Fewer CO2 emissions, less airborne viral transmission, and a more sustainable form of food production: seven consortia of researchers, companies, societal organisations and government bodies will put a budget of 32 million euros towards developing technological innovations for these and other societal challenges.
Within the Perspectief programme of the Dutch Research Council (NWO), they have been awarded over 22 million euros from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. In addition, the 117 companies and societal organisations involved have contributed almost 10 million euros in co-funding. This will enable 74 researchers to work within the consortia in the coming years.
Focus on urgent problems
All programmes awarded funding are centred on an urgent societal problem. For instance, the consortia will search for solutions to make heavy transport, agriculture, steel production and the electronics industry more sustainable in the short term. There are also programmes aimed at innovations in the medical sector, for example realising more effective treatments for arthritis, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Another current subject is the transmission of airborne viruses. Engineers and fluid mechanics will join forces with pharmacologists and epidemiologists to realise a list of proven measures to counteract infections.
Innovative solutions
'This year, we are again awarding an impressive selection of relevant studies in which a wide range of research groups, companies and societal parties are involved', says Margot Weijnen, chair of NWO Domain Applied and Engineering Sciences. 'Working in broad consortia with a multidisciplinary focus is what makes Perspectief such a powerful instrument. The programme helps researchers and all of the partners involved to realise breakthroughs and develop innovative solutions for the societal challenges.'
Perspectief
Perspectief challenges researchers to form consortia with industry and societal organisations. Together, they work on technological innovations with societal impact and the creation of economic opportunities for the Netherlands. The studies focus on major societal challenges and the key enabling technologies and, by doing so, contribute to the mission-driven top sectors and innovation policy.
Towards circular electronics
Circular Circuits: design of next-generation electronics for a circular economy
Our digitalising society increasingly depends on heavier electronic equipment. We need to radically change the design, production and use of electronics. Otherwise, the amount of electronic waste will increase fourfold in the next two decades, and the required raw materials will be exhausted rapidly. This Perspectief programme will use a systematic approach to develop a completely circular generation of electronics. The researchers will work on solutions for extending the lifespan, reuse, repair and recycling of electronics. For this, they will examine technological design aspects as equally new business models and advanced recycling technology. The project focus on applications in telecommunication, consumer electronics, lighting and power electronics.
Programme leader: Prof. Arnold Tukker (Leiden University)
Participating knowledge institutions: Leiden University, Delft University of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Radboud University, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, TNO
Companies: A&M Recycling / In2Waste, ASML Netherlands, Drake & Farrell, Famostar emergency lighting, Huawei Finland, KPN, Mirec, Nedap, Neways Technologies, Nexperia, NXP Semiconductors, Rabobank, Reconext Netherlands, Reukema Blocq & Maneschijn, Signify, Umicore, Umincorp
Other societal partners: Chip Integration Technology Centre (CITC), Materials innovation institute (M2i), Province of South Holland (PZH), Stichting OPEN
