Deadline: 05-Mar-2026
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Distinguished Innovator Grant Programme offers up to DKK 7.6 million to senior researchers in the Nordic region to accelerate the commercialization of research-based innovations in Health and Sustainability. This grant supports projects with high scalability and societal impact, ensuring they remain anchored in academia while advancing new technologies and solutions.
Overview
The Distinguished Innovator Grant Programme is a major initiative by the Novo Nordisk Foundation to translate academic research into impactful technologies and solutions. It supports projects that address critical challenges in sustainability or human health, emphasizing scalable innovations with future commercialization potential. Projects must remain within a non-profit academic framework to qualify.
Funding Scope and Duration
Grant Amount
Funding is available up to DKK 7.6 million per project over a maximum period of three years. The annual budget limit is DKK 2,533,333.
Eligible Expenses
The grant covers direct project-related costs:
- Salaries for research staff (excluding main applicant and co-applicants)
- Operating and consumable expenses
- Limited equipment costs
- Communication and dissemination activities
- Project-related travel
- Publication costs
- Commercialization costs directly linked to the project
- Intellectual property support
- Direct administrative expenses (up to 5%)
Ineligible Expenses
The Foundation does not fund:
- Commercial activities
- Salaries for main applicant or co-applicants
- Overhead or indirect costs
- Double funding of activities
Thematic Focus Areas
Sustainability Track
Focuses on technologies that advance the green transition and climate resilience. Key areas include:
- Sustainable and high-yielding agriculture
- Food systems for healthy diets
- Industrial and environmental biotechnology
- Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)
- Reduction of methane and nitrous oxide emissions
- Quantum technologies for sustainability
- Climate change mitigation technologies
Health Track
Supports innovations in medical technologies, diagnostics, and preventive healthcare. Key focus areas include:
- Med-tech and pharmaceutical innovation
- Industrial biotechnology
- Quantum technologies for health
- New diagnostic methods, devices, and platforms
Priority areas for impact: - Cardiometabolic diseases
- Infectious diseases
- Preventive and population health solutions
Who Is Eligible?
Main Applicant
- Must be a senior faculty member or experienced researcher
- Employed at a research institution or hospital/clinic in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden
- Must demonstrate a proven track record in innovation, including patents, spinouts, or academic commercialization projects
- Must act as an innovation ambassador, engaging younger researchers and the broader ecosystem
Co-Applicants
- Optional and may come from the same or different institutions, locally or internationally
- Research staff such as assistants or project coordinators cannot be co-applicants
Institutional Requirements
- Must be administered by a non-profit organization
- Cannot be awarded to a company
- Projects from incubator programs and IP held by university holding institutions are eligible if:
- Administered by the university
- Project and findings remain academic
- No company has been established
- Pre-CVR rule: if a company is formed during the grant period, the Foundation must be informed and remaining funds redirected
How to Apply
- Prepare the application in English following the official guidelines
- Submit via the Novo Nordisk Foundation application system
- Ensure alignment with the Health or Sustainability track
- Provide a coherent and justified budget
- Clearly demonstrate innovation, feasibility, and impact
Assessment Criteria
Applications are evaluated on:
- Main applicant’s entrepreneurial and innovation experience
- Ability to act as an innovation ambassador
- Research team capacity
- Project novelty, relevance, and feasibility
- Societal, environmental, or health impact
- Commercialization and scalability potential
- Budget coherence and justification
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting projects unrelated to health or sustainability
- Including commercial activities or company-led structures
- Requesting ineligible costs such as overhead
- Weak demonstration of scaling or commercialization potential
- Insufficient evidence of the applicant’s innovation track record
Why This Grant Matters
The Distinguished Innovator Grant bridges the gap between academic discovery and real-world impact, enabling researchers to:
- Translate research into tangible solutions
- Strengthen innovation culture in academia
- Lead Nordic excellence in health and sustainability innovation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the grant open to early-career researchers? No, the main applicant must be a senior or experienced researcher with proven innovation experience.
Can companies apply directly? No, the grant must be administered by a non-profit academic institution.
Is international collaboration allowed? Yes, co-applicants can be based outside the Nordic region.
Can a spinout company be formed during the project? Yes, but remaining grant funds will be redirected and the Foundation must be informed.
Are quantum technology projects eligible? Yes, if relevant to the Health or Sustainability track.
Is prior commercialization experience mandatory? Yes, the main applicant must demonstrate experience with patents, spinouts, or innovation projects.
What costs are covered under the grant? Eligible costs include research staff salaries, operating expenses, equipment, dissemination, travel, publications, IP support, and limited administrative costs.
Conclusion
The Novo Nordisk Foundation Distinguished Innovator Grant Programme provides senior researchers with substantial funding to transform high-quality academic research into scalable innovations that address pressing challenges in health and sustainability. It is a unique opportunity to accelerate impact while remaining firmly rooted in academia.
For more information, visit Novo Nordisk Foundation.