Innovation academy for application-oriented research

The innovation academies for application-oriented research are a new funding program for interdisciplinary, innovative research projects at the interfaces between engineering, natural sciences and medicine. Here, application-oriented solutions are to be developed on topics such as health and prevention, resource efficiency or new materials. The aim is to make a relevant contribution to solving current social problems with new technologies.
Funding is provided for novel, interdisciplinary, and possibly even high-risk research projects that envisage practical application. This can be, for example, licensing, patenting, development of prototypes or spin-offs from the scientific community. We only support scientists who are affiliated with a research institution in northern Germany.
At a glance
What do the Innovation Academies offer?
Within the framework of the Innovation Academies, we support excellent scientists who receive the following benefits:
- Staff position based on TVL-14 for two years,
- up to 100,000 euros in project funding per project, which is freely available and can be used on the basis of the submitted cost plan,
- Personnel funds and project funds may not exceed a total of 250,000 euros,
- up to 25,000 euros for consulting services on start-up issues,
- up to 5,000 euros for outreach activities, individually selectable seminars on science communication and other aspects of the topic,
- a high-level seminar program of 8-10 working days within two years. The following topics will be covered:
- Competencies around spin-offs, translation and transfer,
- Theoretical and methodological challenges in transferring research results into practice,
- Issues related to quality criteria, open data versus patent and trademark protection,
- Outreach, science communication, and personality development (e.g., leadership training, training on stress management and team building, or similar).
The exact design of the seminar program is based on the selection of the participants in order to adapt the offer as well as possible to the respective needs. Individual interests in topics will be asked for during the application process.
The Innovation Academies also serve the purpose of networking, so that the grantees can support each other and learn from each other on their way from research to practical application.
Who is the funding aimed at?
The program is aimed at scientists who belong to a research institution in northern Germany or who are considering a position there.
We support
- Doctoral students in the advanced stage of their doctorate,
- postdocs and junior professors,
- scientific employees.
Scientists who apply should have entrepreneurial or strongly application-oriented thinking and communication skills, and be interested in exchanging ideas with researchers from other disciplines and social actors.
Selection procedure
The selection takes place in a two-stage procedure: The written documents are reviewed by a five-member expert panel consisting of representatives of the specialist disciplines and experts on transfer issues. This is followed by a personal interview with the most promising candidates at the Joachim Herz Foundation. Applicants will be notified of the decision on admission to the Innovation Academy by the beginning of August.
Innovation Academy for Applied Infection Research
Contact

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Dr. Marion Helen Stagars T. +49 (0)40 533295-645 mstagars(at)joachim-herz-stiftung(dot)de