From July to September 2025, ZonMw and FAST will organize a pilot edition of the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge. During this Venture Challenge, researchers will receive guidance in developing a venture plan. A scientific breakthrough in the field of drug repurposing will be transformed into a solid business plan aimed at bringing the medicine to market and/or to patients.

The Venture Challenge is a 3-month program designed to help you turn your drug repurposing idea—a groundbreaking research result—into a viable business plan. Participate and learn how to build a value proposition, identify key risks and assumptions, develop a validation and de-risking strategy, write and pitch a business plan, and connect with Life Sciences experts, investors, and seasoned entrepreneurs. The winner of the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge will receive €20,000.

From Idea to Patient

Drug repurposing holds the promise of faster and more affordable therapy development, particularly for (rare) diseases that currently lack treatment options. Today, drug repurposing often happens in academic settings and typically reaches patients via off-label use. Creating a commercial strategy around a repurposing project can facilitate a better (on-label) route to the patient.

To fulfill this promise, new indications should ideally be registered for the new use (on-label). However, this is still rare, often due to a lack of experience and knowledge among researchers. Additionally, the drug needs to be priced in a way that offers a fair return on investment to all stakeholders—without necessarily generating excessive profits.

With this Venture Challenge, ZonMw (Goed Gebruik Geneesmiddelen) and FAST aim to demonstrate that drug repurposing can indeed deliver on its promise of being “faster, more affordable, and accessible to patients” in a socially responsible way. This will be achieved by applying the principles of socially responsible licensing to entrepreneurship.

Strong guidance from experienced professionals is essential, and the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge meets this need.

How Does It Work?

Over a period of about three months, teams receive support in developing a venture plan that translates a scientific breakthrough in drug repurposing into a solid business case—one that is also attractive to investors. With investment capital, the drug can be registered, making it available on-label for patients. A significant portion of the capital will be used to demonstrate the drug’s effectiveness for the repurposed indication. This is crucial for patients with progressive diseases, where taking a drug with unproven efficacy can result in a major “opportunity cost.”

The Venture Challenge includes two 3-day bootcamps, coaching sessions in between, and a final day.

Who Can Apply?

The Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge is intended for researchers and/or early-stage entrepreneurs in Life Sciences. The program specifically targets the repurposing of pharmaceutical products—existing drugs being studied for their effectiveness in promising new indications for which they are not yet approved.