image: Leiden University will host the event to be held between October 27-29 Leiden University will host the event to be held between October 27-29 (image: Marcelo Meletti/Agência FAPESP)
Credit: Marcelo Meletti/Agência FAPESP
Home to the Netherlands’ oldest university, the city of Leiden – located just 40 kilometers from the capital, Amsterdam – will serve as a hub for strengthening scientific and technological collaboration between the state of São Paulo and the Netherlands. From October 27 through October 29, the 28th edition of FAPESP Week will bring together researchers, academic leaders, and entrepreneurs from both regions at Leiden University to discuss opportunities for cooperation with joint funding.
Organized by FAPESP and the Dutch Research Council (NWO), with support from the Brazilian Embassy and the diplomatic services of both countries, the event is the result of over a year of coordination to align the two communities’ collaborative research priorities.
“We held about 29 meetings between the participating institutions and the diplomatic services of Brazil and the Netherlands over more than a year of preparation to define the topics for discussion by mutual agreement,” says Raul Machado, manager of FAPESP’s Institutional Relations Office.
Unlike traditional formats, the symposium’s academic sessions were designed in an integrated way to address global challenges across three interconnected areas. In the field of health, scientists will discuss studies on aging, mental health, and sports, integrating these topics with the impacts of climate change on the development of livable cities.
In the area of sustainable agriculture, the program will cover everything from the challenges of primary production to the sector’s social and economic impacts, emphasizing the application of precision agriculture. In the energy sector, the focus will be on technological and scientific solutions to accelerate the energy transition and achieve carbon neutrality (net zero).
Another unique feature of this edition is its decentralized nature, which will extend the discussions beyond Leiden. On Friday, October 30, the program will expand to regional hubs in Groningen and Wageningen, providing an opportunity to engage with centers of research excellence.
Located in the northern Netherlands, approximately 180 kilometers from Amsterdam, the University of Groningen will host debates on health and the energy transition. The University of Wageningen, located in the central region of the country (approximately 85 kilometers from the capital), will offer tours of its agricultural science research facilities.
Startups take center stage
São Paulo’s innovation ecosystem is also represented in the Brazilian delegation. Seven deep-techs (science- and technology-based startups) supported by FAPESP’s Innovative Research in Small Businesses Program (PIPE) will participate in activities during the event.
In addition to quick pitches (five minutes each), Brazilian entrepreneurs will showcase solutions developed with PIPE support during poster sessions. They will also participate in one-on-one business and collaboration meetings with local startups and companies during program breaks. “This reflects a joint effort on the Dutch side as well to generate real opportunities for interaction and technology-based business,” Machado notes.
FAPESP Week Netherlands continues the tradition, begun in 2011, of promoting scientific diplomacy on the international stage. For FAPESP, in-person interaction and direct dialogue among researchers are essential for transforming agreements into effective research projects with international impact.
“It isn’t just a presentation of research. It’s an opportunity to expand and consolidate what already exists, including new partnerships,” Machado emphasizes. “FAPESP’s leadership considers that initiative highly productive. It involves a great deal of complexity and is labor-intensive, but it’s been yielding concrete results for science in São Paulo.”
More information and the complete schedule for FAPESP Week Netherlands are available at https://fapesp.br/week/2026/netherlands.