The Dutch Heart Foundation provides €2 million in funding available to the Dutch CardioVascular Alliance (DCVA) for participation in the investment fund FIRST II (Fonds InvesteringsRijpe STarters). We believe the path from innovation to clinical practice takes too long, and aim to accelerate this process. The investment fund contributes by supporting start-ups that translate academic knowledge into healthcare practice for chronic diseases.

FIRST II receives funding from various organizations, such as (regional) development agencies, health foundations, and the government through the Thematic Technology Transfer (TTT) program. Together, they have raised a total of €12.3 million. FIRST II focuses on so-called pre-seed investments: the phase in which start-up entrepreneurs are looking for initial funding—often a challenging stage.

From FIRST I to FIRST II

FIRST II builds on the success of its predecessor, FIRST I. Five years ago, the DCVA & Dutch Heart Foundation took the initiative to apply for the TTT program, together with RegMed XB. Thanks to strong results and a broad network, the DCVA and RegMed XB have once again been awarded the application to the TTT program. The program enables investment in researcher training, scouting and developing promising research results into investable propositions, and pre-seed financing (via FIRST II).

Rob de Ree, chair of the DCVA valorization pillar:
“Dutch cardiovascular research is among the world’s best, forming the foundation for valorization. Now that we, together with RegMed XB, have once again been awarded the TTT program, and with a larger FIRST II fund, we can continue to build, scale impact and accelerate together with the Dutch Heart Foundation and—with the involvement of other health foundations—go even further.”

Results from the past five years

Through the previously awarded TTT program, 42 vouchers were granted to prepare promising research results for investment. This led to the creation of 14 start-ups. Some of these companies received investment from FIRST I. In total, FIRST I invested in eight companies. This shows that the combination of substantive support, financing and collaboration within this TTT program is effective in translating academic knowledge into start-ups with societal impact.

We are proud of the supported start-ups working on innovative methods to better treat cardiovascular disease. For example, the company TargED Biopharmaceuticals is developing a new treatment for thrombosis to improve stroke care. The DCVA, in close collaboration with the Dutch Heart Foundation, guided researchers through all steps of the process.

Accelerating cardiovascular innovation together for societal impact

The path from research to practice is currently too long. By jointly investing in FIRST II, we also contribute to the theme “Apply knowledge faster” from the Dutch Cardiovascular Agenda. The fund supports start-ups working on solutions for chronic diseases. With the involvement of the Dutch Heart Foundation and the DCVA, there is explicit room for cardiovascular innovations, from prevention to diagnosis and treatment.

The DCVA is pleased that, as with FIRST I, the Dutch Heart Foundation has chosen to actively collaborate with the DCVA in FIRST II. Rebecca Abma-Schouten, Scientific director at the Dutch Heart Foundation:
“Over the past five years, together with the DCVA, we have built a strong cardiovascular valorization ecosystem that makes an important contribution to improving heart health in the Netherlands. We are convinced that our support to FIRST II will help to translate outstanding Dutch cardiovascular research into innovative products that meaningfully improve survival and quality of life for patients.”

Ready for the next step?

The DCVA valorization pillar and FIRST II focus on researchers and (early-stage) entrepreneurs with promising research results that have the potential to grow into a start-up. Support includes guidance in making innovations investment-ready, access to the DCVA valorization network, and pre-seed funding to take the first steps towards the market and clinical practice.

Are you a researcher and interested? Contact the DCVA valorization team via info@dcvalliance.nl. More information about support from the DCVA valorization pillar is available here. It is also possible to join the fund as an investor.

Photo: The start of FIRST II was recently presented at the DCVA & RegMed XB Community Event, held on 12 February 2026 in Utrecht, where collaboration, innovation and knowledge sharing were central.