There are plenty of opportunities again in 2026 with grants, financing, loans, support programmes and other schemes. Interesting and perhaps necessary for any company with serious ambitions. But it can be a complex world. Therefore, every quarter we list five interesting opportunities for companies from the Lifeport region. We do so in a completely random order.
Fast-growing impact companies
Rubio Impact Ventures is launching a third impact fund. It aims to invest in thirty ambitious companies creating scalable solutions to the climate crisis and social inequality. A total of 70 million euros in initial committed capital is available.
With the launch of this third fund, Rubio’s total assets under management rise to 220 million euros. Since 2015, it has invested in more than forty fast-growing impact companies. The fund is backed by a large group of successful Dutch entrepreneurs and families, as well as various partners, including Oost NL and the European Investment Fund (EIF).
Further information can be found on this page on the Oost NL website.
Digital transition
The European project INDUSTR_I4.0 aims to accelerate the digital transition of the manufacturing industry in the Dutch-German border region. Over 100 entrepreneurs are already taking part, but there is room for more companies wishing to use digital technology to produce more intelligently. The programme runs until September 2027 and has a budget of 10 million euros.
Within INDUSTR_I4.0, Dutch and German companies are working on practical applications of digital technology, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and data-driven production. In doing so, the project contributes to a future-proof manufacturing industry and strengthens cross-border economic cooperation.
This is the project’s website.
The Oost NL website features a great practical example of two partners collaborating within this programme: JAZO Zevenaar and NordProfil GmbH from Steinfurt.
Seed funds
This is not a new scheme, but one that deserves attention. Seed Capital recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. During that period, 831 start-ups gained access to venture capital through the scheme, totalling 729 million euros.
The investments are channelled through so-called ‘Seed Funds’. These are funds in which experienced private investors (the fund managers) invest in promising start-ups.
RVO then doubles the funds’ contributions via an interest-free loan. According to the scheme’s initiators, this results in, on average, twice the profit, with half the risk of loss.
Another notable feature is that the scheme is revolving. This means that the investments will eventually be returned to the financiers. The scheme is currently closed to new applications, but this is only temporary. You can find more information here.
Ageing business parks
Thanks to the new OHG Impuls fund set up by the province of Gelderland, 9 million euros is available to finance the restructuring of business parks. This is necessary because many business parks in Gelderland are outdated or do not meet the needs of entrepreneurs. Demolition and remediation are often costly.
The new fund invests in restructuring and contributes towards any ‘unprofitable portion’. This is the part of property projects that does not cover costs, as the project costs exceed the revenue. The OHG Impuls fund falls under Topfonds Gelderland, which is managed by Oost NL.
If you would like to find out more, please click here.
Sustainable ferries
There is also a need for greater sustainability in the world of ferries. The province of Gelderland will therefore shortly be introducing a grant scheme for ferry owners. They can use the grant to purchase a new ferry with a sustainable engine or to replace the fossil-fuel engine of their current ferry with a cleaner alternative.
The grant is specifically intended for owners of ferries that are more than 30 years old. A total of 4.1 million euros is available. The maximum amount per application depends on several factors. When replacing an entire ferry, the grant covers up to 15 per cent of the total costs. There is no need to rush, as the grant is valid until the last day of 2040.
This page contains further details about the scheme.
