Am I eligible for the WBSO?
Do the WBSO scan
To the scanWBSO subsidy and who is it interesting for?
All entrepreneurs who develop new products, production processes, technology, and/or new software in the Netherlands may be eligible for the WBSO subsidy. The WBSO is an accessible subsidy scheme that is used by many innovative SMEs.
The WBSO subsidy easily amounts to tens of thousands of euros. For companies with a large number of technical employees on the payroll, it can rise to several hundred thousand. We apply for this subsidy on behalf of all our clients. Vectrix has over 28 years of experience successfully applying for these schemes. We work on a 'no cure, no pay' basis!
The employees carrying out these development activities must be on the Dutch payroll of the applicant company. This is because the WBSO subsidy is a (wage) cost subsidy that is offset against payroll tax and social insurance contributions.
No cure
No pay
Applying for WBSO: "no cure, no pay"
Are you an entrepreneur, do you own a business (BV, NV, VOF, and sole proprietorships), do you employ technical staff, and are you working on new innovative products, technology, and/or software? Then you likely qualify for the WBSO. The development must be technically new to your company. We would be happy to explore the possibilities for your business.
Need advice? Contact us.WBSO statement
The subsidy is granted by means of a WBSO statement. With this statement, you can apply for the subsidy and offset it against your payroll tax. This statement is also the gateway to many other subsidy schemes.
WBSO percentages in 2026
• Rate first bracket 36%
• Rate for the first bracket for start-ups 50%
• Limit of first bracket € 391,020 R&D (wage) costs
• Second bracket rate 16%
A contribution of 36% is provided on the first €391,020 of gross wage costs plus other costs spent on research and development, and 16% on the amount above this. For enterprises that are no older than 5 years and have used this scheme for no more than two years, a start-up rate of 50% applies to the first €391,020. Applications can be submitted almost continuously throughout a calendar year.
WBSO background
The WBSO is the longest-standing and most widely used subsidy scheme in the Netherlands for promoting innovation. Every year, more than 20,000 companies in the Netherlands make use of the scheme, collectively receiving over 1.1 billion in subsidies annually. There is a good chance that your company qualifies as well: Startups, SMEs, and multinationals all make use of this scheme!
Vectrix vraagt al sinds 2006 succesvol de WBSO voor ons aan, en heeft daarnaast de innovatiebox bij ons toegepast. De communicatie is fijn, en de benodigde kennis is volop aanwezig.
The Valley
Auke Meijer, CEO
WBSO as a gateway to other schemes
Companies utilizing the WBSO scheme may also qualify for the Innovation Box, a scheme that allows companies to pay less corporate income tax on their profits. With the WBSO, you also have access to the innovative guarantee credit, which makes it easier for companies to obtain credit from a commercial bank.
Furthermore, for startups, the WBSO provides access to Early Stage Financing, a loan of up to €350,000 for the development of a new product or software.
Why Vectrix?
- Specialist in financing innovation and growth
- The point of contact for startups, scale-ups, and innovative SMEs for over 28 years
- No Cure, No Pay for WBSO applications
- Successful applications > 97% success rate on all WBSO applications
- Our customers give us a score of 8.5 for customer satisfaction