Boosting Dutch HRTech innovation through psychometrics and language technology

Utrecht, The Netherlands —  14 April 2025

In2Dialog, a multi-award-winning startup transforming the recruitment process with AI-driven tools based in Utrecht, has been awarded a prestigious MIT R&D collaboration grant by the Province of Utrecht. The grant supports a joint research and development project with Ixly  — a leading provider of online assessments, tests, and psychometric tools — aiming to explore the intersection of natural language processing and psychological assessment in recruitment.

The funding comes from the MIT scheme (MKB-innovatiestimulering Regio en Topsectoren), a Dutch government initiative designed to foster innovation among SMEs through collaborative R&D projects. This grant enables In2Dialog and Ixly to further develop technology that leverages Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyse language use and infer psychometric traits — with the goal of building fairer, more transparent, and effective recruitment solutions.

The project builds on a long-standing connection between academic research and practical application. The psychometric framework used by In2Dialog was originally developed and validated in an academic context. With MIT funding, these insights can now be refined through applied R&D and translated into tools with real societal impact — not just for recruiters and candidates, but also for educational institutions, public services, and fellow researchers.

While the grant strengthens In2Dialog’s innovation trajectory, its significance extends beyond the company itself. The project aligns with broader policy goals to strengthen the Dutch startup ecosystem, especially in the field of artificial intelligence. Recent reports show that early-stage AI investments in the Netherlands lag behind European frontrunners like Switzerland and the UK. Programs like MIT help bridge that gap by de-risking research and accelerating the development of homegrown tech solutions.

In2Dialog CEO Diddo van Zand commented on the grant, saying: “This grant is a recognition of the value of combining AI, linguistics, and psychometrics to improve how people and organisations find the right match.” He continued: “We are excited to advance our scientific foundations and test them in real-world hiring scenarios.”

Dirk-jan van de Werfhorst, CEO of Ixly, added: “This partnership reflects our shared ambition to bring cutting-edge innovation into the field of assessment and recruitment. By combining Ixly’s psychometric expertise with In2Dialog’s advanced language technology, we aim to set a new standard for fairness, depth, and scientific rigour in candidate evaluation.”

With this collaboration, In2Dialog and Ixly are not only pushing the boundaries of recruitment technology — they are laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and evidence-based future of work.