Seed Funds
The EPFL Presidency is launching two new calls for proposals designed to foster novel collaborations.
1. World-changing discoveries have often involved the collaboration of scientists working in different research areas. Through its open culture, EPFL encourages scientists to meet, discuss, and come up with new ideas at the crossroads of their research fields.
In a context of reduced scientific exchanges due to limited access to campus since 2020, the EPFL Science Seed Fund is designed to foster new discussions and collaborations among EPFL scientists.
2. Access to state-of-the-art and well-maintained facilities is fundamental for EPFL researchers to achieve timely progress. The EPFL platforms are essential for mutualizing investments and expertise at the highest level. The EPFL Platform Technical Advancement Seed Fund is intended to strengthen connections between EPFL scientists and platform staff members through innovative, technical-oriented advancement projects that will benefit the EPFL community.
EPFL 2017 – Alain Herzog
Available funding
The EPFL Science Seed Fund will offer up to CHF 200’000 per project, for two-year projects. The EPFL Platform Technical Advancement Seed Fund will offer up to CHF 100’000 per project, for 12-, 18-, or 24-month projects. Applicants will jointly have to provide an additional 25% contribution in cash from either their own resources (reserves or annual budget) and/or the deans’ reserves.
Requirements
Applications must involve at least two investigators – from two different research groups for the EPFL Science Seed Fund, and from a research group and a platform for the EPFL Platform Technical Advancement Seed Fund. Applicants must be employed as professors, senior scientists (MERs), or, for the EPFL Platform Technical Advancement Seed Fund, as platform staff members/directors at EPFL, for the full duration of the project. Applicants may only submit one application as either responsible applicants or co-applicants, and they may apply for only one call (the 2021 EPFL Science Seed Fund or the 2021 EPFL Platform Technical Advancement Seed Fund).