IIC 1: IX in Urban Development

IX in urban environments

Ongoing

This innovation challenge focuses on how immersive technologies can help address complex urban issues, such as (affordable) housing, sustainability, climate adaptation, and accessibility.

Visitors at the Creative Industries Expo Fiera del Suono, DROPSTUFF (René van Engelenburg c.s.)
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About this call

What can you apply for?

The Innovation Impact Challenge is the method by which the government challenges entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions for societal issues. During a Challenge, entrepreneurs deliver innovative, solution-oriented products, services, and applications for societal issues.

The question behind this funding scheme

How can we develop IX solutions for concrete societal challenges set by major clients?

Theme of this edition

IX in urban environments

About the Challenge

Are you an entrepreneur interested in innovation and immersive experiences (IX)? Curious about how to turn your ideas into innovative solutions that contribute to urban development? Then the Innovation Impact Challenge is for you!

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), together with the municipalities of Amsterdam and Almere, invites entrepreneurs to develop innovative IX products and services that help build future-proof urban environments.

This Challenge is part of the National Growth Fund programme CIIIC (Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition), led by the Ministry of OCW and executed by RVO.

Why participate?

Cities face complex challenges such as (affordable) housing, sustainability, climate adaptation, and accessibility. IX technologies can help visualize these issues and develop innovative solutions. The Innovation Impact Challenge gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to turn their ideas into real products—with financial support.

Two key themes

  • Relevant, innovative, and future-proof IX solutions that take an integrated approach to urban challenges.
  • Preventing and reducing the negative impacts of urban development on those involved.

Budget and process

  • Phase 1: Feasibility research for your innovation (up to €25,000 per project, total budget of €250,000 per theme).
  • Phase 2: Development and testing of a prototype (up to €200,000 per project, total budget of €1,200,000 per theme).

The total available budget is €2,500,000.

More information

Before submitting your Expression of Interest, be sure to read the following documents:

Result: 17 selected projects

The entrepreneurs with the 17 best proposals received a budget of up to €25,000 per project. With this budget, they tested the feasibility of their innovation and developed a plan for a possible follow-up trajectory.

On March 10, 2026, the 17 selected projects presented their feasibility studies at the entrepreneur expo. In April 2026, 10 projects will be selected for phase 2, in which they will further develop their ideas.

More information

View the complete information about the selected projects.

To RVO website

Funded projects

IIC 1: IX in Urban Development Active

AR Inzicht

AR Insight: Transparent Urban Development Siekerman Technology B.V. is developing an innovative AR solution that helps municipalities communicate more effectively about urban development projects. Users of new AR glasses see context-relevant information - duration, background and expected results - at the exact location of the works. Residents have the opportunity to respond directly and influence project information, as well as make contact with contractors. The goal: reducing nuisance through better provision of information and increasing support for necessary urban development.
IIC 1: IX in Urban Development Completed

De Sensorische Stad

De Sensorische Stad is an immersive toolkit aimed at young people aged 12 to 16. Through IX, AR, VR, sensors and a digital twin, young people are playfully engaged with urban issues surrounding biodiversity, climate adaptation and quality of life. At a hybrid play location combining both virtual and real urban nature, young people experience the value and role of nature in the city. They also experience how their choices impact the quality of their living environment. The toolkit is scalable, suitable for educational use, and offers policymakers insights into young people's perspectives.
IIC 1: IX in Urban Development Active

Ervaren, uitleggen, beslissen

Experience, explain, decide: an IX stakeholder participation framework Good intentions sometimes get lost in translation, and positive ideas can become trapped in negative framing. The flexible IX stakeholder participation framework renews communication. This framework can serve as an AR model with projections that bring concepts to life, or as a 3D display on a traditional screen in a community centre. It breaks through miscommunication, transforms the way ideas are shared, connects with others and results in real impact.
IIC 1: IX in Urban Development Completed

GrondGids

The GrondGids is an interactive tool by Studio Metaform and Bright that playfully connects residents with their underground neighbourhood. Due to climate change, the energy transition and grid congestion, the (underground) public space is coming under increasing pressure. The GrondGids makes underground systems such as energy, water, data and greenery visible and understandable. This provides insight into how choices within households are linked to developments in the public space. The GrondGids ensures an integrated approach in which people can make informed choices, understand their living environment and jointly take responsibility for sustainable development.
IIC 1: IX in Urban Development Completed

HoloCollab

HoloCollab is a concept for a mixed reality co-planning tool that accelerates and improves integrated, urban planning processes. Instead of stacks of separate drawings and static 2D maps, stakeholders get one shared 'holographic' project environment. Using a mixed reality headset, policymakers, designers and contractors view a virtual 3D model of the planning area in the middle of the meeting table. This allows them to jointly explore different design options, place spatial notes and visualise changes. This shared interactive view prevents miscommunication and speeds up decision-making in urban projects.
IIC 1: IX in Urban Development Completed

Immersive platform

Immersive platform: making the combined impact of urban development on stakeholders insightful through 3D environments Within this project, an accessible and immersive platform is being developed, enabling even non-technical users to experience future spatial plans in an accessible way before their realisation. The platform makes it possible to digitally involve all parties concerned, from citizens to policymakers, at an early stage in urban development trajectories. The (immersive) tools to be developed actively engage stakeholders in the process. This increases support and leads to more efficient decision-making, resulting in savings in time and costs.

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Part of

Innovation Impact Challenges

The Innovation Impact Challenge is the method by which the government challenges entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions for societal issues. During a Challenge, entrepreneurs deliver innovative, solution-oriented products, services, and applications for societal issues.

View all IIC editions
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