Instrumentarium Science Foundation’s Call for grants 2025

The Foundation has allocated 1.5 million Euros to support medical research, medical technology and related science and economics research. In addition, the Foundation announces Silmu grants for research innovators and science entrepreneurs. The Science Foundation's grants for 2025 are available to apply from August 1 to September 15, 2024.

The foundation’s primary role is to support medical, technical and scientific equipment and methods related research and economic research in these fields. The Foundation can also support other high-level basic research in medical, scientific and technological areas that promotes the Foundation's purposes.

1. Instrufoundation Fellow Grants

The Fellow grant, amounting to 150,000 euros, is intended for an independent researcher who has returned to Finland from abroad within the past two years. The purpose of the grant is to support either the establishment of a new research group or the strengthening of an existing research group. The grant is intended to be used for research work conducted in Finland.

2. Post-doc grants for researchers going abroad from Finland

The personal grant is intended for doctors who have completed their PhD within the past three years to support their scientific career development for up to two years of research work abroad. The grant can cover all expenses related to the work, including travel and relocation costs, school fees, and insurance. The amount to be granted is based on the cost estimate presented by the applicant. The applicant is requested to provide an acceptance letter from the host research group.

3. Post-doc grants for researchers coming to Finland from abroad

The personal grant is intended for a post-doc researcher coming to Finland from abroad for a maximum of two years of research work in Finland. The grant covers all expenses arising from working, including travel and moving costs, as well as statutory Myel insurance. The amount to be granted is based on the cost estimate presented by the applicant.The applicant is requested to provide an acceptance letter from the host research group.

4. Grants for doctoral theses

The personal graduate study grant is intended for full-time doctoral work in Finland. The grant is awarded for one year at a time. The limit of the tax-free grant is the same as the annual amount of the state artist grant, i.e. 26,269.46 euros from March 1, 2024. For doctoral research, the foundation can grant a maximum of 28,500 euros/year, which includes statutory social security and usual travel, equipment and office costs.

4. Silmu Grants

The Silmu grant, amounting to 50,000 euros, is intended for researcher-innovators and science entrepreneurs to support innovative projects that promote new business ventures. The duration of the project is one year and its place of execution is Finland. The prerequisite of the grant is that the applicant (team) has the rights to research-based innovation. The invention notices have been processed and there must be a signed transfer agreement for the rights. In addition, for the commercialization of the idea, a company has been established in Finland (Y-identification exists), which is no older than about two years. The grant is paid to the company's account. The project plan that will be attached to the application will be prepared on the basis of the Silmu application instructions (LINK).

The pension insurance of grantees (Myel) is carried out in accordance with the Agricultural Entrepreneur's Pension Act. According to the law, the insurance obligation applies to all grant recipients living in Finland who have received a working grant from Finland. More information is available from the Agricultural Entrepreneurs' Pension Office at www.mela.fi.

Applications are requested to be submitted electronically via the link on the foundation's website. Please provide your CV and list of publications as a PDF attachment to your application. Post-doc applications are accompanied by a letter of acceptance from the host research group. The applications can be completed either in Finnish or English. The last date for submitting the applications is September 15, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

The name of the grant recipients, the object of the grant and the awarded amount will be published in February 2025 on the foundation's website.

The online service for applications is https://instru.apurahat.fi in Finnish and https://instru.apurahat.fi/haku/UserLogin.aspx?kieli=englanti in English. The online application service will open on August 1, 2024.

Look for more information at the ”instructions for applicants” page.

You can read the Silmu application instructions by opening the pdf file below.

Ohjeet Silmu -apurahan hakemiseen - Instructions for applying for a Silmu grant (pdf, 208 KB)
Ohjeet suomeksi sivut 1-2.
Instructions in English pages 3-4.

Contact for additional information:

Markku Lämsä

markku.lamsa(at)instrufoundation.fi

Tel. 040 501 5800