Venture Challenge alumni awarded in NWO Take-off 2025
Several LifeSciences@Work alumni have been awarded funding in the 2025 NWO Take-off rounds, supporting the next steps in translating academic research into viable ventures.
In the Take-off Autumn Round 2025 (Phase 1 – Feasibility Studies), funding was granted to:
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NeuroNova Therapeutics (UMC Utrecht) for confirming the feasibility of intranasal cell therapy for neonates with brain injury.
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HeartSmart (Leiden University Medical Center) for the development of miniaturized heart tissue models for high-throughput drug screening.
The NWO Take-off programme supports feasibility studies and early-phase trajectories that help bridge the gap between academic research and market application. For early-stage Life Sciences ventures, this funding plays a crucial role in de-risking technology and preparing for further development and investment.
It is encouraging to see Venture Challenge alumni continue to secure competitive funding and advance their innovations towards clinical and societal impact.
Congratulations to the teams on this important milestone.