TTT-AI is a national initiative to transform research into new ventures

If you think your idea or research results may have potential for a commercial application, the first thing to do is the Quick Scan to see if our programs fit your needs. If so, you can then apply by filling out the intake form together with a business developer of your university’s KTO or with one of the TTT.AI Business Developers.

TTT-AI’s team actively nurtures and supports ideas, resulting in an investor-ready start-up with a team. The level of engagement in this new venture is up to you as a researcher. Therefore, the important question is not whether or not you would like to run a business but if your idea or research result has the potential to create societal and commercial impact. Together we will discuss your level of involvement.

• Venture Building, pillar 1, aims to transform research-based ideas into knowledge-driven start-ups.
• Growth program, pillar 2, is specifically designed for start-ups ready for the next step towards a mature business with revenues.
• Expand, pillar 3, aims to stimulate a spin-off’s activities by seeking for follow-up investments.

With these 3 pillars, the TTT-AI program meets the needs of all three stages in the lifecycle of start-ups. For the details of these programs, see the respective pages of this website.

Yes, our Growth program offers help and guidance for those who already have a start-up. Your start-up must be in a pre-seed stage and cannot have paying customers or revenues. The Growth program consists of a convertible loan from the TTT.AI Investment Fund that is managed by LUMO Labs. Besides the financial support, TTT.AI also offers help with product development and business modelling, among other things.

Yes, the TTT-AI team is certainly open to discuss ideas for other AI applications. As long as the idea has significant societal and business potential, originates from one of the participating knowledge institutions, and is based on AI software solutions rather than on hardware. Do our Quick Scan to see if your idea qualifies.

You need a research-based idea, i.e., one that builds upon the knowledge of a Dutch knowledge institution, with a potential AI application. For the criteria of our programs, see the respective pages of this website.

Yes, but there are some restrictions though.

When your knowledge institute is a TTT-AI partner:

• you can expect extensive support from your KTO/ TTO
• you can apply for a voucher that supports venture building activities
• you are welcome to participate in events and workshops
  

When your knowledge institute is an affiliated partner:

• you can apply for a voucher that supports venture building activities
• you are welcome to participate in events and workshops
• contact us for further details via info [@] ttt-ai.nl

As a researcher, no. However, if you would like to participate in a start-up team then yes. There are multiple types of positions you can fulfil. For example, as a CFO, CMO, technical developer. Moreover, if you would like to mentor a start-up team, we invite you to contact us to discuss the possibilities.

You can apply continuously. TTT-AI’s project team will review applications and select new ideas/participants monthly.

The market for AI is booming and many knowledge institutions in the Netherlands are making AI a top priority. Moreover, collaborations with industry partners are being initiated and the number of AI faculty members is growing rapidly. However, there is little attention for creating AI start-ups based on all this new scientific knowledge because starting a new venture based on AI technology means dealing with issues specifically related to AI.

AI is never a stand-alone single solution. It starts as an idea or algorithm which is then instrumental for a solution or application. This means that the teams behind AI start-ups need third parties to make an end-product or service. Furthermore, AI algorithms can be put to use in many different domains and applications, each of which needs a business model of its own, a unique team, access to specific data sets, and often a prolonged period of investment cycles.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a form of technology that focuses on reproducing human behaviour. AI aims to automate or facilitate complex tasks by using algorithms and advanced technologies such as machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing.

A KTO or TTO is part of a university’s infrastructure that aims to transfer knowledge outside academia for the benefit of society. This transfer of knowledge, research results or intellectual property should result in societal and/or economic impact. A TTO is often found at technical universities while KTOs are found at universities active in all domains.

Valorisation is the process of creating value from knowledge by making knowledge suitable and/or available for economic and/or societal use and translating that knowledge into competitive products, services, processes and entrepreneurial activity.

Knowledge valorisation is a core task for universities and therefore also for researchers. It is becoming increasingly important for research results to be put to societal or economic use. Knowledge transfer is one way of doing this, whether or not in exchange for money by licensing the universities’ intellectual property (IP).

Usually, the term start-up is reserved for endeavours of students and spin-off is reserved for researchers starting a new business. A spin-off is a knowledge-intensive company set up by a university employee. This new business uses the university’s knowledge or research results to develop new products or services, such as new technology, chemical substances, new measurement methods or teaching methods. In the context of TTT.AI, we also use the term start-up to describe the status of the activity, as in early-stage new venture.

There are many ways to combine research and entrepreneurship; your university’s KTO can help you find the way that works best for you. Please contact your KTO to discuss the options and support your university offers.

Entrepreneurship is not a goal in itself for most universities. It's simply a way of incorporating knowledge and research results into society, e.g., by bringing knowledge and innovation to the market via a product or service.

At all times, researchers must be able to function in a critical and independent manner. It is for this reason that agreements are made at an early stage between the entrepreneur and the university’s Knowledge Transfer Office - together with the faculty - in order to prevent conflicts of interest.