# KWF Pipeline Call 2026

**Funder:** KWF
**Budget:** €1M-€5M
**Deadline:** 7 July 2026 (Pre-proposal deadline)
**Duration:** 4-5 years
**Consortium:** Required — interdisciplinary with European centers/industry
**Application:** 2-stage
**TRL:** 3-5
**Frequency:** Annual
**Next round:** 2027-04
**Eligible countries:** NL
**Official call:** https://www.kwf.nl/en/forresearchers/funding/pipeline
**Last updated:** 6 Sept 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Funds academic-led clinical trials (Phase I–III) for new investigational medicinal products addressing unmet cancer needs. Lead institute must be a medical centre or research institute in the Netherlands; public participating parties must be in Europe. Public-private partnerships allowed; patient involvement mandatory. Proposals must be in English. Budget indication: €1–2.5M (Phase I/I-II), €1–5M (Phase II/III).

## Summary

The KWF Pipeline Call 2026 funds translational cancer research projects at TRL 3-5 (early clinical translation) with budgets of €1-5 million over 4-5 years. Consortia must include interdisciplinary teams spanning academic and European industry partners, reflecting KWF's commitment to moving laboratory discoveries toward clinical application. This annual call has a pre-proposal deadline of 7 July 2026.

## Who should apply

- Research teams with mixed academic and industry expertise spanning multiple European institutions
- Projects at technology readiness level 3-5, bridging bench discovery to early clinical translation
- Researchers leading consortia with clear clinical development roadmaps and regulatory strategy
- Teams positioned to advance cancer diagnostics, therapeutics, or precision medicine tools toward patient impact

## Key dates

- Pre-proposal deadline: 7 July 2026
- Two-stage evaluation: pre-proposal shortlisting, then full proposal from invited teams
- Project duration: 4-5 years from funding start

## Tips for applicants

- KWF prioritizes consortium strength and complementarity, detail each partner's specific role and prior collaborative track record; misaligned teams score poorly.
- Clarity on TRL progression is essential; explicitly map your current TRL, planned milestones, and exit TRL by project end to show realistic translation momentum.
- Industry letters of intent carry significant weight; secure concrete co-investment or in-kind commitments before submission, not just expressions of interest.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the budget range for the KWF Pipeline Call 2026?

Projects are funded between €1 million and €5 million depending on scope and consortium size.

### Who should apply to the KWF Pipeline Call?

Interdisciplinary consortia including academic researchers and industry partners across multiple European institutions working on cancer translation at TRL 3-5.

### Is the KWF Pipeline Call recurring?

Yes, KWF runs this call annually; the next round is expected in April 2027.

### How long are KWF Pipeline projects?

Project duration is 4 to 5 years from funding start.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/kwf-pipeline-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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