Funding Calls

This page provides a curated overview of funding opportunities relevant to artificial intelligence in scientific research. Calls are regularly collected from European, national, and international funding programs that support AI-driven methods and innovation across scientific disciplines.

Please note that this list is not comprehensive and will continue to grow as new opportunities emerge. While we aim to highlight relevant calls for our community, researchers should always stay informed through multiple funding sources and official funding portals to ensure they do not miss important opportunities.

We encourage you to regularly check this page for updates and explore the linked calls for full details and eligibility information.

Deadline in < 30 days

🇪🇺 EU AI Calls

AI calls across European Union.

🇩🇪 German and local calls

Funding org: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Letter of Intent: March 4, 2026 | Draft Proposal: May 13, 2026

Funds early-career researchers to establish independent 6-year research groups developing novel AI methods; one of the most prestigious entry points to a professorial career in Germany.

DFG AI Initiative
Funding org: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Letter of Intent: March 4, 2026 | Draft Proposal: May 13, 2026

Supports knowledge-driven AI methods research at German universities of applied sciences (HAW/FH); strengthens research capacity at institutions outside the traditional university system.

DFG Research Impulses

🌍 Other calls (international)

Funding org: Schmidt Sciences

Deadline: April 30, 2026

Track I: up to $100K (6–12 months) | Track II: $100K–$500K (12–18 months)

Funds projects applying AI methods to predict real-world material and molecular behaviour, specifically targeting non-idealities (defects, interfaces, disorder, dynamics) and multi-scale phenomena where conventional simulation underperforms. AI-driven methods must be capable of guiding experimental work in chemistry, materials science, or biology. Indirect costs capped at 10%. Applications consist of a short online form and a ≤5-page project narrative. Information events: March 12, 2026 (11:00–12:00 EST) and April 7, 2026 (16:00–17:00 EST).

Contact: aiforscience@schmidtsciences.org

Schmidt Sciences RFP 2026
NFRF International 2026 – Disruptive Technologies for Global Challenges

Funding org: New Frontiers in Research Fund (Canada)

Notice of Intent: March 3, 2026 | Letter of Intent: June 9, 2026

Transnational research partnerships (Canada + international partners) tackling global challenges with disruptive technologies including AI; international co-applicants including German researchers are explicitly eligible.

NFRF International 2026

Deadline in 1–3 months

🇪🇺 EU AI Calls

Funding org: European Innovation Council

Deadline: May 12, 2026

Budget: €166M | Up to €4M per project | Booster grants (€50K)

Funds early-stage, high-risk/high-gain research in any technology domain including AI; ideal for radically new AI concepts before application can be defined.

EIC Pathfinder Open
Funding org: European Innovation Council

Deadline: May 6, 2026 (Stage 2)

Budget: €634M across 6 batches | Blended finance: grant + equity

Supports AI deep-tech startups and SMEs in scaling innovations; blended finance model combines grant funding with equity investment up to €17.5M.

EIC Accelerator
Funding org: European Innovation Council

Deadline: May 6, 2026

Budget: €300M total | €10–30M equity per project

Equity investment programme for deep-tech scale-ups in strategic sectors including AI and digital technologies; supports European technology sovereignty.

EIC STEP Scale-Up

Newly opened / long horizon

🇪🇺 EU AI Calls

Funding org: European Commission / HaDEA

Deadline: November 24, 2026

Budget: TBC

Funds pan-European doctoral training networks specifically focused on AI for scientific research, jointly with the MSCA Doctoral Networks scheme.

Funding & Tenders Portal
Funding org: European Commission / HaDEA

Deadline: February 2, 2027

Funds research into AI systems capable of automating steps in the scientific discovery process, from hypothesis generation to experimental design and interpretation.

Funding & Tenders Portal
Funding org: European Commission / HaDEA

Deadline: February 2, 2027

Sector-focused RAISE call on AI for automated discovery in food science, safety, and sustainable food systems research.

Funding & Tenders Portal
Funding org: European Commission / HaDEA

Deadline: March 18, 2027

Develops frontier AI solutions combining safety, computational efficiency, and applicability in Apply AI priority sectors; part of the EU's strategic response to global frontier AI development.

Funding & Tenders Portal
Funding org: European Commission / HaDEA

Deadline: March 18, 2027

Challenge-driven booster supporting AI innovation and deployment across Apply AI priority sectors; 2027 successor to the GenAI4EU Booster.

Funding & Tenders Portal
Funding org: European Commission / HaDEA

Deadline: TBC 2027

Focuses on AI-driven robotics integration into industrial environments, targeting system interoperability, deployment barriers, and adoption at scale.

