Demonstrator Lab (DLAB) is the early-stage incubator of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. It is open to students, researchers, and staff from VU, UvA, HvA, and Amsterdam UMC. We foster entrepreneurship across the academic ecosystem and play a key role in advancing innovation and societal impact at the universities in Amsterdam.
DLAB is designed for the earliest stage of entrepreneurship. Whether your idea is a concept, a rough sketch, or a set of research findings, this is where you begin to test, validate, and build. From prototype to pilot project, from desk research to real-world impact, we help academic innovators take their first steps toward entrepreneurship.
Through a combination of workshops, coaching, lab and office space, a fully equipped makerspace and a strong peer-learning community, DLAB provides structure, support, and the freedom to experiment.
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We organise pitch events, host demo days and support early-stage startups — including VU spin-offs — with targeted funding, strategic advice, and access to a broad network of partners and investors.
DLAB supports an average of 60 active startup projects at any given time. Around 25 percent of these are already a B.V.
Part of the community are our 4 VU Dream Teams and 1 joint VU-UT Dream Team, offering guidance and integration into the broader DLAB program.
Our dedicated Makerspace supports VU-UT Mechanical Engineering and Creative Technology students, providing the tools and training to build functional prototypes. In total, DLAB engages over 400 entrepreneurial individuals each year — forming a diverse, interdisciplinary community driven by curiosity, experimentation, and shared ambition.
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Truly early-stage
No business plan required. No commercial filter. We work with ideas that are still taking shape. Curiosity and commitment are what matter.
Academic and interdisciplinary
DLAB is open to every faculty and domain. Whether you are working in law, life sciences, engineering, humanities or artificial intelligence—your perspective adds value.
Hands-on and technical
Our facilities include a high-tech makerspace, chemical and optical labs, and woodworking and electronics workshops. We help you build, test, and iterate.
Peer-to-peer learning
You learn from others and help others in return. DLAB’s community-based model scales startup support without compromising quality or connection.
Deeply embedded in academia
DLAB is part of the VU innovation infrastructure, with strong links to IXA, ASIF, the 3xA fund, and national grant programs such as Take Off and MIT. We support the full academic startup journey, including intellectual property, licensing, and research valorisation.
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DLAB supports students, staff, and researchers who want to turn ideas into impact.
For example:
A PhD candidate exploring the application of their research
A student or researcher looking to bring their results into society
A team of students building a sustainable hardware concept
A business student wanting to build an AI-based SaaS platform
An academic founder (with or without a patent) developing a VU spin-off
If you have an idea and want to explore where it could go, you are welcome at DLAB.
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Validate the problem you want to solve
Build your first prototype
Develop your value proposition
Find collaborators or co-founders
Design a pilot project or first customer test
Apply for pre-seed funding
Prepare for the B.V. stage
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This is the starting point of academic entrepreneurship. Whether your path ends in a startup or a deeper understanding of your own potential, DLAB helps you move forward with clarity, support, and purpose. At DLAB you have access to support, the righ tools and connections to make your idea work.
Ready to begin?
Learn how to apply
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