ggggg
Welcome!
Here you’ll find the latest funding opportunities available to support your work.
Each listing includes a brief overview and a direct link to full details, including eligibility, deadlines, and how to apply.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us — we are happy to help.
Good luck with your application!
qqqq
——————————————————————————————————
SME innovative: Biomedicine by the “Bundesministeriums für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR)”
SME innovative: Biomedicine
Scope:
– This grant supports German SMEs undertaking innovative research and development projects addressing high medical needs, at high scientific and technical risk, in the field of medical biotechnology focusing on drug development. See Announcement for the different fields of application.
– Projects can be carried out alone or in collaboration with partners (public and private universities, universities of applied sciences, non-university research institutions, other companies or partners).
Application Deadline: 15 October 2025. Two-stage submission process. Submit first stage here via the electronic form system easy-online.
Funding amount: The amount of the grant per project is based on the needs of the project under the available budget. According to the BMBF principles, an appropriate own contribution to the eligible costs is required.
Grant Duration: Up to 3 years
Eligibility: See Announcement for more details.
– SMEs established in Germany. Project must be initiated and coordinated by the SME. At least one SME must be involved in the project.
– Eligible partners (joint projects): medium-sized companies with up to 1,000 employees and annual sales of up to 100 Million EUR; public and private universities; Universities of applied sciences/universities of applied sciences; non-university research institutions; further partners.
– The collaboration (joint projects) must be implemented in a written cooperation agreement
– Use of the results: primarily in Germany, the European Economic Area and Switzerland.
Practical info:
• Interested companies are recommended to contact the Federal Government’s funding consultancy: Advisory phone: 08 00/2 62 30 09 (free of charge) – E-mail: beratung@foerderinfo.bund.de
• Also contact Project sponsors Jülich GmbH at ptj-kmui-biomedizin@3fz-juelich.de, and consult ptj – SME innovative-biomedicine
Check it out: Call for proposals
EXIST Programme by the “Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie”
EXIST Startup grant
Scope:
– This grant is a federal initiative supporting students, graduates, scientists from universities and non-university research institutions in the pre- and initial phases of their innovative start-up.
– Open to all topics and technologies. The start-up projects should be innovative technology or knowledge based projects with significant unique features and good commercial prospects of success.
– The application is submitted by the university or research institution which must be part of an EXIST start-up network. If there is no start-up network at their university or research institution, the founders can also contact a network at another university in their vicinity.
Application Deadline: Anytime. Submission here via the electronic form system easy-online.
Funding amount: The grant covers living expenses through a scholarship (from 1000 € to 3000 €/month depending on university degree level), material expenses (up to 10’000 € for a start-up set up by one individual, up to 30’000 € for a team), coaching expenses (up to 5000 €).
Grant Duration: Up 12 months.
Eligibility: See the EXIST start-up grant guidelines for more details
– Universities/Research institutions must be part of a start-up network.
– The members of the founding team must fulfill some team composition/academic degree/last employment timeline requirements.
– Incorporation cannot have occurred at the start of the project.
Practical info:
• FAQs
• Application info & support
• Contact: Research Center Jülich GmbH, Project Management Jülich Berlin office
Phone: 030 20199-411
ptj-exist-gruendungsstipendium@fz-juelich.de
Check it out: Call for Applications
EXIST Programme by the “Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie”
EXIST Transfer of Research
Scope:
– This grant supports researchers from universities and non-university research institutions in developing complex, high-risk, technology-based innovations (all topics and technologies) that need significant R&D before market entry.
– Two funding phases:
* Phase I: Development of the technology, technical feasibility; building of a prototype/Proof of concept; preparation of a business plan and company foundation
* Phase II: Further development work up to market maturity; commencement of business activities; securing external follow-up financing
– The application for funding phase I (for up to 4 positions) is submitted by the university or research institution.
– Upon successful completion of phase I, an application for funding phase II can be prepared and submitted by the incorporated start-up that was founded during Phase I (with a capital contribution of min. 25’000 €).
Application Deadline: Anytime. However applications are collected by March 31, August 31 and November 30. Submission HERE via the electronic form system easy-online.
Funding amount:
– Phase I:
* Subsidy by covering personnel costs for up to four positions
* Material expenses up to 250’000 €
– Phase II:
* Startup grant up to 180’000 €, max. 75 % of eligible costs, if the company provides capital in a ratio of 1:3 (max. 60’000 €)
Grant Duration:
– Phase I: duration up to 18 months (in individual cases up to 36 months possible)
– Phase II: duration: 18 months
Eligibility: See the EXIST Transfer of Research guideline for more details.
– The members of the founding team must fulfill some team composition/academic degree requirements.
– The fundamental feasibility (“proof of principle”) and the validation of an economically promising application must have been demonstrated.
