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The fund was created both in response to increasing threats to academic freedom worldwide and to strengthen the Netherlands' innovation capacity by attracting exceptional scientific talent. The fund supports ambitious research across all disciplines, with the shared goal of safeguarding academic excellence and fostering groundbreaking discoveries.

Although the Tulp Fund is intended for all researchers currently working outside the European Union, with the aim of further strengthening the competitiveness of both the Netherlands and Europe, it is clear that the program has strong appeal for researchers from the United States who are eager to pursue their work in Europe because of its favorable academic environment. Twenty-nine of the 34 researchers are from or currently work in the United States, including at prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Yale, and federal research institutes such as the National Cancer Institute.

Every additional top scientist means greater access to new knowledge, networks, and fresh perspectives for researchers currently working in our country. - Minister of OCW Rianne Letschert

Expertise in nanomaterials and device engineering

By attracting these researchers, the Netherlands is bringing in expertise in fields that are of clear strategic importance to the country. Dahiya's nominated project, ‘2D Nanomaterials and Devices for Energy Efficient Sense and Computing’, addresses one of the most pressing technological challenges of our time: the rapidly increasing energy demands of modern computing. As artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and billions of connected devices continue to expand, conventional silicon-based technologies are approaching fundamental limits in terms of power consumption and data movement. Overcoming these limitations is essential for building the next generation of sustainable digital infrastructure.

The proposed research introduces a comprehensive material-device-circuit co-design framework based on two-dimensional (2D) materials. Rather than viewing atomically thin materials simply as replacements for silicon, the project explores their unique physical properties to create entirely new device functionalities. These novel devices aim to integrate sensing, memory, and computing within the same platform, significantly reducing the energy required to move and process data.

By bringing together expertise in nanomaterials, device engineering, and circuit design, the project seeks to establish new computing architectures that dramatically improve energy efficiency. Such advances have the potential to reduce the environmental footprint of AI-driven technologies, data centres, and future connected systems, while simultaneously enabling more powerful and intelligent electronic devices.

Abhishek Dahiya will join as an Assistant Professor in the Integrated Circuits Group at ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø's Department of Electrical Engineering on August 17th. He obtained his Ph.D. in Electronics from the GREMAN Laboratory at Université François Rabelais de Tours, France, in 2016. Before joining ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø, he held postdoctoral research positions at Northeastern University (Boston, USA), the University of Glasgow (United Kingdom), and the IES institute of CNRS (France). His research expertise encompasses nanoelectronics, flexible and printed electronics, low-dimensional materials, and resource-efficient manufacturing technologies. At ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø, his work focuses on the fabrication and integration of next-generation electronic devices using low-dimensional materials, with particular emphasis on energy-efficient sensing and computing, heterogeneous integration, and sustainable semiconductor manufacturing.

The nomination for the NWO Tulp Fund highlights both the scientific excellence of Dahiya's research and the strategic importance of advancing sustainable semiconductor technologies. Through initiatives such as the Tulp Fund, the Netherlands reinforces its commitment to protecting academic freedom and attracting world-class researchers whose work will strengthen the scientific and technological competitiveness of the Netherlands and Europe. Dahiya's research exemplifies this ambition by addressing global challenges in energy-efficient computing while laying the foundation for future generations of intelligent, sustainable electronic systems.

Purpose and Eligibility of the Tulp Fund

The Tulp Fund is intended for researchers from outside the European Union, the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), and Switzerland who lead their own independent research programs. Their research must contribute to strengthening science and society in the Netherlands and Europe, and candidates must be nominated by their host research institutions. These institutions determine how the research aligns with their strategic priorities and have considerable flexibility in how they use the funding.

Eligible researchers must demonstrate exceptional qualifications that significantly exceed the standards typically found among their international peers. Each selected researcher will receive up to €1 million through their host institution over a five-year period. The funding may support fundamental, applied, or practice-oriented research. Additional awards will be made in 2027 under the current budget allocation.

One of the key pillars for ensuring that we remain economically and socially resilient in the future is built on knowledge, research, and innovation. We are now giving this a major boost. - NWO President Marcel Levi

The fund is named after the tulip. Although originally introduced from abroad, the tulip has become a national icon of the Netherlands. Similar initiatives have been launched elsewhere in Europe, including in Germany and France.