Funding & Tenders Portal
Funding org: European Commission / REA

Opens: April 9, 2026 | Deadline: September 9, 2026

Prestigious fellowships for postdoctoral researchers in any field including AI; 12–24 months of fully funded research mobility with salary and research cost coverage.

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026
Funding org: European Commission / REA

Opens: May 28, 2026 | Deadline: November 24, 2026

Budget: €593M

Funds multi-institution doctoral training consortia across academia and industry; AI and data science themes are consistently well-represented across all scientific domains.

MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026
Funding org: European Research Council

Opens: May 28, 2026 | Deadline: August 27, 2026

Budget: ~€23M total

Frontier research grants for established research leaders; AI methods and machine learning approaches to scientific discovery are strongly represented in funded portfolios.

ERC Advanced Grants
Funding org: European Research Council

Deadline: September 17, 2026

Up to €150K; second annual window for ERC grantees to develop the innovation potential of their research results. See 1st cut-off entry for full details.

ERC PoC
Funding org: European Innovation Council

Deadline: October 28, 2026

Budget: €96M

Thematic Pathfinder call for 2026 focused on AI for autonomous systems and energy-harvesting physical intelligence; seeks breakthrough research well beyond current state of the art.

EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026
Funding org: European Innovation Council

Deadline: September 16, 2026

Budget: €100M | Up to €2.5M per project

Bridges results from ERC and Pathfinder projects (including AI research) towards market-ready technology; funds technology maturation and early validation activities.

EIC Transition

🇩🇪 German and local calls

Funding org: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Deadline: Rolling within programme (second phase proposals anticipated 2026)

Develops new AI methods for designing functional proteins, with focus on structure prediction, conformational dynamics, and de novo protein design for biotechnological applications.

DFG SPP 2546
Funding org: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Deadline: Rolling within programme

Investigates the scientific foundations of large language models, focusing on robustness, interpretability, safety, and principled evaluation methodologies.

DFG LaSTing
Funding org: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Deadlines: March and August each year

Supports development and sustainability of research software; increasingly relevant for AI and ML tooling infrastructure underpinning scientific computing across all disciplines.

DFG Research Software
Funding org: Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR)

Deadlines: May 15 and November 15 each year (rolling bi-annual)

Funds research and innovation projects on secure, trustworthy AI systems and their applications across sectors; project outlines accepted year-round at two annual windows.

BMFTR AI Funding
Funding org: Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR)

Deadlines: Rolling bi-annual

Funds AI and data-driven approaches in biomedical research including cancer data analysis, infectious disease, and multi-omics integration; relevant for researchers at the biology-computing interface.

BMFTR Life Sciences
Funding org: Baden-Württemberg Stiftung

Deadline: Annual (typically Q1); watch for 2027 edition

Funds ambitious postdoctoral projects at Baden-Württemberg institutions across all scientific fields; AI-focused applications are well-represented and encouraged.

BW Stiftung

🔬 Helmholtz calls

Funding org: Helmholtz Association / Helmholtz AI

Deadline: Anticipated Q4-2026 (annual cycle; opens August)

Budget: ~€500K+ per project (INF-funded, co-funding required)

Seed funding for cross-center machine learning and AI collaborative projects with high-risk, high-gain character; open to all Helmholtz researchers with a minimum of two participating centers.

Helmholtz AI Project Funding
Funding org: Helmholtz Association

Deadline: Rolling

Attracts internationally recognized researchers 2–6 years post-PhD for first independent leadership positions at Helmholtz centers; AI and machine learning profiles are strongly represented across centers.

Helmholtz Investigator Groups
Funding org: Helmholtz Association

Deadline: Recently opened; check for current window

Invites joint research proposals at the intersection of quantum technologies and AI, including quantum machine learning and quantum-classical hybrid computing approaches.

Helmholtz Quantum Call
Funding org: Helmholtz Association

Deadline: Rolling

Internal programme supporting Helmholtz scientists in commercializing AI-driven research results; covers feasibility studies, business development, and proof-of-concept funding for spin-out ventures.

Helmholtz Enterprise

🌍 Other calls (International)

Funding org: National Science Foundation (USA)

Next deadline: September 10, 2026 (annual)

Funds AI-driven research software elements and frameworks that sustain open scientific infrastructure; relevant for international collaborations with US partners.

NSF CSSI
Funding org: National Science Foundation (USA)

Next solicitation: Anticipated 2026/2027

Large collaborative institute grants up to ~$20M over 5 years; AI for scientific discovery across climate, health, physics, and agriculture; relevant for German researchers as international sub-awardees.

NSF NAIRI
Funding org: NSF + NIH (joint)

Deadline: September 9, 2026

Up to $1M over 4 years; funds AI and data science applied to biomedical research and public health; joint US-European teams have been funded in previous rounds.

