Programme Overview

K-Scouter 2026 is an international acceleration programme designed to help innovative startups from around the world establish and grow their businesses in the Republic of Korea.

Backed by Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and the Korea Institute of Startup & Entrepreneurship Development (KISED), the programme provides selected startups with structured market-entry support, business matching opportunities, investor engagement, and access to one of Asia's most advanced innovation ecosystems.

Nominations are now open for the 2027 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize), a globally recognised award that celebrates engineers whose innovations have transformed lives and delivered significant benefits to humanity.

Widely regarded as the world's most prestigious engineering prize, the QEPrize awards £500,000 to up to 10 engineers responsible for a groundbreaking engineering innovation that has had a demonstrable global impact.

Programme: Horizon Europe (HORIZON) – Cluster 1: Health
Topic Code: HORIZON-HLTH-2027-01-DISEASE-07
Type of Action: Research and Innovation Action (RIA)
Funding Type: Horizon Europe Grant Funding
Opening Date: 10 February 2027
Closing Date: 13 April 2027 (17:00 Brussels Time)

Health Holland has launched the Science for Industry Call 2026, providing at least €5 million in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) funding to support collaborative research and development projects within the Dutch Life Sciences & Health (LSH) sector.

The programme is designed to accelerate the translation of scientific research into innovative products, services, and technologies that address healthcare challenges while strengthening the Netherlands' innovation ecosystem and economic competitiveness.

Applications are now open for the Merck Research Grants 2026 programme, a global research funding initiative designed to support innovative scientific research with strong potential for future impact and industry collaboration.

Since 2018, Merck has awarded research grants to scientists and research teams working on breakthrough solutions across emerging scientific and technological fields. For the 2026 funding cycle, grants are available across five strategic research areas, with funding of up to €500,000 per year available depending on the topic.

The BIONetZero Open Call 2026 is now accepting applications from innovative SMEs and startups developing bio-based solutions that support the transition to a greener, more resilient, and climate-neutral economy.

The European Commission has opened the Horizon Europe 2026 funding call under Cluster 3: Civil Security for Society, titled:

“Development of innovative tools, processes, equipment and technologies through responses to disasters and emergencies for search and rescue in hazardous conditions.”

The Hinrich Foundation is inviting researchers, scholars, universities, think tanks, and policy institutions to submit proposals for its 2026 International Trade Research Program.

The programme supports high-quality research projects that advance understanding of global trade issues and contribute to evidence-based policy development. Selected researchers receive funding support, mentorship, editorial guidance, and publication opportunities through the Foundation’s research and policy platforms.

The World Food Prize Foundation is calling for nominations for the 2026 Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, endowed by The Rockefeller Foundation.

The award recognises exceptional, science-based achievements in international agriculture and food production by individuals under the age of 40 who are actively working to address global hunger, poverty, food security, nutrition, and sustainable agricultural development.

The Docusign Foundation’s “Agreements for Good” programme provides grant funding to support multi-stakeholder collaborations that address complex global challenges through structured agreements, governance models, and shared accountability mechanisms.

Unlike traditional funding that focuses on project delivery, this programme specifically invests in how organisations work together, funding the design and implementation of agreements that enable durable, cross-sector collaboration.

Funding Focus Areas