CIIIC Kern: €5 million funding for research into immersive experiences

On January 13, 2026, CIIIC Kern, a funding scheme implemented by Regieorgaan SIA, opens for practice-oriented research into the application of immersive experiences (IX) in SMEs and the public sector. The deadline for the first round is April 21, 2026.

What is CIIIC Kern?

The scheme offers a total of €5 million in funding for demand-driven research focused on testing and validating methods for IX applications. Consortia of SME parties, public organizations, and research institutions can collaborate on projects lasting 1.5 to 2 years, with a maximum subsidy of €300,000 per project. The subsidy can only be applied for by researchers affiliated with a higher education institution.

Consider research questions such as:

• How can public values be safeguarded in IX applications?
• What are the preconditions for the responsible use of IX within public organizations?
• How can IX methods be validated for specific application domains?

Who is this of interest to?

CIIIC Kern is intended for:

• Researchers from colleges and universities who want to conduct practice-oriented research on IX applications.
• Immersive creators who want to substantiate their practices and methods with research
• Public organizations (healthcare, education, culture, municipalities) that want to use IX and need validated approaches

Difference from CIIIC Start

While CIIIC Start focuses on short-term, exploratory research (1 year, max. €50,000), Kern is suitable for more in-depth projects with more budget and a longer duration. The partners' own contribution is 50% of the total project costs in Kern, compared to 25% in Start.

Part of the CIIIC program

CIIIC Kern is part of the National Growth Fund program Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition (CIIIC). The program aims to strengthen the Dutch IX sector and put it on the international map, with attention to public values such as privacy and accessibility.

Heleen Rouw, program director of CIIIC: "Research into methodology for immersive content is essential to scale up and add new application areas for IX; meaningful with impact on society and economy."

Information meeting: February 2, 2026

On February 2, we are organizing an online information meeting about CIIIC Kern together with Regieorgaan SIA. This session is for anyone who wants to be involved in a CIIIC Kern project: researchers who want to submit an application, but also SMEs, IX creators, and public organizations that want to participate as a partner in a consortium.

During this meeting:

• We explain the scheme and conditions
• We answer questions
• There is room to pitch your idea

Date: February 2, 2026, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM Location: Online (Microsoft Teams)