Stairway to Impact Award

The NWO Domain Science wishes to promote knowledge utilisation. With the Stairway to Impact Award NWO rewards scientists who take effective steps to utilise their scientific findings to tackle a societal problem and/or to make an economic contribution. The path from fundamental research with a low Technical Readiness Level (TRL) to wider societal impact involves many steps. Reaching these steps is crucial in order to achieve the ultimate goal. The Stairway to Impact Award is awarded to innovative researchers who undertake important, innovative or otherwise significant steps in this regard. These steps have demonstrated their impact, even though the ultimate goal may not yet have been achieved. Evidence of this may include a successful start-up or the implementation of research results by a societal organisation.