Research Connect 2026 – Access to Research Expertise for Companies
Research Connect 2026 – Access to Research Expertise for Companies supports businesses in purchasing research expertise to explore innovation opportunities and further research collaboration.
Funder: Research Council of Norway
Due Dates: October 30, 2026, 13:00 (planned closure) | December 15, 2026, 13:00 CET (latest closure) | October 15, 2026 (earliest start) | February 1, 2027 (latest start) | July 31, 2027 (completion deadline)
Funding Amounts: Up to NOK 100,000 per application for 1–6 months; NOK 10 million presumed available
Summary: Supports companies purchasing research expertise from approved Norwegian research organisations to explore innovation and further research collaboration.
Key Information: The company and research organisation must establish contact and agree on the collaboration 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 competitiveness. It funds the purchase of research expertise from approved Norwegian research organisations, connecting business challenges and opportunities with relevant research competence.
The call covers all subjects, industries and research areas. Companies and research communities define the work together, with funded services linked to research and development work and confirmed by an approved research organisation. The collaboration can help companies clarify research questions, understand development opportunities and identify possible next steps for products, services, processes or markets.
