With the Sustainability Research Initiative, SCNAT, together with its sister institutions, promotes research on sustainable development and 2030 Agenda. It focuses on the joint handling of social issues of higher priority in overarching consortia.more

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Funding opportunities with a focus on application and implementation

SOR4D
Image: SNF

Solution-oriented research for development (SOR4D)

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Swiss National Science Foundation have launched a new joint research programme called Solution-oriented research for development (SOR4D). The SOR4D programme has a budget of around 19 million francs and will run from 2022 to 2026. The second call for projects was launched in November 2022. SOR4D website


Innosuisse Flagship Initiative
Image: Innosuisse

Innosuisse - Flagship Initiative

The Flagship Initiative aims to foster systemic innovation and transdisciplinary collaboration that help to master major challenges for economy and society. The consortium must consist of at least three research partners and two implementation partners. Total costs per flagship can exceed CHF 4 million with a duration of at least 36 months. Read more


Innosuisse Innovation Booster

Innosuisse - Innovation Booster

In a rapidly changing world, it is becoming increasingly urgent to accelerate innovation and find new ways to solve problems in collaboration. Globalisation, digitalisation and the climate crisis are three examples attesting to this. The Innovation Booster programme cultivates open and collaborative responses to meet such challenges. Learn more


SWEET Förderprogramm BFE
Image: Bundesamt für Energie

SWEET – SWiss Energy research for the Energy Transition

SWEET is a funding programme of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). SWEET’s purpose is to accelerate innovations that are key to implementing Switzerland’s Energy Strategy 2050 and achieving the country’s climate goals. Funding is available to trans- and interdisciplinary research and innovation projects, with the involvement of stakeholders from outside the research community. Read more


Energie und Technologie (Symbolbild)
Image: Christoph Ritz

Environmental technology promotion

The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN supports the development of technologies, installations, processes and products (goods and services) that reduce environmental pollution and enable the sustainable use of natural resources. Projects may be funded in the areas of waste and recycling, biodiversity (nature and landscape protection, forest conservation), soil and contaminated sites, climate, noise abatement, air pollution control, disaster prevention (protection from natural disasters and safety), resource efficiency and water. Proposals may be submitted by research institutions or businesses, whereby mixed teams from research and the private sector are encouraged. Around 4 million CHF is available every year and distributed amongst numerous projects. Read more


ETH4D
Image: ETH4D

ETH4D Research Challenges

ETH for Development (ETH4D) aims to develop innovations that address global challenges and educate future leaders in sustainable development. The ETH4D research challenges grants support to research collaborations between ETH researchers and non-​​academic partners (i.e. private sector, NGOs, governmental organisations) and partners from the Global South to identify effective solutions to poverty reduction combining technologies, policies and a profound understanding of human behaviour. Open calls are regularly published on the ETH4D website.


Tech4Dev by EPFL & Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) SDC

Tech4Dev is an International Cooperation Acceleration Program for Research and Innovation aimed at contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Low- and Middle-Income countries (LMICs). It was launched by EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The program is structured into five distinct phases. Different grants will be awarded to the selected projects according to the phases (Exploration, Prototyping, and Pilot). Learn more