Cybersecurity Innovation Fund (CIF-NL) 2025

The Cybersecurity Innovation Fund (CIF-NL) 2025 is a targeted funding opportunity aimed at Dutch organizations, with an overall budget of €2,500,000. The funding is divided equally between two sub-areas, promoting crypto agility and simplifying cybersecurity solutions. Each project can receive between €60,000 and €100,000 in grants.

The application period opens on December 9, 2025, and closes on February 10, 2026, at 17:00 CET. The application process is a single-stage submission and evaluation, with projects expected to last up to one year. Eligible applicants include various types of organizations based in the Netherlands, such as businesses and research institutes.

The funding is specifically designed for innovative solutions in the cybersecurity sector, aiming to strengthen national cyber resilience. Projects must be in the development or early commercialization stage, focused on creating products and services applicable in both government and business contexts.

Evaluations will be based on four criteria, each scored from 1 to 5 points, requiring a minimum score of 3 per criterion for ranking consideration. The competitive selection process indicates a likelihood of a success rate below 40%. Co-funding requirements are not specified, which suggests projects may not need additional funding from applicants.

This initiative aligns with the NEXIS (NCC-NL) project and is part of the broader efforts under the Digital Europe Programme, specifically addressing cybersecurity challenges linked to evolving technologies, particularly concerning post-quantum cryptography. The grant agreement number associated with this initiative is 101195264, which denotes its formal connection to the EU’s strategic funding programs.

The Cybersecurity Innovation Fund (CIF-NL) 2025 is a funding opportunity under the FSTP scheme, focusing on two sub-areas: Promoting crypto agility and Simplifying cybersecurity solutions. The primary objective is to encourage Dutch organizations to develop innovative solutions that contribute to strengthening national cyber resilience as a product and/or service, with applications in both government and business.

To be eligible for the subsidy, projects must demonstrably contribute to one of the two sub-areas. A total of €2,500,000.00 is available, with €1,250,000.00 allocated to each sub-area. Projects can receive a minimum subsidy of €60,000.00 and a maximum subsidy of €100,000.00.

Project proposals can be submitted between December 9, 2025, at 9:00 CET and February 10, 2026, at 17:00 CET (Brussels time). The opening date for submissions is December 15, 2025. The deadline model is single-stage. The expected duration of participation is a maximum of 1 year.

After the application period closes, project proposals will be evaluated based on four criteria, with scores ranging from 1 to 5 points for each criterion. Only proposals scoring a minimum of 3 points per criterion will be included in the ranking per sub-area. Higher scores result in a higher ranking.

The project acronym is NCC-NL 2.0. The full name of the EU funded project is NEXIS (NCC-NL). The grant agreement number is 101195264. The topic is DIGITAL-ECCC-2024-DEPLOY-NCC-06-MS-COORDINATION - Deploying The Network of National Coordination Centres with Member States.

In summary, the Cybersecurity Innovation Fund (CIF-NL) 2025 aims to bolster the Netherlands' cyber resilience by funding innovative projects from Dutch organizations. These projects should focus on either promoting crypto agility or simplifying cybersecurity solutions, with applications relevant to both government and business sectors. The fund provides grants ranging from €60,000 to €100,000 per project, and proposals will be evaluated based on specific criteria to ensure they meet the objectives of the fund. The submission process is a single-stage application, and successful projects are expected to be completed within one year.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are Dutch organizations.

Funding Type: The funding type is a subsidy.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly state whether a single applicant or a consortium is required. However, the focus on "Dutch organisations" suggests that single entities are eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is limited to the Netherlands, as the call is specifically targeted at Dutch organizations.

Target Sector: The target sector is cybersecurity, with a focus on strengthening national cyber resilience. The sub-areas of focus are promoting crypto agility and simplifying cybersecurity solutions.

Mentioned Countries: Netherlands.

Project Stage: The project stage is development, with the aim of creating innovative solutions that can be implemented as products or services.

Funding Amount: The funding range is between €60,000 and €100,000 per project. A total of €2,500,000 is available, with €1,250,000 allocated to each of the two sub-areas.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a subsidy.

Application Stages: The application process consists of a single stage.

Success Rates: The success rate is not explicitly mentioned, but the evaluation process is described in detail. Project proposals are evaluated based on four criteria, and only those scoring a minimum of 3 points per criterion are ranked within their respective sub-area. The higher the score, the higher the ranking, implying a competitive selection process. Therefore, the success rate is likely to be below 40%.

Co-funding Requirement: The opportunity does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

The Cybersecurity Innovation Fund (CIF-NL) 2025 is a funding opportunity aimed at Dutch organizations to develop innovative cybersecurity solutions. The primary objective is to enhance national cyber resilience by supporting projects that create products or services applicable to both government and business sectors. The call focuses on two specific sub-areas: promoting crypto agility and simplifying cybersecurity solutions. A total of €2,500,000 is available, divided equally between the two sub-areas, with individual projects receiving subsidies ranging from €60,000 to €100,000.

The application process is a single-stage open call, with proposals being evaluated based on four criteria. To be considered for funding, projects must achieve a minimum score of 3 out of 5 on each criterion. The ranking of proposals within each sub-area is determined by their overall score, indicating a competitive selection process. The call is open from December 9, 2025, to February 10, 2026. The maximum duration for a project is one year. The initiative is part of the broader NEXIS (NCC-NL) project, which is funded by the EU under grant agreement number 101195264, and aligns with the topic DIGITAL-ECCC-2024-DEPLOY-NCC-06-MS-COORDINATION, focusing on deploying the Network of National Coordination Centres with Member States.