Research Connect 2026 – Access to Research Expertise for Companies
Research Connect 2026 – Access to Research Expertise for Companies funds companies’ purchase of research expertise to explore business challenges, advance innovation and encourage further research collaboration.
Funder: Research Council of Norway
Due Dates: December 15, 2026, 13:00 CET (final deadline; earlier if funds are allocated) | October 15, 2026 (earliest start) | February 1, 2027 (latest start) | July 31, 2027 (latest completion)
Funding Amounts: Up to NOK 100,000 per application for 1–6 months; NOK 10,000,000 presumed available
Summary: Supports companies’ purchase of research expertise to explore business challenges, innovation opportunities and further research collaboration.
Key Information: Companies must establish contact and agree on collaboration with an approved Norwegian research organisation before applying.
Description
Research Connect is a low-threshold scheme run by the Research Council of Norway to help companies explore how research can contribute to innovation, value creation and stronger competitiveness. It funds the purchase of external research expertise to investigate company challenges, develop new opportunities and encourage further collaboration with research communities.
The call covers all subjects, industries and research areas, rather than a particular discipline or sector. Supported services must be linked to research and development work and confirmed by an approved Norwegian research organisation. The company and research community define their collaboration before applying, including the research questions, relevant expertise, planned activities and expected benefits for the company.
