EXPLANATORY RESEARCH · TSR

WBSO technical scientific research: when does research qualify?

Technical scientific research (technisch-wetenschappelijk onderzoek, TWO) is explanatory research into a technical phenomenon for which, based on publicly accessible and internally available knowledge, no adequate explanation yet exists. The research must be carried out systematically and according to a plan, and must yield new theoretical or practical technical knowledge. A practical application purpose does not preclude TWO; decisive is that the research is aimed at explaining the phenomenon.

BY PETER KLAREN · UPDATED 19 SEPTEMBER 2026 · SOURCE: RVO WBSO GUIDE 2026

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When is research technical scientific research for WBSO?

In the official project form, RVO successively asks about the phenomenon, existing knowledge, research questions, research design, intended new knowledge and technology field. Translated into five questions:

1. Phenomenon: which technical phenomenon do you not yet understand?
2. Existing knowledge: why do existing public and internal knowledge provide no explanation?
3. Research questions: which concrete research questions do you want to answer?
4. Research design: how will you investigate this systematically and according to a plan?
5. New knowledge: which new technical knowledge do you expect to obtain from it?

If you can answer these questions convincingly, TWO may apply. The final answer does not have to be known in advance; there must in fact be a real risk that the explanation will not be found.

Explanatory versus descriptive research

This is the most important delineation in research. The research must explain, not merely observe, describe, monitor, inventory, code, classify or translate. Merely finding correlations is also not sufficient.

What does “technical” mean here?

RVO accepts research within technical technology fields such as physics, chemistry, biotechnology, production technology and information and communication technology. Economic, social and psychological research does not fall under it, even if carried out systematically.

Must the research yield knowledge that is new worldwide?

No. For WBSO you do not have to discover a new law of nature or scientific theory. The research must yield theoretical or practical technical knowledge that is new for your company, because the explanation for the researched phenomenon cannot be obtained from publicly accessible or internally available knowledge.

RVO also does not require the outcome to be proven reproducible or statistically significant as in academic research.

Research versus development project

RVO formally distinguishes two project types: development projects and technical scientific research.

Within one broader innovation programme, both types of activities can occur; the WBSO application must then delineate them correctly in substance. Are you mainly developing a technical solution? Then see WBSO product development or WBSO process development.

Examples of technical scientific research

Our own practical example: research into crystallisation behaviour in a coating process for which no existing model describes the course. See this case elaborated at compiled WBSO cases.

They are anonymised example situations, not claims about specific clients.

When is research not technical scientific research?

• merely establishing effects without explaining the underlying mechanism;
• searching for the best setting or variant without an explanatory question;
• merely analysing historical data for correlations or predictions;
• routine testing, measuring or quality control;
• market research, consumer research or user research;
• economic, social, organisational or psychological research;
• literature research without own explanatory research.

Doubting whether your research is sufficiently explanatory? Test it against the five RVO assessment questions above.

AI, machine learning and research

AI can be a research tool within technical scientific research, but the use of AI is not decisive. The question remains whether you are trying to explain an unexplained technical phenomenon and thereby generate new technical knowledge.

Deep learning as an instrument in explanatory research into a protein mechanism can fit within technical scientific research. A data model that uses historical data to predict an optimal cleaning strategy usually does not qualify, because the research is not explanatory.

A predictive model that merely extracts correlations from data is therefore not automatically technical scientific research.

How do you describe research in a WBSO application?

Use exactly the structure of the current RVO form for research projects:

1. Reason / phenomenon: what do you want to explain?
2. Why existing knowledge is insufficient: which public and internal knowledge has already been examined?
3. Research questions: which concrete questions do you pose?
4. Practical research design: how do you investigate this systematically?
5. Intended new technical knowledge: what do you expect to learn?
6. Technology field: within which technical domain does the research fall?
7. Phasing and own activities: which R&D hours are planned?

Have your research project assessed in advance, so that the application answers these parts convincingly and concretely.

Records of technical scientific research

RVO requires the research process and results to be recorded transparently. Think of:

• research questions and, where relevant, research hypotheses;
• experimental design;
• test and measurement data;
• models and simulations;
• interim findings;
• adjusted research directions;
• technical interpretations;
• conclusions;
• R&D hours spent.

See the full requirements at WBSO project records.

Costs and expenditures in research

In research, costs and expenditures directly attributable to the research can also be relevant in addition to R&D hours, for example specific consumables or research equipment. For actual costs and expenditures, strict rules apply on direct attributability and service to the R&D.

View WBSO costs and expenditures →

Frequently asked questions about WBSO technical scientific research

SOURCES AND SUBSTANTIVE REVIEW

RVO — WBSO Guide 2026

Reviewed by Peter Klaren, WBSO specialist since 2004. Last substantively updated: 21 September 2026.