Coaching and consulting iLAB Wageningen

After an intake with iLAB Wageningen (potential) startups are supported in applying for a loan and accessing financing, facilities and patents or the mediation of coaches and experts.

Wageningen University & Research works together with StartLife, an organisation that supports new businesses across the process; from awareness and the development of business competencies to individual coaching trajectories, market/business development, operational management and finding financial support.

Coaching and consulting

Startups can choose their own coach from the iLAB Wageningen network to provide support in developing a business plan or help give direction and focus to the business case. After an intake with iLAB Wageningen StartLife supports (potential) startup companies in applying for capital, and accessing facilities, patents or the mediation of coaches and experts.

Financing

Via StartLife, iLAB Wageningen offers mediation and loans (up to a maximum of € 200,000 for the development of business plans and technological feasibility studies), risk-bearing (participation in share capital) and credit from current innovation funds from the Province of Gelderland.

The Province of Gelderland has various subsidy schemes for SMEs, including knowledge vouchers for financing research or contributions if multiple businesses in the EMT sector jointly develop an innovative business case. The Province also supplies loans for the development from concept to business case. Revolving funds can be made available to product or process developments with a detailed business case.

In addition to information on provincial opportunities, iLAB will provide information on current innovation tenders at the (inter)national level and support in applying for subsidies.

Operational management

iLAB Wageningen offers consultation and mediation in the field of:

  • Developing business plans/cases in interactive sessions, based on the lean startup method and business model canvas sessions at the competence centre;
  • Intellectual property: businesses can use the IP desk of Wageningen UR and the network partners (at a fixed rate and discounted rates from network partners).
  • Legal affairs: businesses benefit from a legal advisor who is familiar with R&D issues and the network partners of StartLife (at a fixed rate and discounted rates from network partners).
  • Administration: this is the responsibility of the (startup) business. Administrative support is available (at a fixed rate and discounted rates from network partners).
  • Human resources: businesses can employ extra capacity for research and analysis activities from Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research. HRM will provide the (startup) business with support (at a fixed rate and discounted rates from network partners).
  • Public Relations: advice, expertise and production capacity for PR can be accessed via the Shared Service Centre Communication (at a fixed rate and discounted rates from network partners).

Community of practice and network access

iLAB Biobased Products Wageningen and its partners have developed a joint network in which the knowledge workers involved share lessons learned and best practices, combine activities in the region and interlink initiatives and networks.

Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research, and the business unit Biobased Products in particular, has an (international) network of innovative large, medium and small-scale businesses active in the development of the biobased economy and chemistry, and operational in relevant markets related to agriculture, chemistry, synthetics processing and energy.

Students as interns

Startups facilitated by iLAB Wageningen have access to the Centre of Entrepreneurship of Wageningen UR, the desk for students looking for internships, via StartLife.