Opening call Top Sectors for research grant

Who wants to apply for a grant for a research project can do so at the Top Sectors Horticulture & Starting Materials, Agri & Food and Water & Maritime. From 1 April 2020 their first call for research proposals will be open.

What

The new projects start in 2021. The available budget is approximately €15 million per year. The call is for research projects in which companies, industry associations, NGOs and public organizations collaborate with recognized research organizations. The projects are conducted as public-private partnerships (PPPs). In this call, the three top sectors are working together for the first time in order to come to an interpretation of the new, joint knowledge and innovation agenda Agriculture, Water, Food.

Applications

The application process consists of two phases. In the first phase, a project idea is submitted with a brief description of the intended research, the (anticipated) participating project partners and knowledge institutions and a budget calculation. The closing date for the submission of project ideas is May 31. Proposers will then receive an advice on the extent to which the proposal fits the priorities of the call, but the advice may also include suggestions for collaboration with other consortia. After that, the proposers will have until September 14, 2020 to develop the project idea into a research proposal.

Coronacrisis

The top sectors chose - despite the consequences of the coronapandemic - to stick to the planned opening of the call. Canceling the opening would mean that innovations, which are important for the long-term development of the sectors, would come to a standstill. The opening takes into account the corona crisis: parties are given longer to submit a project proposal.

More information and submission

More information, the full text of the call and a format for submitting a project idea can be found at this website.