About
What Kind of Ideas Are We Looking For?
We support projects that address challenges within one or more of the following areas:
- Human Health
Ideas that improve health, wellbeing, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or quality of life. - Planetary Health
Ideas that contribute to a more sustainable future through areas such as food systems, agriculture, climate solutions, sustainable materials, and environmental protection. - Societal Resilience
Ideas that strengthen society through technology, infrastructure, security, energy, logistics, or other critical systems. - Quantum
Ideas that explore the potential of quantum technologies and their future applications.
You do not need to have a company, a finished product, or necessarily be a student or researcher from the above domains. We are looking for motivated people with promising ideas and a clear plan for testing them.
Why This Grant Exists
The challenges facing society are becoming increasingly complex. Developing solutions to them often requires time, experimentation, and resources long before a startup can attract investment or secure larger grants.
The BII Early Innovators Grant exists to help bridge that gap. By supporting early exploration and validation, the programme gives students and recent graduates the opportunity to test bold ideas, generate evidence, and build momentum toward future impact.
For some teams, this may lead to a startup. For others, it may lead to new research, partnerships, or a deeper understanding of the problem they are trying to solve. In every case, the goal is the same: helping talented people take meaningful action on important challenges.
The Grant Journey
This is an overview of the applicant's journey for a BII Early Innovators Grant.
- Submit your application
- Eligibility review
- Evaluation by an expert review panel
- Recommendation sent to BioInnovation Institute
- Final approval
- Project onboarding
- Project execution and support
- Showcase event and project presentation
Applications are reviewed throughout the year, allowing teams to apply when they are ready rather than waiting for a fixed deadline.
Contact
The BII Early Innovators Grant is administered by KU Lighthouse in partnership with BioInnovation Institute.
Jesse LaMarre
Grant Administrator
Email: jacl@adm.ku.dk
If you are unsure whether your project is a good fit, have questions about eligibility, or would like feedback before applying, feel free to get in touch.