Practical info:
• FAQs
• Application info & support
• Contact: Research Center Jülich GmbH, Project Management Jülich Berlin office
Phone: 030 20199-411
ptj-exist-gruendungsstipendium@fz-juelich.de
Check it out: Call for Applications
Funding programmes for German innovation from regional authorities and/or ERDF initiatives
Leading-cluster.NRW
From: Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
Pro FIT Berlin
From: Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB)
Pro FIT Brandenburg
From: Ministry of Economy, Labour and Energy and Climate Protection (MWAEK)
ESF Plus MINT specialist staff programme in the Free State of Saxony (InnoTeam)
From: Saxon State Ministry of Economy, Labour and Transport (SMWA)
ERDF/JTF Technology Funding 2021 to 2027 – R&D project funding
From: Saxon State Ministry of Economy, Labour and Transport (SMWA)
ERDF/JTF Technology Funding 2021 to 2027 – Technology Transfer
From: Saxon State Ministry of Economy, Labour and Transport (SMWA)
Individual-run innovation and technology promotion programme (InnoTop) as part of the EFRE 2021-2027
From: Ministry of Economy, Transport, Agriculture and Viticulture Rheinland-Pfalz
Bavarian Collaborative Research Program BayVFP – “Lifescience – Medical Technology”
From: Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy
Other link: https://www.bayern-innovativ.de/leistungen/projekttraeger/projekttraeger-bayern/
Lower Saxony Innovation Funding Programme for Research and Development in Companies
From: Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Building and Digitalisation
Funding in the field of research, development and innovation (FEI Directive)
From: Ministry of Economy, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
LOEWE – State Offensive for the Development of Scientific and Economic Excellence
From: Hessian Ministry of Science and Research, Arts and Culture
Main Technology Programme Saar
From: Ministry of Economy, Innovation, Digital and Energy Saarland
Promotion of R&D projects (individual, community and joint projects), process and organisational innovations, and measures for knowledge and technology transfer (R&D guidelines)
From: Ministry of Economy, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry of Saxony-Anhalt
Invest BW – Innovation IV
From: Ministry of Economy, Labour and Tourism Baden-Württemberg
Other Link: https://invest-bw.de/innovation
Promotion of research, development and innovation (RDI)
From: Bremen Aufbau-Bank GmbH
Promotion of research, technology and innovation (FTI-Thuringia TECHNOLOGY)
From: Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society (TMWLLR)
Innovation vouchers for small and medium-sized enterprises
From: Ministry of Economy, Labour and Tourism Baden-Württemberg
InnoRampUp for Hamburg start-ups
From: Authority for Economics and Innovation
InnoFounder for Hamburg start-ups
From: Authority for Economics and Innovation
R&D individual projects by the Central Innovation Programme (ZIM)
From: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)
Promoting research, development and innovation
From: Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Office of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
Broad Agency Announcement BAA-23-100-SOL-00004
Scope:
– The opportunity supports advanced R&D of Medical Countermeasures for “Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) threats, pandemic influenza, and emerging infectious diseases”.
– Includes a wide range of areas of interest, in particular Antimicrobials Program which seeks to accelerate the development and availability of safe and effective antimicrobial candidates against AMR organisms (multidrug resistant bacteria & biothreat pathogens, and multidrug resistant fungal infections). Access and download the Announcement description and guidelines via BAA-23-100-SOL-00004.
– Expected entry Technology Readiness Level for the antimicrobials: candidates should already have nonclinical efficacy data in relevant animal models and evidence of feasibility for clinical development. For clarification, it is highly recommended to take a TechWatch meeting with BARDA staff, and the Pre-submission call with the Technical point of contact (POC): CBRN-Antimicrobials@hhs.gov
Deadline: Open for application until 25 September 2028, 4:30pm Eastern Time
Submission on BARDA portal.
This is a 3-stage application process: see guidelines (p.8-9 and p.24, BAA-23-100-SOL-00004) and BARDA BAA TOOLKIT:
Stage 1: Optional Pre-submission call with AOI technical POC (rolling).
Stage 2: Quad Chart + Market Research Abstract (may be submitted any time before Sept 2028).
Stage 3: Full Proposal, by invitation after Stage 2, due before Sept 25, 2028
Funding amount: Multiple awards of various sizes are anticipated. No filled maximum is stated.
Grant Duration: Varies by project scope. In general: at least 5 years. Duration is negotiated per award.
Eligibility:
– Open to ALL responsible sources worldwide.
– Eligible entities: Private sector organizations (including start-ups and SMEs), Academic institutions, Government laboratories.
– Must be registered in sam.gov prior to submitting a proposal.
Practical info:
• Contact: BARDA-BAA@hhs.gov
Check it out: BAA-23-100-SOL-00004 (Download the call description and guidelines from this link)
—————- Previously announced grants —————-
Eureka & European Union – European Partnership on Innovative SMEs
Call 9 of EUROSTARS-3 – September 2025
Scope:
– Part of the European Partnership on Innovative SMEs, Eurostars is a funding instrument that supports innovative SMEs and project partners (large companies, universities, research organisations and other types of organisations) by funding international collaborative R&D and innovation projects. By participating, organisations can access public funding for international collaborative R&D projects in all fields.
– The innovative SME must lead the project consortium.
