Industrial research
Definition
Industrial research is a European-defined research category: planned or critical research aimed at acquiring new knowledge and skills, with a view to developing new products, processes or services, or a significant improvement of them. It differs from experimental development in that its outcome is still further from the market: knowledge is gathered, but not necessarily yet built into a concrete, market-ready product. The category recurs across many European and Dutch R&D subsidies alongside experimental development, often with different maximum aid percentages or mandatory ratios between the two. Under the MIT North Holland Feasibility Project, for instance, industrial research and experimental development combined may account for at most 40% of project costs, while at least 60% must go to the feasibility study itself. Schemes outside the MIT also fund industrial research specifically: the MKB High-Tech call run by Holland High Tech, for example, made a total budget of €5 million available for industrial research into key technologies by SMEs. For the WBSO this classification is less relevant: that scheme uses its own categories — technical-scientific research and the development of software, products or processes — rather than the European split between industrial research and experimental development.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between industrial research and experimental development?
- Industrial research aims to acquire new knowledge for future products or processes, while experimental development applies existing knowledge to actually build those products or processes, for example in a prototype.
- Which subsidies include industrial research?
- Industrial research is a European-defined category that recurs in schemes such as the MIT feasibility project and targeted calls like the MKB High-Tech call, often alongside experimental development.
- Does WBSO work fall under industrial research?
- No, the WBSO uses its own categories — technical-scientific research and the development of software, products or processes — rather than the European split into industrial research and experimental development.