CHALLENGE PROGRAMME 2027 – Harnessing novel Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies
Supports interdisciplinary research consortia developing innovative Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies through fundamental discovery and integration of experimental and data-driven approaches.
Funder: Novo Nordisk Foundation
Due Dates: October 7, 2026 (Stage 1: expression of interest) | February 10, 2027 (Stage 2: full proposal)
Funding Amounts: DKK 30–75 million (approx. EUR 4–10 million) per grant, for up to 6 years; total call budget DKK 150 million (approx. EUR 20 million).
Summary: Supports interdisciplinary research consortia to develop innovative Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies, emphasizing fundamental discovery and collaboration.
Key Information: Main applicant must be based at a European institution; at least one applicant must be based at a Danish institution; industry partners cannot receive funding.
Description
This grant opportunity from the Novo Nordisk Foundation aims to accelerate the discovery and integration of novel Earth-abundant materials for sustainable technologies. The program encourages bold, interdisciplinary research in fields such as materials science, chemistry, engineering, data science, and physics, with a focus on fundamental material discovery, synthesis, and characterization. The goal is to develop sustainable alternatives to scarce or critical materials, driving scientific innovation and responsible technological progress. Projects should be at early-stage technology readiness levels (TRL 1–3) and are expected to combine experimental approaches with modeling, machine learning, or data science. Collaborative consortia are strongly encouraged, and applications must align with the Foundation’s strategic priorities.