– To have a successful Eurostars application you must define your project idea, collaborate internationally & sharing expertise, and develop innovative products, processes or services that can be easily commercialised. First, you must contact your national funding body using the Eureka website form.
Application Deadline: 4 September 2025 at 14:00 Brussels time, submission on myeurekaproject.org (create an account).
Funding amount: Your national funding body will disclose the available amount.
Grant Duration: up to 36 months (possible extension).
Eligibility:
– Consortium led by innovative SME from a Eurostars country.
– Consortium of at least 2 entities (independent from each other), from at least 2 Eurostars countries with at least one from an EU or EU-Associated country.
– Budget of SME should be at least 50% of total project cost (no single participant or country responsible for >70% of total budget).
Practical info:
• Downloaded Call information: Call for proposals (PDF)
• See Guidelines, Forms and FAQs
Check it out: Call for proposals
Four SBIR and STTR funding opportunities (Omnibus Solicitations)
For US-based small businesses only
PA-24-245: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant – Phase I, Phase II, and Fast-Track (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-24-246: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant – Phase I, Phase II, and Fast-
Track (Clinical Trial Required)
PA-24-247: Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant – Phase I, Phase II, and Fast-
Track (Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
PA-24-248: Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grant – Phase I, Phase II, and Fast-
Track (Clinical Trial Required)
Scope:
– The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs provide non-dilutive support to early-stage small businesses throughout the US.
– Partnership with a non-profit research institution is required for the STTR calls.
– Partnerships are allowed for the SBIR calls but not required.
– These grants do not specify a topic although they are linked to identified topics of interest for each participating awarding organization (the NIH Institutes, CDC centers, FDA). Read the Program Descriptions and Research Topics per awarding organization including topics of interest and staff contacts. In particular, the NIAID and its Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID); the CDC and its National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).
New Application Deadline (extension): 5 Sept 2025 at 5pm local time of applicant organization. See How to apply
Funding amount:
– The budget guidelines are the same for both programs, but individual NIH Institutes and Centers can set their own budget limits.
– Total funding support (direct costs, indirect costs, fee) normally may not exceed $306,872 for Phase I awards and $2,045,816 for Phase II awards.
For biomedical innovations requiring additional funding to reach the marketplace, the NIH has a waiver from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to allow larger awards. Please refer to a list of SBA approved waiver eligible topics.
Grant Duration:
Phase I award: 6 months (SBIR), 1 year (STTR)
Phase II award: 2 years (SBIR or STTR)
Eligibility: Only US small business concerns are eligible to submit applications to SBIR and STTR calls, as described in Eligibility criteria
Practical info:
• See FAQs
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Program Officials before submitting any application.
Check it out: SBIR and STTR funding opportunities
Direct links to the calls: PA-24-245, PA-24-246, PA-24-247, PA-24-248.
Eureka Network Projects
Eureka LinkUp call for projects: connecting regions for innovation
For startups/organisations in Austria, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Türkiye
Scope:
– Ministries and funding agencies in Albania (NASRI), Austria (FFG), Montenegro (Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation), Serbia (NITRA), Slovenia (MHESI) and Türkiye (TÜBITAK) have funding for international cooperation between organisations collaborating on R&D projects, i.e. R&D of an innovative product, process or service with the goal of commercialisation, in all thematic areas or application domains.
International Application Deadline: 10 September 2025. Submission on SmartSimple application platform (create an account).
National Application Deadlines: check the websites of your national funding agency: see “Applying” section from Call for proposals below. Parallel submission is mandatory on the respective national funding agencies’ platforms of participants.
Funding amount: Refer to your national funding agency for the available amount.
Grant Duration: up to 36 months (check your national funding agency’s website).
Eligibility:
– Your R&D project must include at least two organizations based in at least two of the countries participating in this Network projects call for projects.
– The project must have a civilian purpose.
– No single participant or country can be responsible for >70% of total project budget.
– See additional eligibility requirements from the participants’ national funding agencies.
Practical info:
• First, contact your national funding body using the Eureka website form
• Eureka national funding agencies
• Download call information: Call for proposals (PDF)
• How to use the SmartSimple application platform
Check it out: Call for proposals
IraSME – 36th IraSME Call for Transnational Collaborative R&D Project Proposals
Scope:
– IraSME is a joint initiative by independent national/regional funding organisations from different countries/regions to support SMEs in their transnational R&D innovation efforts.
– The call invites collaborative applications from the following participating countries/regions: Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Flanders (Belgium), Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Türkiye, Wallonia (Belgium).
– The objective is to develop innovative products, processes or technical services (technical/experimental development up to a prototype level) exceeding the existing state of the art. Bottom-up approach: research topics are chosen by the applicants themselves. Projects must have significant technical risks.
– Applicants must complete and submit the national/regional application according to their corresponding national/regional funding organisation, in addition to completing and submitting the transnational IraSME application. It is recommended to prepare the national application first.
Application Deadline: 24 September 2025, submission at info@ira-sme.net
Basic Eligibility:
Minimum consortium of 2 companies from 2 participating countries/regions (see exceptions for Austria and Switzerland).
