Open Calls

Develop and test your idea with funding and expert support. Our Innovation Booster programme, powered by Innosuisse, provides at least CHF20,000 to selected teams to test their ideas, build prototypes and learn what works.

Exciting opportunity for deep-tech start-ups looking to overcome a key technical hurdle and accelerate their growth.

Through CSEM’s new Start-up Elevate Programme, five selected start-ups can receive up to CHF 50’000 in technology development support and work directly with CSEM experts to achieve a critical technical milestone.

If you are developing innovative technology and preparing for your next stage of growth, this is definitely worth a look.

Start-up Elevate is part of the CSEM TechBridge Programme for entrepreneurs, start-ups and SME.

Our ongoing R2B call for proposals supports sustainable solutions in materials science and technology—with clear application potential. The goal of this call for proposals is to accelerate pre-competitive technology transfer from scientific research to sustainable, practical applications for the public good. The exploitation and licensing of the intellectual property rights generated as part of the project will be carried out under fair, transparent, and market-standard terms, in compliance with the provisions of applicable nonprofit law and EU regulations on state aid. Key scientific findings from the funded collaborative projects will be made available to the scientific community in an openly accessible format (e.g., open access / scientific publications). The call for proposals and the implementation of the funded transfer projects take place within the framework of JHS innovate!’s nonprofit mission. MaTeNa Center gGmbH for the Promotion of Science and Research.

Through their joint 2026 flagship call for proposals, Innosuisse and the Federal Office for Defense Procurement (armasuisse) aim to strengthen research, development, and innovation in the security and defense sectors while also providing concrete impetus for the civilian economy and society. The focus is on dual-use technologies that are useful for both civilian and security- and defense-related applications (see the press release dated April 30, 2026).

The call for proposals, jointly funded by Innosuisse and armasuisse, combines the expertise and strategic missions of both organisations. It is intended to help strengthen Switzerland’s resilience, technological sovereignty and defence capabilities. At the same time, it contributes to the implementation of the Federal Council’s defense policy strategy.

The theme of the 2026 Flagship Call for Proposals is:
Resilient and Secure Technologies for Defense and Mobility

The call for proposals focuses on three complementary technological areas. These are of strategic importance both for defense capabilities and for safe and reliable mobility and the protection of critical infrastructure. We are seeking systemic and interdisciplinary solutions that address one or more of these areas and make a measurable contribution to Switzerland’s resilience and technological sovereignty. The three focus areas of the call for proposals are:

The three focus areas of the project call for proposals are:

1. Resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT)
2. Photonics for Communications and Sensor Applications
3. Solutions for Detecting and Defending Against Drones

Researchers from the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich are conducting a pioneering study examining how different organisational arrangements shape individuals’ willingness to share knowledge in the age of AI and invite organisations to participate.

The Swiss economy is losing valuable critical knowledge every year as experienced professionals retire or leave their companies. That knowledge is the operational intelligence required for AI transformation to succeed. Switzerland competes on expertise, precision, institutional continuity and not cost. As Baby Boomers approach retirement they will be participating in knowledge handover activities and letting that expertise retire without capture is a threat to the foundation of its economic advantage.

Researchers from the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich are conducting a pioneering study examining how different organisational arrangements shape individuals’ willingness to share knowledge after retirement.

THE STUDY – From Experience to Organisational Memory : An Experimental Vignette Study on Tacit Knowledge capture in Late-Career Transitions – forms part of project – Silver AI, an AILAS applied research initiative exploring the human side of AI-assisted knowledge retention and translating research insights into practical systems for organisational memory.

The study is supported by the Digital Society Initiative, UZH.ai, the Data Innovation Alliance and Industry Partners.

Swiss organizations with more than 150 employees are invited to participate or sponsor and help shape practical frameworks for Al-assisted knowledge retention. Participating companies receive benchmarked survey results, early access to findings, and priority access to pilot programs.

Curious about the entrepreneurial potential of your research?

BEI Module A is a short, hands-on introduction to BioEntrepreneurship for life scientists. Participants explore how a scientific idea can be viewed from an entrepreneurial perspective, work in interdisciplinary teams, and develop a first venture concept and pitch with guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and life-science experts.

You can bring your own idea or join another team — no previous entrepreneurship experience is required.

Next Module A: 21 October & 4 November 2026
For: Life-science researchers, clinicians and scientists at UZH and Swiss-affiliated institutions