Across the QDNL community, extraordinary people drive our success — exceptional talent, innovative ideas, and the curiosity of engineers, physicists, builders, theorists and visionaries are amplified by collaboration. 

We believe attracting scarce talent from across the globe requires offering a diverse, entrepreneurial, organised, connected, and well-equipped ecosystem.

By providing financial support to talented individuals who intent to make a contribution to the QDNL ecosystem, QDNL aspires to elevate the international appeal of the quantum ecosystem in the Netherlands and empower that ecosystem to compete globally.

The initiative aims to support talented individuals who wish to develop themselves further in their field - or wish to venture with their expertise into a new field - and to contribute to the NL quantum ecosystem and the goals of the QDNL programme. The Top Talent Initiative aims to attract or retain talented individuals of international stature. QDNL does this by financially supporting these individuals - who are new or about to settle in our quantum ecosystem - in realizing their ambitions. Through this Initiative QDNL intends to support and stimulate excellence of the actors in our ecosystem in a broad sense, and to also stimulate diversity.

The TTI is a personal grant. The candidate must have an appointment (or the prospect of an appointment) after September 2024 with an organisation based in NL. The grant is meant for a personal vision and ambition that contributes to one of the QDNL action lines or catalyst programmes,or to the Goals of the QDNL programme in a broader sense.

The budget is flexible, i.e. the candidate can use it for any idea (as long as it is compliant with NGF/RVO regulations), but the candidate has to explain what she/he wants to do and how this connects to QDNL ambitions.

Individuals can have a background in research or education or policy and may want to contribute directly or indirectly to quantum technology development and impact through research, valorisation, entrepreneurship, education, communication or policy, by bringing in new concepts or expertise to our ecosystem.

• Added value to ecosystem

• Excellence of applicant/Top in their field (top 10%)

  • Factual criteria of when a person considered top in their field are difficult to give. The applicant has to give proof of excellence through support letters, CV, other demonstrations of excellence.

• Plan (summary) has to fit QDNL scope.

• Applicant has a (prospect of) an employment contract in NL and started after 1 September 2024.

Applications are done by individuals but should be officially endorsed by employer/employing organisation based in NL. In case there is no employer yet, an intention to employ the individual should be part of the endorsement (in the event of a positive decision by QDNL, the subsidy will be granted under the condition that the candidate will actually accept the position and starts working in the Netherlands). An individual can apply only once.

An applicant in this Call for proposals can apply for a budget amounting to minimally €100.000 and a maximum of €300,000. In case there is a very large cost involved in the proposed plan (e.g. in an academic experimental physics project), the amount may be increased to € 400.000.
The maximum duration of the proposed project is 3 years.

All costs should be approved by QNDL according to RVO conditions.

We don't want to define topics of interest, there are in principle no boundaries to the topic. We do want to share some inspiration:

• To develop new concepts in quantum technology, both at a fundamental research as well as applied level.

• To develop a new educational or societal or artistic initiative.

• To develop a policy initiative to increase e.g. entrepreneurial awareness.

• Applications can be submitted throughout the year.

• Applicants can apply latest 6 months after they started in their new role in the Netherlands.

1. Intention to submit by candidate to talent@quantumdelta.nl, cc (future) employer of candidate.

   There will be a call with QDNL to discuss intention and process.

2. Application

   1. Summary: In this summary you summarise your project plan and describe your fit to the QDNL programme.

   2. Project plan: The proposed project has to fit topically to one of the CATs or AL or NanoLabNL.

   3. Profile candidate: The selection committee checks if the application is admissible.

      • Profile of candidate (CV + description key output and achievements).

      • Support letters, supporting the top talent aspect.

   4. Endorsement by host institution.

As described above, the main goal of the Initiative is to support top talented individuals. The focus of the assessment process will, therefore, be on the candidate. If the candidate is assessed as a top talent, she/he has ample space to propose a project. The main criterium for the latter is fit to the QDNL programme.

The assessment process is managed by the QDNL programme office. The assessment consists of 4 steps:

1. Eligibility check by QDNL, including a financial check.

   The eligibility of the proposed candidate (step B) will be checked by the entire committee on quality (top 10%) and on potential fit to the programme.

2. Check on fit with QDNL

   This is done by 2 programme leads of the Strategy Council (the 'Trekkers' of the catalyst programmes or Action Lines, or NanoLabNL). Also a partial fit - including indications how to make it fit - can be an outcome.

3. Interview with the top talent committee.

   In an interview the committee intends to get a good view on the excellence of the candidate. An interview is deemed crucial to have a broader perspective for the committee than just CV + support letters to assess the excellence. Besides, the proposal will be discussed, receive feedback and, if necessary, how to improve fit to the QDNL ambitions.

4. The committee will give an advice to the QDNL-board, who makes a decision.

   In case of a positive decision by the board, the candidate will receive a grant letter.

This is a free format. Maximum number of words allowed: 2500.

• Applications can be sent to talent@quantumdelta.nl

• Information: Contact person: Pieter de Witte