patients, healthcare professionals, and health charities, founded by the NVMM (Dutch Society for Medical Microbiology), NVII (Dutch Society of Internal Medicine Infectious Diseases), and the SGF (Association of Collaborating Health Foundations).

Support offered includes:

  • Validation projects
  • Proof-of-concept development
  • Intellectual property and regulatory strategy
  • Business plan development
  • Market exploration

Each proposition can receive up to €57,000 in vouchers. In addition, researchers are supported by business developers from the participating university medical centres.

Pillar 2 - IDIF: investments

The Infectious Diseases Innovation Fund (IDIF) provides early-stage investment in startups, with individual investments of up to €1.5 million.

This seed financing supports preclinical and early clinical development and helps companies become investor-ready for subsequent funding rounds. The fund is managed by an independent fund manager, LEH. LEH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leiden University and is led by Rob Mayfield, an experienced fund manager and venture capitalist focused on bringing early-stage scientific innovations to market, most recently within the Dutch life sciences and health sector. “We are pleased to collaborate with RVO, InFECT-NL, and each of these leading research institutions in this crucial segment of the healthcare market,” said Rob Mayfield. In collaboration with numerous partners across the Dutch Life Sciences & Health ecosystem, LEH has developed a broad portfolio of startups in drug development, biotechnology, and medical technology.

Focus of innovations

The programme focuses on candidate products and technologies for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, as well as solutions that strengthen pandemic preparedness. Diagnostics are outside the scope of the programme. Examples of targeted innovation domains include:

  • Therapeutics for infectious diseases
  • Vaccines and preventive interventions
  • Innovative delivery methods (e.g. microneedle or intranasal systems)
  • Platform technologies enabling rapid response to outbreaks
  • Technologies that enhance the effectiveness of vaccines and therapies

Ecosystem development and capacity building

To accelerate knowledge sharing and support commercialisation, InFECT-TT will organise:

  • Workshops and masterclasses
  • Training in regulatory affairs and clinical development
  • Patient engagement activities
  • Intellectual property strategy support
  • Development of sustainable business models

Practical information

The InFECT-TT programme will commence May 2026 with the establishment of procedures and application criteria for vouchers. Further information will be published shortly.

Questions?
For alignment on potentially promising innovations eligible for this programme, please contact your local valorisation unit. For general inquiries: INFECT-TT@INFECT-NL.nl. You can subscribe for updates via the InFECT-NL.