A new call for proposals has been announced for companies and research institutions from both Poland and Switzerland. The call, with a total budget of over 66 million PLN (approximately 14.77 million Swiss francs), is funded by the Swiss Contribution to Poland. Projects focusing on applied research are eligible for funding.
Applications can be submitted from March 25th to May 26th, 2025, at 4:00 PM CEST.
The call is part of the Research and Innovation - Applied Research programme, which is funded by the Swiss Contribution to Poland. The National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) is responsible for managing the call.
Mandatory Collaboration
Funding will be allocated to international research projects. Both industrial research and experimental development projects can be funded, provided they serve civil purposes.
To be eligible, a consortium must include at least one Polish entity and one Swiss entity. Importantly, at least one company from each country must be part of the consortium. Only then can a research institution join.
These requirements represent a change from the previous 2024 call. Previously, a consortium only needed to include one company from either Poland or Switzerland. The new requirement aims to encourage closer collaboration between companies from both countries and increase the likelihood of research outcomes being implemented.
Another change concerns the required contribution of companies to the project budget. The eligible costs of each company must account for at least 10% of the total eligible project costs. This will demonstrate the genuine commitment of companies to the proposed projects.
Budget and Timeline
The total budget for the call is slightly over 66.2 million PLN. The minimum funding amount per project is 2,242,400 PLN, while the maximum is 4,484,800 PLN.
Grants can cover up to 100% of eligible costs for research organizations. For companies, the funding amount will be determined individually based on state aid regulations.
Projects can last from 24 to 36 months. Costs incurred up to March 31, 2029, are eligible for reimbursement.
Collaborate with the Best
This call offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with Swiss researchers, renowned for their excellence worldwide. This is supported by various innovation rankings, such as the Global Innovation Index published annually by the World Intellectual Property Organization. According to the 2024 index, Switzerland is the most innovative economy globally.
Where to Find Information
Online informational meetings regarding the call for proposals will be held on February 4th and 5th, 2025.
Registration for the meetings is available at the following links:
- webinar in Polish – February 4th, 2025,
- webinar in English – February 5th, 2025.
Participation in the meetings is free of charge and is only possible after prior registration.
Details about the call for proposals can be found on the website of the National Centre for Research and Development.
About the Research and Innovation Programme and Previous Call for Prosals
The Research and Innovation Programme is one of the two parts of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme, commonly referred to as the Swiss Funds or Swiss Contribution. The second part is the Polish Swiss Programme for Development of Towns.
The Research and Innovation Programme also consists of two parts:
- Basic research – operated by the Swiss National Science Foundation,
- Applied research – operated by the National Centre for Research and Development.
The programme's budget is 41.176 million Swiss francs, including:
- 35 million – Switzerland's contribution
- 6.176 million – Poland's contribution.
Within the part of the programme dedicated to basic research, one call for proposals was held in 2024. In July last year, 334 applications were submitted to the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), which operates in partnership with the Polish National Science Centre. The substantive evaluation is currently underway, and its results will likely be announced in April 2025. It is planned to fund approximately 20-25 projects.
Within the part dedicated to applied research, one call for proposal was also held. In December, the NCBR announced its results. Out of 97 applications that received a positive formal assessment, experts recommended 16 for funding. In the coming weeks, the NCBR will be signing funding agreements.
About the Swiss Funds for Poland
The Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme (commonly referred to as the Swiss Funds or the Swiss Contribution) is a programme under which funds allocated by Switzerland for the development of Poland are distributed. This happened on the basis of agreements between Switzerland and the European Union, as well as with Poland. The agreement under which the programme was established was signed on December 5, 2022, in Warsaw.
Currently, we have the second edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme. The implementation of the previous edition ended in 2017.
Within the second edition of the programme, Switzerland granted Poland 320.1 million Swiss francs. To this pool should be added the national contribution, which gives a total amount of 375.458 million Swiss francs.
The division of these funds is as follows:
- Polish Swiss Programme for Development of Towns – 327.882 million Swiss francs (278.7 million Swiss contribution and 49.182 million Polish contribution),
- Research and Innovation Programme – 41.176 million Swiss francs (35 million Swiss contribution and 6.176 million Polish contribution),
- Technical Assistance (including the Preparatory Fund) - 6.4 million Swiss francs.
The implementation (eligibility of expenditures) of the second edition of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme will end in December 2029.