LiT Venture Lab
Starts July 2025
What is the goal of the project?
The goal of the LiT Venture Lab is to connect startups and other young or disruptive businesses (hereafter referred to as startups) within and outside the aviation sector with mentors, investors, and end users. This connection helps them secure funding and achieve product-market fit, enabling these businesses to contribute directly and indirectly to economic growth while accelerating the transition to sustainable aviation with their innovations.
How did the idea originate?
The idea arose from the urgent need to make the aviation sector more sustainable, a transition requiring innovative and fundamental changes. It was recognized that not only technological innovations are necessary, but financing opportunities also play a crucial role. Market failure occurs due to long payback periods, making it difficult for startups to attract funding. The National Growth Fund and projects like LiT Venture Lab aim to break down these barriers and support startups in their development and growth.
How does your project contribute to sustainable aviation?
The project contributes to sustainable aviation by supporting startups working on groundbreaking technologies and innovative solutions. By helping them with funding, network connections, and market validation, the likelihood increases that these new technologies will successfully enter the market and drive sustainability in the aviation sector. Additionally, LiT Venture Lab takes a systemic approach, ensuring that not only aircraft but also infrastructure, regulations, and the integration of new aircraft and systems are considered in the transition. This accelerates the acceptance and implementation of sustainable innovations, making the sector more future-proof.
What have you done so far?
Lucht- en Ruimtevaart Nederland envisions collaboration with various national and international partners, including incubators, knowledge institutions, and specialized innovation hubs.
Initial discussions have already begun with some of these organizations to define their potential roles within the project. The guiding principle of this collaboration is to build on existing resources and leverage the current infrastructure. This approach ensures the greatest possible impact with the available means and contributes most effectively to sustainable solutions. However, it is important to emphasize that incubators are not accelerators; they do not actively facilitate connections between startups, other young or disruptive companies, and venture capital, which is a key objective of the LiT Venture Lab.
What are the next steps for your project?
- The project will officially start on July 1, 2025, with an environmental analysis.
- This analysis will map out startups, their funding needs, potential investors, valuable mentors, and end users who can help them achieve product-market fit.
- The initial scope will remain limited in the first year to maintain a clear overview of the startup landscape, with gradual expansion in the following years.
Point of contact for this project
The point of contact for this project is Kristian van Drimmelen, and can be contacted on: kristian.vandrimmelen@lit.aero
Project Lead
Partners
No results found. Please try a different keyword or select other filters.
Share this project
Related news
Milestone for Lightweight Composites and Structures
The project Lightweight composites and structures (LiT STC) achieved an important milestone in November 2024. Partner Toray A…
20-12-2024