MIT feasibility grant: why the opening day matters and the deadline misleads

Key Takeaways: With the MIT feasibility grant, most entrepreneurs make the same mistake: they target the formal closing date of 15 September, while the budget is already allocated on the opening day. Allocation happens via a lottery among all complete applications from day one, submitting earlier or later that day makes no difference, but your application must be complete. The scheme is regional (per province). The winning strategy: have your full application ready before the opening (expected ± 7 April 2027, definitive date in early March 2027). Max €20,000, 35%.

Why the deadline is the wrong question

The MIT feasibility grant has a fixed regional budget. As soon as it runs out, the window closes, regardless of the official 15 September end date. In practice that happens on the first day of the opening. So the "15 September deadline" you read everywhere is meaningless for anyone who wants a real chance.

The mechanism that counts is the lottery. All applications that are complete on the opening day go into one pool and are ranked by lottery until the budget runs out. That has an important consequence: submitting early in the day does not help. Whether you submit at 09:00 or 16:00 on that same opening day makes no difference to your chances, it is not a first-come queue, it is a lottery.

What does matter: whether your application is complete on that day. An incomplete or late application simply doesn't take part.

Administered regionally: know your province

The MIT feasibility grant is not handled centrally by RVO but regionally per province (via the regional implementing organisations). That means:

• The budget differs per region, in one province the pool is larger than in another.
• The opening date is usually nationally aligned (in 2026 all regions opened on 7 April), but the definitive date is published per region.
• You apply in the region where your company is based, and your project must align with the regional innovation agenda (the KIA missions / top sectors).

You can find which region applies to you and the current regional budgets on our MIT page.

The figures: max €20,000, 35%

At a maximum subsidy of €20,000 at 35%, you cover a feasibility study of roughly €57,000 in costs, typically a mix of in-house hours, external expertise and a literature or market study that substantiates the technical and commercial feasibility of your innovation.

What counts as a "complete" application

Since everything hinges on being complete on day one, this is the core. A complete MIT feasibility application typically contains:

• A completed application form with your company and project details
• A project plan with the technical and commercial questions of the feasibility study
• A budget with a justification of the costs (hours, rates, external purchases)
• Alignment with the regional innovation themes (KIA missions / top sectors)
• Any mandatory annexes the region requires (check this per province)

An application that is incomplete on any of these points falls outside the lottery. That is why preparation is not a luxury but a condition.

The strategy: start ~5 weeks ahead

Plan backwards from the opening date, not from the closing date. You don't write a strong MIT feasibility application in an afternoon, count on about 5 weeks of preparation:

1. Early March 2027: the definitive opening date is published per region. By then your project idea must already be in place.
2. March: work out the project plan and budget, check the regional theme alignment, gather annexes.
3. Early April: fully stage your application in the regional portal.
4. Opening day (± 7 April): submit. The time of day doesn't matter; being complete does.

Anyone who only looks at the "15 September deadline" in August is already months too late. The window will have long since closed.

Combining with WBSO and other schemes

The MIT feasibility grant covers the exploratory phase of an innovation. If your project carries through to actual development, you logically stack it with the WBSO for the R&D hours, or with a larger R&D track. For the full timing of all openings, see our subsidy calendar 2026-2027 and the current WBSO 2026 rates.

Be ready on the opening day

The biggest risk with the MIT feasibility grant is not rejection, it's being too late because the budget was already allocated by lottery on day one. We track the regional openings and make sure your complete application is ready before the opening. Book a free subsidy check and be ready on day one.

Frequently asked questions

When does the MIT feasibility grant open in 2027?

Based on the pattern of recent years (always the first week of April, 7 April in 2026), we expect an opening around 7 April 2027. The definitive date is usually published per region in early March 2027. The formal 15 September closing date is misleading: the budget is typically gone on the opening day.

Does submitting at 09:00 on the opening day help?

No. All complete applications that arrive on the opening day enter a lottery, submitting at 09:00 gives no advantage over later the same day. What counts is that your application is complete on day one. Being too late (after the first window) usually means no chance at all.

How much does the MIT feasibility grant provide?

A maximum of €20,000 per feasibility study, up to 35% of the costs. The scheme is administered regionally (per province), so the exact budgets and rules can differ slightly by region.