On Thursday, 27 February, we hosted an online Q&A and matchmaking session for the Tailored Lifestyle Programme. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions about the Call for Proposals, with our team on hand to provide guidance and insights.

In addition to the Q&A, attendees were invited to connected with potential partners through short project pitches. Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to the session!

Couldn’t make it to the session, want to rewatch or forward it to colleagues?

Download project pitch slidedecks:

Ellen van Kleef, WUR – AI-driven nudging; how social media
algorithms shape adolescents’ food choices

Peter Deen, Streasure4Health – Revolutionizing healthcareby visualizing metabolic stress

Budgetform

We have added a budgetform to the call for proposal page.

FAQ

Q: At what level does the technology or the science need to be in order to be eligible for grants from this initiative?

A: It can be at any level from TRL 1 to 7, as long as there is a combination of two research institutes from the EWUU alliance, an SME, and a societal partner involved.

Q: Is there more information available about the difference between the Signature and the Kickstart projects in the call?

A: From a content perspective, there is not much difference. The main difference is the amount of subsidy and the duration of the project. You can contact us at i4ph@ewuu.nl to check which type suits your project idea best.

Q: Can you be involved in multiple proposals, and if so, how should it be done in the signature and the Kickstarter?

A: Yes, you can be involved in more than one proposal.

Q: Do all letters of intent have to be submitted with the pre-proposal?

A: Yes, the letters of intent need to be there already in the pre-proposal phase. They do not have to be signed by someone authorized to put signatures. But have to include the amounts required as a match fund.

Q: What is the boundary between industrial and experimental research?

A: Industrial research involves gaining new information and applying it to the development of your innovation. Experimental development involves improving a product with existing knowledge, often at a later stage of technology readiness levels (TRL 6-7). Industrial research is normally tested with a smaller group size. When you do a second round on a bigger group, you tend to go into experimental development and after experimental development your products should work. See also: Definities Onderzoek & ontwikkeling uit het EU Steunkader 

Q: The call requires the integration of 4 aspects – behavior, lifestyle, enabling environment, and technology. Are all four need to be talked in the project?

A: The project may focus on a few aspects while making sure that the other are taken into consideration.

Q: What about the Co-financing part of it? What kind of subsidy you can get when you have industrial versus experimental versus fundamental research?

A: The subsidy percentage and required co-financing depend on the type of research (fundamental, industrial, or experimental, or a combination of thereof). They also depend on the total project costs incurred by the various partners (knowledge institutes vs. SMEs). The call text includes two examples in section 5 of the call text illustrating how this structure may look.

Q: Can non-EU partners be involved in the proposal?

A: Yes, as long as two EWUU partners are also involved. Non-Dutch partners can be included, but only Dutch SMEs can use the PPP subsidy for cover part of their costs. These parties must contribute both in cash (at least 50% of their total contribution) and in kind. Any deviation from this requirement must be justified in the project proposal.

Q: Can governmental bodies provide cash or in-kind contributions?

A: Yes, governmental bodies can be included as partners and provide match funds, but they cannot use the subsidy for their own costs. They can provide cash as well as in-kind.

Q: What is understood as unusual collaboration?

A: Unusual collaborations involve people who do not usually work together naturally, such as a dietitian collaborating with a philosopher or the food industry.

Q: What does inclusivity mean in this particular call?

A: Inclusivity means collaborating with people from low socio-economic backgrounds or vulnerable groups, involving them in the design and execution of the project.

Q: Can mental health qualify as a domain of lifestyle if it’s not related to nutrition and physical activity?

A: Yes, mental health can qualify.

Q: What is the maximum cost you can declare as a research organization?

A: The maximum cost you can declare is 70%, but the minimum required contribution is 10%. The remaining 20% can be filled with Co-funding cash or in-kind contributions by partners. Knowledge institutes can also provide additional in-kind contributions themselves (as shown in one of the examples in section 5 of the call text).

Q: The universities’ cost can be covered up to 70%. Is it for each university 70% or for one it can be 60% and for another – 80% with cumulative sum equal to 70%?

A: There is a max of 70% of costs which can be covered by the subsidy per knowledge institution. Lower percentage is possible, higher – is not.

Q: Are Medical Centers or hospitals considered to be the private partners?

A: The hospitals are considered as partners that need to contribute at least in kind. University Medical Centres are considered as knowledge providers and have to contribute at least 10% in kind and can to receive subsidy as well.

Q: What is the status of the private healthcare providers (rehabilitation centres, elderly care) in the project and what contribution they can (and have to make)?

A: These are considered as partners that need to contribute at least in kind. They cannot receive subsidy.

Q: Which salary rates shall be used in the budgeting for the projects?

A: See article 11 in wetten.nl – Regeling – Kaderbesluit nationale EZK- en LNV-subsidies – BWBR0024796

Q: Can governmental bodies provide cash?

A: Yes.

Q: What can be contributed as in kind contributions?

A: Personnel time, use of facilities & equipment, use of existing datasets, use of proprietary software, provision of consumables/reagents/biological samples/essential materials, training & expertise, use of buildings, meeting rooms, office space etc., support in recruiting study participants, stakeholder engagement, access to industry contacts etc.

Q: Can knowledge institutions hire PhD students for the projects?

A: Yes, the projects can hire PhD students (given the costs it might be suitable for the Signature project). We also recommend considering Engineering Doctorate (EngD) programmes. For instance, in the TU/e the Engineering Doctorate in Data Science and other disciplines is a prestigious programme designed to develop highly skilled professionals in the specific fields. It is essentially a collaboration projects with industry partners (for example ASML, Unilever, Philips, and many others), providing trainees with real-world experience and networking opportunities. The programme format entails the following:

• Graduation Projects: EngD is placed for up to 12 months in the company as an individual 1FTE, starting in mid-January and September 1, to work on a real solution for a company. Projects include designing data-driven solutions, machine learning models, and implementation in Python and many more.
• Training Projects: 10 weeks, teams of 3-5 trainees, 50% workload, with three yearly sessions. Projects focus on data scans, data analysis, and high-level design of data-driven solutions.
• Data Challenge Weeks: 5 days, twice per year, covering up to six different topics.

• Financing: The total cost of the EngD programme is €100,000. Industrial partners finance between 50% to 80% of these costs, making the programme an interesting opportunity for public-private partnerships. A borader EngD programme also exists in WUR.