Funding amount, Grant duration and other Eligibility: vary between countries/regions. Check with your own national/regional funding body which you can access from the Call link below.
Practical info:
• IraSME Proposal Application Form
• Carefully read the Guidelines for Applicants
• FAQs
• Dedicated national/regional Contact Persons can be reached from the Call link below.
Check it out: Call for proposals
European Prize for Women Innovators
European Innovation Council – European Institute of Innovation and Technology
Three calls:
HORIZON-EIC-2025-PRIZE-WIP-RisingInnovators
HORIZON-EIC-2025-PRIZE-WIP-WomenInnovatorsCategory
HORIZON-EIT-2025-PRIZE-WIP-LEADERSHIP
Scope:
– Jointly awarded by the EIC and the EIT, the European Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s most game-changing innovations focusing, among others, on deep-tech and Science Technology Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) fields. The prize awards women from across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe, who have transformed their ideas into disruptive innovations to benefit people and the planet.
– There are 3 categories: EIC Women Innovators, EIC Rising Innovators, EIT Women Leadership Award. See European Prize for Women Innovators.
– The applicant must apply as a natural person, not as a legal entity, and can only apply to one category.
Application deadline: 25 September 2025, 17:00:00 Brussels time, submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal (Call for proposals links below).
Funding amount:
WIP Rising Innovators: 3 prizes of EUR 50,000, EUR 30,000 and EUR20,000
WIP Women Innovators: 3 prizes of EUR 100,000, EUR 70,000 and EUR50,000
WIP Women Leadership: 3 prizes of EUR 50,000, EUR 30,000 and EUR20,000
Eligibility:
– The applicant must be a i) woman, ii) legally established in an EU Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe (also UK and Switzerland), iii) the founder or co-founder of the company/organisation.
– The company/organization must be i) established in an EU Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe (also UK and Switzerland), and ii) registered or incorporated at least two years before the call year (before 1 January 2023).
– The applicant must be aged under 35 at the start of the call year for the Rising Innovators category.
Practical info:
• Read Rules of Contest before applying.
• Contact for Women Innovators and Rising Innovators categories: EISMEA-WIP@ec.europa.eu
• Contact for EIT Women Leadership category: eit-awards@eit.europa.eu
Check them out:
Call for proposals – Rising Innovators category
Call for proposals – Women Innovators category
Call for proposals – Women Leadership category
Innosuisse – Innovation projects with implementation partner
For Swiss-based research groups and startups
Scope:
– Innosuisse financially supports science-based innovation projects (products, services, processes) across all thematic areas, jointly carried out by an implementation partner and a research partner
– Implementation partners: Startups, SMEs, large companies, administrative bodies, non-profit organizations, other private and public institutions
– Research partners: researchers working at a Swiss research institution
– Include the required information in your application as detailed in the Application checklist.
Application Deadline: Submit at least 6 weeks before an Evaluation Meeting of the Innovation Council.
Next 2025 dates of Evaluation Meetings for Life Sciences: 23.10.25 | 02.12.25.
Access application forms and submit via the Innosuisse application platform (create a Login account).
Funding amount: No financial ceiling but the implementation partner must be prepared to contribute 40-60% of the total project costs (own contribution) and at least 5% of the total project costs to the research partner (cash contribution). See FAQs below and Eligible project costs.
Grant Duration: between 6 and 36 months.
Eligibility:
• As implementation partner:
– your company creates added value in Switzerland
– you contribute to the project costs incurred by your company amounting to 40-60% of total project costs
– you cover expenses of the research partner amounting to at least 5% of total project costs
– a Swiss research partner wishes to implement an innovation project with you
• As research partner:
– Your research institution must be a higher education research centre or non-commercial research centre (outside or higher education sector) or policy research institution or federal research institute. Check HERE.
– A company wishes to carry out an innovation project with you
Practical info:
• See Innosuisse FAQs
• See The Swiss Innovation Agency’s implementing provisions for funding innovation projects
• Contact: innoprojects@innosuisse.ch and Thomas Martignier / Pascale Hirschi / Ramona Schürch : life.sciences@innosuisse.ch and tel: +41 58 464 19 85
Check it out: Innovation projects with implementation partner
Innosuisse – Startup innovation projects
For Swiss-based research groups and startups
Scope:
– Innosuisse financially supports start-ups prior to entering market in their science-based innovation projects.
– Support will be provided for innovations that are not yet ready for market launch when the application is submitted, but which will be launched on the market after the project is completed or will reach a next industry-specific milestone (read FAQs below for further info).
– Support for early technology or innovation development without preliminary validation or experimental proof of concept is possible. However, in order to achieve the initial market entry at the end of the project, the various development stages must be progressed through quickly.
– Include the required information in your application as detailed in the Application checklist.
Application Deadline: Projects can be submitted on an ongoing basis. Submit at least 8 weeks before an Evaluation Meeting of the Innovation Council.
Next 2025 date of Evaluation Meetings for Life Sciences: 27.11.2025
Access application forms and submit via the Innosuisse application platform (create a Login account).
