Calls for Application
Calls with deadlines
CfA: CZS Science Communication
Organisation: Carl Zeiss Foundation
Target Group: Professors and scientists
Deadline: December 31, 2025
The Carl Zeiss Foundation offers its partners additional funding for science communication. These funds can be used in particular for personnel with expertise in the field of communication that matches the planned measures. Depending on the project, the funding period complies a minimum of one year and a maximum of six years and can go up to €40,000 per year. The aim is to make the scientific work in the projects funded by the CZS more accessible. Professors and scientists can apply until December 31, 2025. The prerequisite is existing funding from the Carl Zeiss Foundation.
CfA: Horizon Europe – ERC Consolidator Grants 2026
Organisation: ERC
Target Group: Researchers 7-12 years after PhD completion
Deadline: January 13, 2026
The ERC Consolidator Grants support outstanding researchers 7-12 years after PhD completion in the consolidation phase of their independent careers. Applications must be submitted by a Principal Investigator together with a host institution located in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country. Funding covers 100% of direct costs plus 25% indirect costs, up to €2 million for 5 years. The application deadline is January 13, 2026.
CfA: IGP Business Models & Pioneer Solutions
Organisation: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)
Target Group: Small and medium-sized enterprises
Deadline: February 5, 2026
The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) supports non-technical innovations through the IGP program. Projects should offer solutions to relevant challenges and eligible ideas range from creative industry concepts and social start-up models to new platform formats and regional innovation approaches. The current call focuses on strengthening urban and rural attractiveness. The funding amount depends on the type of organization and project, and can be up to €300,000 for companies and €180,000 for research institutions. Applications are open until February 5, 2026.
CfA: Health + Life Science Alliance: Alliance HighTech Program
Organisation: Health + Life Science Alliance
Target Group: Researchers
Deadline: February 27, 2026
The Health + Life Science Alliance supports interinstitutional platform and technology development, shared use of advanced technologies, and the transfer of research and innovation. The Alliance is now accepting applications for its HighTech Program, including funding for the development of Co-Scientist Approaches or Self-Driving Laboratories (up to €1,000,000), the development of prototypes and demonstrators (up to €100,000), and the further structural development of existing Alliance platforms (up to €200,000). Applications are open until February 27, 2026.
CfA: KlarText Prize for Science Communication 2026
Organisation: Klaus Tschira Foundation
Target Group: Recent PhD graduates
Deadline: February 28, 2026
The Klaus Tschira Foundation is looking for young researchers who have recently completed an excellent doctoral thesis and are interested in explaining their research to a non-scientific audience. Eligible applicants are recent PhD graduates (within the past two years) from biology, chemistry, geosciences, computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, or physics. Winners will receive €7,500, have their work published in KlarText magazine, and join the foundation’s alumni network. Applications are open until February 28, 2026.
Open Calls
BMWK – Sustainable Impact Promotion Of Companies Oriented Towards The Common Good
Organisation: BMWK Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz
Target Group: Small and medium-sized enterprises
The BMWK is pursuing the goal of professionalizing and expanding the expertise of small and medium-sized enterprises that are oriented towards the common good to support networking and cooperation. The funding program with a volume of 110 million euros consists of two modules: An individual module aimed directly at public benefit-oriented companies and start-ups, and a multiplier module aimed at public benefit-oriented companies and their institutional ecosystem. This includes incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, business development agencies, chambers, technology and start-up centers or universities. Applications can be submitted until the end of 2028.
Start-up BW Innovation Voucher
Organisation: Land Baden-Württemberg
Target Group: Young companies
The Start-up BW innovation vouchers support young companies (up to five years after their founding) in carrying out scientific work and realizing projects that focus on the development of particularly progressive ideas in forward-looking areas. This also covers the cost of materials for these innovative projects. Eligible services are scientific activities prior to the actual development of new products, production methods and services. This includes research on technologies, patents or markets, feasibility studies, material or design analyses and studies on manufacturing technology.