Novo Nordisk Foundation Call for Applications: Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme 2025
Novo Nordisk Foundation calls for applications for its Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme 2025.
Many scientific challenges that have large implications for health and sustainability can only be addressed through interdisciplinary efforts. With the Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme, Novo Nordisk Foundation seeks to strengthen the synergy between researchers, across disciplines, organisations, and national borders. The goals of the Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme are to:
- Enable creative, novel, high-risk/high-gain interdisciplinary research
- Support early-stage research that requires interdisciplinary collaboration and solutions
- Stimulate emerging research that spans across scientific disciplines and techniques
- Break down or overcome the barriers that hamper collaboration across disciplines
- Strengthen Danish research through internationalisation
The Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme is designed to fund the exploration of un-tested research areas that demonstrate the potential to have a high level of impact, i.e. high risk/high-gain. Specifically, this programme aims to support fundamental research between technology readiness levels (TRL) 1 and 2, as defined by the European Commission, and encourages the generation of preliminary data to guide researchers toward a more defined and expanded project stage.
Funding from the Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy programme will generate novel, interdisciplinary approaches driven by research that aligns with NNF’s strategic focus areas of Medical Sciences, Biotechnology, and Natural and Technical Sciences, with potential applicability in health or sustainability.
Eligibility Criteria
- Collaborations between 2-4 research groups (the main applicant plus 1-3 co-applicants).
- Interdisciplinarity by including coapplicants from different disciplines or institutional departments.
- applicants may have previously established research collaborations.
- The main applicant must have a minimum affiliation of 70% with a Danish university, hospital, or other non-profit research organisation (verified by the hosting letter). Coapplicants and their research groups can be based either in Denmark or internationally.
- Collaboration with researchers in non-academic sectors is allowed, however industrial partner(s) cannot receive direct funding through this programme.
Budget:
- Up to DKK 6.5 million, up to 3 years
- Please note that this grant cannot be used to cover salary for the main applicant or any coapplicants.
Click here for more information.
Application deadline, 3rd of September 2025 at 2:00pm (Copenhagen time).