Funding amount: Innosuisse covers up to 70% of the total direct project costs. The start-up must pay at least 30% of the costs as its own contribution. See FAQs below for eligible project costs.
Grant Duration: Up to 36 months.
Eligibility: See Startup innovation project for more details.
– Startup is about to enter the market and has a business model on scalable product/service
– Startup’s innovation project prepares for subsequent implementation on the market (read FAQs questions 3.3 & 3.6 for life science start-ups and new drug development)
– Startup is based in Switzerland & registered in the Swiss registry of commerce
– Startup has not been established for more than 5 years (there are exceptions) and has less than 50 FTEs at time of submission
– Startup has the financial means for own contribution and does not have ongoing funding for the same project
– Startup has an initial IP rights analysis.
Practical info:
• FAQs for Startup Innovation Project
• See The Swiss Innovation Agency’s implementing provisions for funding innovation projects
• Contact: innoprojects@innosuisse.ch and
Thomas Martignier / Pascale Hirschi / Ramona Schürch : life.sciences@innosuisse.ch and tel: +41 58 464 19 85
Check it out: Startup innovation projects
Innosuisse – Innovation cheque
For Swiss-based startups (with a Swiss research partner)
Scope:
– Innosuisse financially supports preliminary studies of your start-up innovative idea (all subject areas), for example concept developments and idea studies as well as analyses of the innovation and market potential of new processes, products, services or technologies.
– The start-up is the implementation partner. The preliminary studies must be done with a Swiss research partner.
Application Deadline: Anytime
Application form completion and submission (by the implementation partner) via the Innosuisse application platform (create a Login accou#nt).
Funding amount: Innosuisse finances 100% of the costs of the research partner up to CHF15,000
See FAQs below and eligible costs.
Grant Duration: 6 months. A one-off extension of six months can be requested by e-mail to innocheque@innosuisse.ch, indicating the reasons why an extension is required.
Eligibility:
– Startup/SME size of less than 250 FTEs
– Startup/SME must be based in Switzerland
– Startup must already have a Swiss research partner who can carry out the preliminary study.
– See Research institutions eligible to receive funding from Innosuisse
Practical info:
• FAQs (Innovation Cheque section)
• Contact: innocheque@innosuisse.ch and Fabienne Burkhalter: +41 58 481 44 60
Check it out: Innovation cheque
Calls for proposals for bilateral R&D projects connected to ZIM (Zentrale Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand)
International cooperation – for German SMEs (typically TLR 4-7)
Finnish-German Call for Proposals for Joint R&D Projects:
– Business Finland, the Finnish funding agency for research and technology development and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) intend to support joint Finnish-German research and development projects (R&D projects) in order to develop innovative products, processes or technical services from all technology and application areas.
Application Deadline: 15th September 2025
Call announcement: Call for proposals
More info: Call info and Application for cooperation projects
6th German-Swedish Call for Proposals for joint R&D projects by Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs):
– Vinnova and BMWK intend to support joint German-Swedish research and development projects (R&D projects) to develop innovative products, processes or technical services from all technology and application areas.
Application Deadline: 18th September 2025
Call announcement: Call for proposals
More info: Call info and Application for cooperation projects
8th German-Taiwanese Call for Proposals for Joint R&D Projects:
– Applicants are expected to develop ready-to-market solutions for products, technology-based services or methods in all technological and application areas, which have strong market potential.
Application Deadline: 30th September 2025
Call announcement: Call for proposals
More info: Call info and Application for cooperation projects
12th Call for Proposals for Joint Research and Development (R&D) Projects between Germany and France:
– Bpifrance and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) intend to support joint French-German research and development projects (R&D projects) to develop innovative products, processes, or technical services in all technological and application areas.
Application Deadline: 3rd December 2025
Call announcement: Call for proposals
More info: Call info and Application for cooperation projects
General info:
• FAQs about ZIM R&D cooperation projects
Defence Innovation Accelerator of the North Atlantic (DIANA)
DIANA Challenge Call
Scope:
– The DIANA accelerator Programme issues ‘challenges’ through Challenge Calls to identify emerging and disruptive technologies which can fulfil capability needs of the Alliance countries.
– One of the challenges is: Human Resilience and Biotechnologies. DIANA seeks cutting-edge biomedical, biotechnology, bioengineered, synthetic and computational solutions to protect the wellbeing and security of NATO citizens and military personnel. Listed among the potential solutions: “New therapeutic agents and tools to combat multi-drug-resistant organisms, anti-microbial resistance and associated infections, sepsis and complications.”
– DIANA focuses on dual-use technologies, i.e. that have applications in both civilian and defence & security settings. It does not work on weaponry, munitions etc.
Application Deadline: 11 July 2025 at 12:00 GMT/UTC, submission on DIANA’s Challenge Portal (registration for log in account).
Funding amount:
– Accelerator Programme Phase 1: €100,000 of contractual funding to support ongoing development of proposed solution and to cover innovators’ travel costs for mandatory training sessions and events of the Programme.