NSF Smart Health
Funding org: Schmidt Sciences

Deadline: Annual (typically Q3–Q4; watch for 2026/27 edition)

Prestigious international fellowships for postdoctoral researchers applying AI to natural science problems; one of the most competitive AI-in-science career development awards globally.

Schmidt Sciences Fellows
Funding org: Wellcome Trust (UK)

Deadline: Rolling and annual cycles

Funds AI and machine learning approaches to biomedical and health research; open to international applicants in collaboration with UK-based researchers or institutions.

Wellcome Funding
Funding org: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (USA)

Deadline: Rolling and annual rounds

Funds AI tools and methods for open biomedical science, with emphasis on cell biology, infectious disease, and neurodegeneration; international applicants are explicitly welcome.

CZI Science Funding
Funding org: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Deadline: Rolling annual rounds

Funds AI-enabled diagnostics, disease surveillance tools, and scientific computing methods targeted at health challenges in low-income settings; international teams strongly encouraged.

Grand Challenges
Funding org: CIFAR

Deadline: Varies by programme

Canada's national AI research investment funds fundamental AI research and AI-for-science applications; international researchers can engage through CIFAR's global network and affiliate institute programmes.

CIFAR

Funding Calls

Deadline in < 30 days

HORIZON-RAISE-2026-01-01: Thematic Networks of Excellence for AI in Science (RAISE pilot) (RIA)

HORIZON-RAISE-2026-01-02: Thematic Networks of Excellence for AI in Science – Agriculture and Environmental Pollution (RAISE pilot)

HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01: Apply AI – Science for AI Pillar of RAISE

HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-19: Challenge-driven GenAI4EU Booster in Apply AI prioritised sectors

HORIZON-CL4-2026-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-08: Apply AI – Robotics for Manufacturing: Advancing Core Skills through Technical Challenges

HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-02: Next-generation AI Agents for Real-World Applications in the Apply AI sectors

HORIZON-CL4-2026-05-DIGITAL-EMERGING-03: Apply AI – Next-Generation Agile and Intelligent Robotics Platforms for Industrial and Service Applications

HORIZON-CL4-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-09: Advanced Local Digital Twins using AI for Early Warning and Preparedness

MSCA COFUND 2026

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2026

ERC Proof of Concept 2026 (1st cut-off)

DFG Emmy Noether Groups "Methods in Artificial Intelligence" – Round 4

DFG Research Impulses "Methods in Artificial Intelligence" – Round 4 (Universities of Applied Sciences)

Schmidt Sciences – AI for Actionable Matter Modelling (RFP 2026)

NFRF International 2026 – Disruptive Technologies for Global Challenges

Deadline in 1–3 months

EIC Pathfinder Open 2026

EIC Accelerator 2026 – Batch 2

EIC STEP Scale-Up 2026 – Batch 2

Newly opened / long horizon

HORIZON-RAISE-2026-01-03: RAISE Doctoral Networks for AI in Science (RAISE pilot)

HORIZON-RAISE-2027-01-01: Automated Scientific Discovery (RAISE pilot) (RIA)

HORIZON-RAISE-2027-01-02: Automated Scientific Discovery – Food (RAISE pilot)

HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-11: EU Frontier AI Initiative – Safe and Computationally Efficient Frontier AI within Apply AI

HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-04: Apply AI – Challenge-driven AI Innovation Booster in Apply AI prioritised sectors

HORIZON-CL4-2027-04-DIGITAL-EMERGING-05: Apply AI – AI-Driven Robotics for Industry: Enabling System Integration and Adoption

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026

MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026

ERC Advanced Grants 2026

ERC Proof of Concept 2026 (2nd cut-off)

EIC Pathfinder Challenges 2026

EIC Transition 2026

DFG Priority Programme SPP 2546 – AI for Protein Function (AI4PF)

DFG Priority Programme SPP 2556 – Robust Assessment & Safe Applicability of Language Modelling (LaSTing)

DFG Research Software Infrastructures

BMFTR – Sichere Zukunftstechnologien: Künstliche Intelligenz (Secure AI)

BMFTR – Computational Life Sciences / AI in Biomedical Research

Baden-Württemberg Stiftung – Elite Programme for Postdocs

Helmholtz AI Project Call 2026

Helmholtz Investigator Groups Programme

Helmholtz Quantum Use Call

Helmholtz Enterprise – Spin-off Programme

NSF – Cyberinfrastructure for Sustained Scientific Innovation (CSSI)

NSF – National AI Research Institutes (NAIRI)

NSF/NIH – Smart Health and Biomedical Research (SCH)

Schmidt Sciences – AI in Science Fellowship

Wellcome Trust – AI for Biomedical Science Grants

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) – Science AI Grants

Gates Foundation – Grand Challenges in Global Health (AI/Data)

CIFAR – CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants