Innovation Fund

Grand Solutions can be applied for by public research institutions, small and large companies and other public institutions, both Danish and international. Innovation Fund Denmark prioritizes a high degree of collaboration between these parties. Investments are made in projects of more than DKK 5 million within the following two types of calls:

• Theme-based calls:
  There are three types of grants and investments are made in projects that fall under one of the fund's predefined focus areas (see box to the right and in the current calls).
• Open calls:
  Investments that are not tied to a specific theme, but are open to all good ideas.

Read more about the program here.

Researchers at UCPH who have a research result with commercial potential can apply for Innovation Fund Denmark's Innoexplorer program. You can apply for DKK 0.5-1.5 million (incl. overhead) for a project of up to 12 months duration. The funds must be used to mature the research results with a view to commercial or societal utilization. You can read more about the program on the Innovation Fund Denmark website.

UCPH Lighthouse screens all applications from UCPH in order to award a statement of support. Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest and are invited to present the project to the UCPH Innoexplorer panel. The panel will assess whether the applicant will be granted assistance in preparing a full application and a statement of support, see the process and deadlines below. UCPH's InnoExplorer panel consists of vice-deans and business developers from Lighthouse.

The procedure is described in more detail in the mini-guide here.

Deadlines for Round 3

Investments to support research and entrepreneurial talent. There are two investment types:

• Industrial Researcher, which supports research training in close collaboration between universities and industry through the offer of Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc. Postdoc projects can last 1-3 years (e.g. maternity leave), while the PhD scholarships are 3-year scholarships, where the scholar is employed by the company and divides their time equally between the company and universities. As a starting point, the company owns the IPR created in the project.
  Entrepreneurial Pilot, which offers financial support and sparring to recent graduates with innovative business ideas.
  
  
• Growth projects (Innobooster), which can be applied for by SMEs and researchers with a good business development plan. Participation in the program must lead to the expansion of the SME or researcher's opportunities either through new products or services, new work processes or through new methods of sales, marketing or organization of the company.

Innovation Fund Denmark has a number of annual application deadlines. All calls can be found on the Innovation Fund's website.

Grand Solutions is announced twice a year with deadlines for theme-based calls in March and for the open call in June.
There are two annual application deadlines for Industrial Postdoc projects, Industrial PhD projects and Entrepreneurial Pilot in March and September. There is also a deadline for public Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc projects in October.
There is an ongoing deadline for Innobooster applications.
Last but not least, Innovation Fund Denmark helps to implement research grants in collaboration with councils and foundations in other countries.