– Accelerator Programme Phase 2: after completion of Phase 1, top performers eligible for up to an additional €300,000.
Grant Duration: 6 months (Phase 1)
Eligibility:
– Any single incorporated company with its principal place of business in a NATO member nation, controlled and majority owned by nationals of NATO member nations.
– Collaborative proposals from several companies also accepted if all member companies meet eligibility requirements. One single company must be the lead.
– DIANA seeks technology solutions at TRL 4-7 but lower TRL solutions offering significant strategic impact and higher TRL solutions that could be adapted to defence and security applications will be considered.
– University and non-profit groups are NOT eligible to apply.
Practical info:
• See FAQs
Check it out: HERE
ENABLE-2
Open Call for new antibiotic programmes: Hit validation and Hit to Lead
Scope:
– ENABLE-2 is an interdisciplinary team of international experts guiding researchers with early-stage antibacterial programmes. It has built an antibacterial drug discovery platform with focus on the early stages of antibiotic discovery and development. ENABLE-2 aims to fill a gap, feeding the early pipeline of new antibiotics, to ensure a sustainable flow of new antibacterial drug candidates into the development pipeline.
– Two entry levels to apply for: ENABLE-2 Incubator-Hit validation and ENABLE-2 Hit to Lead.
– ENABLE-2 funding is non- dilutive. Successful applicants retain ownership of all data generated, IP right to any new compounds developed.
Hit validation programme:
– Novel compounds with some documented whole cell antibacterial activity against any species or strain, with a MIC of at least 32 µg/mL, or
– Novel compounds with only documented bacterial target activity.
– Potential for development as direct-acting antibiotics for systemic use.
– Not previously reported to have antibacterial activity.
– Antimicrobial peptides with only membrane perturbation activity are not eligible.
– Novel natural products are eligible.
Application deadline: call open continuously, submission of Expression of Interest (EOI) to opencall.enable2@ilk.uu.se
Funding amount: ENABLE-2 offers evaluation of the antibiotic potential of novel compounds.
Check it out: ENABLE-2 Incubator – Hit validation
Hit to Lead programme:
– Novel Hit compounds with wild-type whole cell antibacterial activity and the potential for development as direct-acting antibiotics for systemic use.
Application deadline: The call is open continuously but to be considered for entry at the next Portfolio Management Committee (PMC) meeting in October, applications should reach us by 12 September 2025. Expression of Interest (EOI) to opencall.enable2@ilk.uu.se
Funding amount: ENABLE-2 offers expert advice, access to experimental platforms, funding to carry out approved assays, not available within the platform, at CROs.
Check it out: ENABLE-2 Hit to Lead
Eligibility:
– All researchers at publicly funded universities and research institutes in Europe (including non-EU countries such as UK, Norway, Switzerland, etc.)
– For Hit to Lead call, check additional requirements for the compounds on the call page above.
Practical info: Contact: Prof. Anders Karlén, Coordinator – anders.karlen@ilk.uu.se
European Commission – Horizon Europe
Boosting the translation of biotech research into innovative health therapies (HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-05)
Research & Innovation Action (Collaborative Grant)
Scope:
– Speed up the development of innovative biotechnology-based therapies by supporting the initial phases of clinical research.
A non-exhaustive list of biotechnology-derived therapies in scope include monoclonal antibodies, (therapeutic) vaccines, recombinant biomolecules, Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), nano-based drugs, RNA therapies etc. Whole blood, blood components and other substances of human origin are NOT within the scope of this topic.
Proposals should include:
– A Clinical study either phase I, II or I/II depending on the appropriate stage of development
– A demonstration of a significant economic potential of the final product(s) for the Single Market.
– A clearly defined exploitation plan with a detailed proposed route to commercialisation, description of the IP ownership and benefit for the SME(s).
– Justification of the patient populations that will benefit directly from the development of
the therapies.
Application deadline: 16 September 2025 17:00 Brussels time
Funding amount: ~ EUR 4 – 8 million/granted project
Eligibility: EU, non-EU countries (check General Annexes, also in Call link below). This topic targets collaborative multidisciplinary consortia of SMEs, academics, clinicians and research organisations bringing together the necessary expertise to launch the clinical development of novel biotechnology-derived therapeutics.
Find partners for your project consortium: Find project partners
Practical info:
• grants@unibas.ch for Unibas groups
• https://www.euresearch.ch/ for Swiss-based groups | startups
• National Contact Points for Horizon Europe for other countries
Check it out: Call for Proposals
European Commission – Horizon Europe
Leveraging multimodal data to advance Generative Artificial Intelligence applicability in biomedical research (GenAI4EU) (HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-TOOL-03)
Research & Innovation Action (Collaborative Grant)
Scope:
– This topic aims to advance research and provide new evidence on how novel generative AI models contribute to and support biomedical research and its applicability towards more predictive and personalised medicine, while also defining use conditions, usability requirements and training needs of the researchers. It aims to cover existing gaps related to Generative AI in biomedical research, addressing both capabilities and existing limitations.
