SLIM Round 2 opens August 10: what to get ready now
SLIM Round 2 runs August 10 through September 7, 2026: 60% reimbursement, up to EUR 24,999. Registration on the Subsidieportaal opens around July 27. No guarantee of award: a lottery decides on oversubscription, and a complete file outranks speed.
SLIM Round 1 closed on May 4. Round 2 opens August 10 and closes September 7, the last individual round in 2026. The summer holiday falls between now and then, which shrinks the real preparation time most Dutch SMEs actually have to a few working weeks.
That's not a promise of funding. If applications exceed the budget, a lottery decides, and the Round 2 budget hasn't been set yet. What you do control: a file that's complete on the day you submit it. Incomplete applications are disadvantaged in the lottery, which makes completeness the one factor that doesn't come down to luck.
What SLIM Round 2 covers
What: Subsidy for learning and development in SMEs, including AI training, workshops, and building internal AI workflows.
Amount: Up to EUR 24,999 per application. The government reimburses 60% of costs.
Who: SMEs (<250 FTE, <EUR 50M revenue).
Window: August 10, 9:00 AM through September 7, 2026, 5:00 PM.
Budget: Round 1 held EUR 11 million. The Round 2 budget will be announced later by the ministry. If applications exceed the budget, a lottery decides.
Not eligible: hardware, software licenses, or purely technical implementation without a learning component. Buying an AI tool falls outside SLIM; training your team to use it well generally qualifies.
The timeline: counting back from September 7
Five moments determine whether your file arrives on time and complete.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Around July 27, 2026 | Registration opens on the Uitvoering Van Beleid Subsidieportaal (two weeks before the window) |
| August 10, 9:00 AM | Window opens. The e-form becomes available on the portal. |
| September 7, 5:00 PM | Deadline. No submissions accepted after this time. |
| After September 7 | If oversubscribed, a lottery sets the processing order. Incomplete applications are disadvantaged. |
| Within 18 weeks of closing | Uitvoering Van Beleid aims for a decision, so roughly early January 2027. |
What a complete application file needs
For an individual SME application, Uitvoering Van Beleid asks for the following components. One missing signature or attachment makes the file incomplete.
- E-form, available on the Subsidieportaal once the window opens on August 10.
- Mkb-verklaring (SME declaration), signed, based on the decision tree Uitvoering Van Beleid prescribes.
- De-minimis declaration, signed.
- Activity plan, on the prescribed template: what you'll learn or develop, and why.
- Budget, on the prescribed template: the costs you're claiming, itemized.
- Written authorization, only needed if an intermediary submits on your behalf.
Why applications get rejected
Three reasons come up most often in Uitvoering Van Beleid's own guidance and in advisory practice.
- Incomplete application. A missing signature on the mkb-verklaring or de-minimis declaration, or an attachment that wasn't included. If oversubscribed, incomplete applications don't count fully in the lottery.
- Non-eligible activities. Hardware, software licenses, or purely technical implementation without a learning component fall outside SLIM.
- Unclear justification. An activity plan or budget that doesn't match what's actually happening slows the assessment and makes rejection more likely.
Where this page can't answer for you
The honest version of this page also says what it can't judge.
Whether your specific training plan is eligible
That depends on the exact content of your activity plan and is a determination for Uitvoering Van Beleid, not for this page or for Orellis.
Whether you win the lottery if oversubscribed
Nobody can guarantee that. A complete file is the one part you control yourself.
The exact Round 2 budget
Not yet announced by the ministry at the time of writing (July 2026). Check uitvoeringvanbeleidszw.nl or rvo.nl for the current status.
Where Orellis fits
Orellis is set up to prepare the application file for you: the activity plan, the budget, and the required declarations, ready for you to submit yourself or via authorization. No guarantee of approval. What you get is a file that's complete and ready on time when the window opens August 10.
We review everything that ships. This page was drafted with our own AI stack and reviewed by a human before it went live.
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