WBSO Rejected? Your Options and How to Appeal (2026)
Manna Team
A rejection of your WBSO application is frustrating, but not the end of the road. This article explains why applications are rejected, what your options are and how to file an objection (bezwaar). Want to make your next application stronger? Start with the complete guide to applying for WBSO.
Common reasons for rejection
RVO usually rejects an application when:
- Insufficient technical novelty: the work is not technically new for your company.
- No technical uncertainty: the solution is known or trivial.
- Routine work: you apply existing technology without your own development.
- Insufficient substantiation: the project description is too vague or too commercial.
- Work falls outside the R&D definition: for example purely organisational or market-oriented work.
Most rejections come down to substantiation. A sharper, more technical description often fixes this — see our WBSO application example.
Your options after a rejection
- Contact RVO for an explanation of the decision.
- File an objection if you disagree with the rejection (see below).
- Revise and resubmit for a later period, with stronger substantiation.
How to file an objection
You can submit an objection (bezwaarschrift) against an RVO decision. Key points:
- You have 6 weeks from the date of the decision.
- State your name, the reference of the decision and why you disagree.
- Substantiate your objection with technical arguments: explain where the technical novelty and uncertainty lie.
- Send the objection to the address stated in the decision.
A good objection stands or falls on the technical substantiation. Make sure a developer helps write it.
Prevention is better
The best way to avoid a rejection is a complete, technically strong application. Manna helps you identify the right R&D and substantiate the project description technically.
This article is informational and not legal advice. Refer to RVO's decision and RVO.nl/wbso for the exact objection procedure.
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