Proposals should include:
– Development of new or repurposing of existing Generative AI models for biomedical research across various medical fields and/or therapeutic indications.
– Development of a proof of concept with at least two use cases relevant for predictive and personalised medicine in different medical fields to demonstrate the scientific added value compared to currently used methods and/or potential future clinical utility of the Generative AI models in biomedical research.
– Development or revision of existing methodologies to assess alignment with human values and the use cases of developed and/or repurposed Generative AI models, their applicability, performance, limitations and added value in biomedical research. These methodologies should demonstrate the technical, scientific, and potential future clinical utility, robustness and trustworthiness of the developed or repurposed Generative AI models
Application deadline: 16 September 2025 17:00 Brussels time
Funding amount: ~ EUR 15 – 17 million/granted project
Eligibility: EU, non-EU countries, USA (check General Annexes, also in Call link below). Research actions under this topic should ensure multidisciplinary approaches and a broad representation of stakeholders in the consortia (e.g. EU industrial developers of Generative AI solutions including leading-edge startups, academia, healthcare professionals)
Find partners for your project consortium: Find project partners
Practical info:
• grants@unibas.ch for Unibas groups
• https://www.euresearch.ch/ for Swiss-based groups | startups
• National Contact Points for Horizon Europe for other countries
Check it out: Call for Proposals
European Commission – Horizon Europe
Optimising the manufacturing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs)
(HORIZON-HLTH-2025-01-IND-01)
Innovation Action (Collaborative Grant)
Scope:
– The topic focuses on addressing the challenges of ATMP manufacturing, the need for highly specialised equipment and facilities, including in-process quality control and validation tests, scaling up and batch-to-batch reproducibility.
– This topic aims to optimise the ATMP production where the general manufacturing process for a given medicinal product has already been established but has not been sufficiently optimised for its scale-up.
Proposals should include:
– Design an improved manufacturing process for ATMPs
– Verify the improved performance of the developed process, in comparison to established ones.
– Demonstrate a reduction in the timeframe and costs of manufacturing while maintaining product quality and standardisation.
– Demonstrate the translatability, scalability, and robustness of the process suitable for the flexible manufacturing and deployment of ATMPs by important stakeholders in a patient-centric manner.
– Assess the process and methods developed for their regulatory validity and utility.
– Promote green and sustainable industrial production and minimise environmental impact.
Application deadline: 16 September 2025 17:00 Brussels time
Funding amount: ~ EUR
6 – 8 million/granted project
Eligibility: EU, non-EU countries, USA (check General Annexes, also in Call link below). Participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is strongly encouraged and proposals should include a commitment for first deployment in the EU
Find partners for your project consortium: Find project partners
Practical info:
• grants@unibas.ch for Unibas groups
• https://www.euresearch.ch/ for Swiss-based groups | startups
• National Contact Points for Horizon Europe for other countries
Check it out: Call for Proposals
European Commission – Horizon Europe
EIC Transition Open 2025:
HORIZON-EIC-2025-TRANSITIONOPEN
Scope:
– EIC Transition (EIC Work Programme 2025, page 51-61) funds innovation activities that go beyond the experimental proof of principle in laboratory. It supports both the maturation and validation of your novel technology from the lab to the relevant application environments (by making use of prototy#ping, formulation, models, user testing or other validation tests), and explorations and development of a sustainable business case and business model towards commercialisation. It therefore funds projects from TLR 3-4 to reach TLR 5-6.
– Your proposal must build on results already achieved within an eligible EU-funded project that are, at least, at experimental proof of concept (see Excel list of eligible EU-funded projects in attachment).
– You can apply for an EIC Transition project to further develop the results created by someone else (another project where your legal entity did not participate) – EIC Work Programme 2025, page 54: If you (applicant(s) eligible for funding) were not part of the eligible project whose results are further developed in the EIC Transition proposal, you (the applicant/coordinator) need to include in your proposal a commitment letter from the owner(s) of the relevant result(s), which confirms the commitment of the latter to negotiate with you fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory access to such results, including IPR, for the purpose of future commercial exploitation for the whole duration of the EIC Transition project.
You can apply as (see EIC Work Programme 2025, page 55) :
– A single legal entity
– A small consortium of two independent legal entities or
– A consortium of minimum three and maximum five independent legal entities (multi-beneficiary’) following standard rules.
The legal entities may for example be a start-up, an SME or research performing organisation (university, research or technology organisation, including teams, individual Principal Investigators and inventors in such institutions who intend to form a spinout company).
Application deadline: 17 September 2025 17:00 Brussels time
Funding amount: EUR 0.5 to 2.5 million/granted project
Grant Duration: 1 to 3 years
Eligibility: EU, non-EU countries, USA (check General Annexes and Annex 2 of EIC Work Programme 2025, also in Call link below). Single applicants (SMEs, spin-offs, start-ups, research organizations, universities) or small consortia (minimum 2, maximum 5 eligible entities).
