The Dutch universities have presented an updated national standard for transferring intellectual property (IP) to academic spin-offs. These so-called National IP Deal Term Principles (2.0) are designed to ensure clear, fair and market-conform agreements between researchers, universities, and young companies. The update-based on experiences since the first introduction in 2023-was launched in 2025.
The deal terms were developed to simplify the often complex and time-consuming negotiation process surrounding IP rights. When researchers end their employment and wish to start their own company based on university-generated knowledge, the deal terms establish which IP rights are transferred and what compensation is provided in return. Transparency, simplicity, and fairness are central to this framework.
According to Margrethe Jonkman, Chair of the Executive Board of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and portfolio holder for valorization at Universities of the Netherlands, the strengthened principles help to accelerate the spin-off process. "Researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors can achieve results more quickly, both socially and financially. This strengthens the ability of universities and scientists to capitalize on the positive impact of their research and contribute to a more innovative Netherlands," Jonkman said.
Refined and expanded agreements
The updated IP Deal Terms are based on experiences with dozens of spin-off trajectories. The new version:
- sharpens the principles based on practical feedback;
- provides more clarity about IP allocation and equity structures;
- ensures a competitive, internationally comparable compensation structure;
- is more broadly applicable than before-not only for researchers fully leaving employment, but also in other situations.
All Dutch universities will work with the new agreements. The principles will soon be supported by practical tools, such as legal documents for establishing spin-offs, developed in collaboration with Capital Waters. Most university medical centers (UMCs) will also implement a sector-specific variant.
