Deadline: 31-Aug-2026
The Researcher–Sciencepreneur Collaboration Grant Program supports joint innovation projects between researchers and science-based entrepreneurs from Switzerland and sub-Saharan Africa. It aims to bridge scientific research and market-driven entrepreneurship to accelerate the development and real-world impact of science-based innovations.
The programme provides grants of CHF 5,000–CHF 20,000 for up to 12 months of collaboration. Projects focus on co-creation, prototyping, field validation, and proof-of-concept development, with mandatory cross-regional partnerships between Switzerland and sub-Saharan Africa.
What Is the Researcher–Sciencepreneur Collaboration Grant?
This programme is a cross-border research and innovation funding initiative designed to connect scientific research with entrepreneurship.
It supports collaborative projects that translate research outputs into practical, market-ready innovations.
The goal is to strengthen the innovation pipeline by ensuring continuous interaction between researchers and entrepreneurs.
Programme Objectives
The grant aims to strengthen science-driven innovation ecosystems across Switzerland and sub-Saharan Africa.
Key objectives include:
- Promoting collaboration between researchers and science-based entrepreneurs
- Translating scientific research into market-ready solutions
- Supporting proof-of-concept development and validation
- Strengthening innovation ecosystems across regions
- Encouraging co-creation and joint problem-solving
- Advancing research commercialization pathways
- Enhancing impact of science-based ventures
- Supporting cross-border knowledge exchange
Core Focus Areas
Research–Innovation Collaboration
The programme supports partnerships that combine:
- Academic research expertise
- Entrepreneurial and commercial innovation capabilities
- Joint development of science-based solutions
Technology Development and Prototyping
Supported activities include:
- Prototype development
- Technical refinement of innovations
- Product and process design improvements
- Iterative testing of scientific solutions
Market Discovery and Validation
Projects may include:
- Market needs assessment
- Customer and stakeholder discovery
- Field validation of scientific solutions
- Alignment of technology with real-world demand
Proof-of-Concept Development
The programme encourages:
- Early-stage innovation validation
- Testing feasibility of scientific applications
- Demonstrating real-world impact potential
Immersive Collaboration Activities
Supported formats include:
- Co-creation workshops
- Immersion stays between partners
- Joint field research activities
- Collaborative innovation sprints
Programme Structure
The grant is structured around cross-border collaboration projects.
Mandatory Partnership Model
Each project must include:
- At least one Swiss partner (researcher or sciencepreneur)
- At least one sub-Saharan African partner (researcher or sciencepreneur)
Role Distribution
- Swiss partner serves as lead applicant
- Lead partner manages financial administration and reporting
- Both partners jointly implement project activities
Funding Overview
The programme provides targeted innovation funding.
Key funding details include:
- Grant amount: CHF 5,000 to CHF 20,000 per project
- Project duration: up to 12 months
- Funding type: collaborative innovation grant
- Cost eligibility: defined in grant agreement
- Reporting requirements: mandatory as per programme rules
Eligible Activities
Funded projects may include:
- Co-creation workshops between partners
- Research-to-market transition activities
- Prototype development and testing
- Field validation in real environments
- Market discovery and user research
- Proof-of-concept experiments
- Strengthening existing research collaborations
- Innovation scaling preparation activities
Eligibility Criteria
Swiss Partner Requirements
Must be one of the following:
- Researcher affiliated with a Swiss higher education institution, or
- Sciencepreneur affiliated with a Swiss institution, or
- Entrepreneur with a company founded within the last three years in Switzerland
African Partner Requirements
Must be:
- Researcher or science-based entrepreneur from sub-Saharan Africa
Geographic Restrictions
- All sub-Saharan African countries are eligible
- Exclusions: Maghreb region and Egypt
Collaboration Requirements
Each project must demonstrate:
- Strong research–entrepreneur partnership
- Clear pathway from research to application
- Joint contribution from both partners
- Practical innovation development activities
- Realistic plan for impact generation
Programme Priorities
The grant prioritizes:
- Science-based innovation with real-world impact
- Strong research commercialization pathways
- Cross-border knowledge exchange
- Early-stage innovation validation
- Existing partnerships transitioning into innovation projects
- Interdisciplinary collaboration between science and business
Who Should Apply?
This programme is ideal for:
- Academic researchers seeking commercialization pathways
- Early-stage science-based startups
- University innovation teams
- Technology transfer collaborations
- Entrepreneur-researcher partnerships
- Innovation-focused research groups
Why This Programme Matters
This initiative is important because it:
- Bridges the gap between science and entrepreneurship
- Strengthens global innovation collaboration
- Supports commercialization of academic research
- Improves market relevance of scientific solutions
- Builds cross-regional innovation ecosystems
- Accelerates early-stage technology validation
- Encourages international research partnerships
It ensures that scientific discoveries move beyond laboratories into real-world applications.
Tips for a Strong Application
Applicants can improve success chances by:
- Clearly defining the research-to-market pathway
- Demonstrating strong collaboration between partners
- Including realistic prototype or validation plans
- Showing clear user or market need
- Aligning scientific research with practical applications
- Leveraging existing partnerships where possible
- Providing measurable innovation outcomes
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid:
- Weak or unclear partnership structure
- Lack of commercialization pathway
- Overly theoretical research without application
- Missing cross-border collaboration requirements
- Poorly defined roles between partners
- Insufficient validation or testing plan
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this programme about?
It supports collaboration between researchers and sciencepreneurs from Switzerland and sub-Saharan Africa to develop science-based innovations.
How much funding is available?
CHF 5,000 to CHF 20,000 per project.
What is the project duration?
Up to 12 months.
Who must be involved?
At least one Swiss partner and one sub-Saharan African partner are required.
Who applies as lead partner?
The Swiss partner serves as the lead applicant.
What activities are funded?
Co-creation, prototyping, validation, market discovery, and proof-of-concept development.
Which countries are eligible?
All sub-Saharan African countries except the Maghreb region and Egypt.
Conclusion
The Researcher–Sciencepreneur Collaboration Grant Program is a targeted innovation funding initiative that connects academic research with entrepreneurial execution. By supporting cross-border partnerships between Switzerland and sub-Saharan Africa, it accelerates the transformation of scientific research into impactful, market-ready solutions.
The programme strengthens global innovation ecosystems and ensures that scientific knowledge translates into real-world economic and social benefits.
For more information, visit Swiss Leading House for Africa.