Practical info:
• grants@unibas.ch for Unibas groups
• https://www.euresearch.ch/ for Swiss-based groups | startups
• National Contact Points for Horizon Europe for other countries
Check it out: Call for proposals
European Commission – Horizon Europe
EIC Accelerator 2025 – Short application:
HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-01
Short application of two-stage application
Scope:
– The EIC Accelerator ‘Grant Only’ (EIC Work Programme 2025, page 62-80) funds startups and SMEs for innovation activities of TLR6 to TLR8. It supports the later stages of development.
– The ‘Grant only’ component is non-dilutive and takes the form of a lump sum contribution via a grant agreement. ‘Grant only’ shall be provided under the following cumulative conditions:
– the project shall include information on the capacities and willingness of the applicant to scale-up;
– the beneficiary shall be a start-up or an SME;
– the ‘Grant-only’ support shall be provided only once to a beneficiary during the period of implementation of the Horizon Europe programme (2021-2027)
Deadline for short application: Anytime (continuous)
Deadline for full application (if notification of successful short application in 2025):
1st October 2025 or any of the cut-off dates for 2026 (these will be announced in the 2026 Work Programme).
Funding amount for ‘Grant only’: Up to EUR 2.5 million/granted project (= max 70% total eligible costs)
Grant Duration: 24 months
Eligibility:
– EU & Associated countries.
– Third countries (ex: Switzerland, UK) if they establish/relocate their company to an EU or Associated country, which must be done before submission of full application.
– Standard admissibility & eligibility in Annex 2 of EIC Work Programme 2025 (also in Call link below).
– You can apply for the ‘Grant only’ component as (see EIC Work Programme 2025, page 63):
– A Single start-up or SME (including spin-outs)
– Individuals intending to establish an SME
Practical info:
• EIC Accelerator and Guide for Applicants
• grants@unibas.ch for Unibas groups
• https://www.euresearch.ch/ for Swiss-based groups | startups
• National Contact Points for Horizon Europe for other countries
Check it out: Call for proposals
Novo Nordisk Foundation
Challenge Programme 2026: Unravelling the pathways of human invasive fungal diseases
Scope:
The Challenge Programme aims to support highly ambitious and collaborative projects that are transformative and impactful in their aim to generate important new knowledge about human invasive fungal diseases and enable the development of better diagnostics and therapeutics.
Research topics may include (not limited to):
– Elucidating the role of fungal virulence factors
– Studying host-pathogen interactions
– Understanding mechanisms of anti-fungal resistance
– Advancing fungal disease markers
Application deadline: Stage 1: 8 October 2025 2:00pm (CET); Stage 2: 4 February 2026 2:00pm (CET)
Register and submission to grant management system NORMA
Funding amount: ~ DKK 40 – 75 million/granted project (~ EUR 5.4 – 10 million)
Grant duration: 6 years
Eligibility:
– Collaborative consortium of 2-4 research groups.
Main applicant:
– Tenured/tenured track researcher and own research group from European Union, Schengen Area, UK
– From University, Hospital, Non-Profit Organization
– Employed at host institution with at least 75% commitment with own salary guaranteed
Co-applicants: from anywhere else globally.
– At least one applicant (either main- or co-applicant) must be at least 75% employed and have their research group at a Danish university, hospital, or non-profit research organization.
– Industry collaboration is allowed but industrial partners cannot receive funding.
Practical info:
• Guidelines for applicants
• FAQs
• Contact: challenge@novo.dk
Check it out: Call for proposals
European Cooperation in Science & Technology
COST Actions Open Call
Scope:
– COST is a pan-European intergovernmental framework dedicated to supporting European-based Science and Technology (S&T) networking activities, enabling collaboration between researchers, innovators, and other relevant stakeholders. COST participants can jointly develop ideas and new initiatives across all scientific disciplines through trans-European coordination of nationally or otherwise funded research activities.
– The research and development activities needed for the achievement of the Action objectives are NOT funded by COST and rely on nationally or otherwise funded research projects and resources (e.g., employees’ time, infrastructures and equipment). The COST Action funding covers the expenses of NETWORKING ACTIVITIES rather than research. As such is used to organise and fund events, Short-term Scientific Missions, Training Schools, communication activities, grants to attend interesting international conferences, and virtual networking tools. Funding Networking Activities
Application Deadline: 21 October 2025 at 12:00 (noon) CEST, submission on e-COST
Funding amount: ~ €125,000 in first year, €150,000 per year for the other three (variable depending on the number of COST Countries represented in the Working Groups).
Grant Duration: 4 years
Eligibility:
– Switzerland, EU member states, non-EU member states. As per COST Countries and Organisations Table
– You can apply as: Researchers and innovators from universities, from public and private institutions, NGOs, industry and SMEs – all institutions are welcome.
– It must be a network of at least 7 applicants from different COST Full or Cooperating Member countries including at least 50% from COST Inclusiveness Target Countries. As per COST Countries and Organisations Table
Practical info and guidance:
• All Open Call application Documents & Guidelines
• COST National Coordinators for all eligible countries.
• grants@unibas.ch for Unibas groups.
Check it out: Call for proposals
