Program OPZuid

South Netherlands' ambition with the ERDF program 2021-2027 (OPZuid) is to implement the RIS3 priorities and thus leverage and strengthen the regional strength on economy, entrepreneurship and innovation, with social and economic impact as a goal. This entails: contributing to innovative solutions to five major social transitions that play a role in the South of the Netherlands as well as globally, and enabling market parties to exploit (inter)national market opportunities.

The format of the 2025 openings is similar to that of 2024, but different from the 2022 and 2023 openings within OPZuid 2021 - 2027.

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Grant opportunities

For the climate, resource, agriculture and nutrition and health transitions, the following types of actions may be eligible for grants:

• supporting living labs and demonstrations in the real environment, in which companies, knowledge institutions and civil society collaborate and/or;
• the (further) development of innovations within and between SMEs and / or;
• the (continued) development of innovative interregional and international value chains of companies;

For energy transition, the following types of actions may be eligible for funding:

• supporting living labs and demonstrations in the real environment, in which companies, knowledge institutions and civil society collaborate and/or;
• the (further) development of innovations within and between SMEs and / or;
• the (continued) development of innovative interregional and international value chains of companies;
• supporting SMEs in the through the development of business cases, demonstration in the real environment, pilot production, and initial roll-out or initial scale-up of innovations that can contribute to renewable energy production and smart energy systems, grids and storage and / or;
• the local implementation and further development of innovative forms of renewable energy production and energy systems, networks and storage.

To be eligible, the following requirements are also met:

• the applicant is registered in the trade register;
• the project benefits the southern Netherlands;
• SMEs are demonstrably part of the project;

The program focuses on SMEs in the southern Netherlands, following the new RIS3 2021-2027.