Grand Solutions: Typical duration is 2-5 years
Innovation Fund Denmark (IFD) invests in ambitious and targeted strategic research and innovation projects that create and implement new solutions, technologies, behavioral changes and valuable new knowledge.
IFD co-finances projects in the field of green transformation, preferably with a transdisciplinary approach across natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, which based on “state of the art” (globally) and a dedicated and efficient consortium can create large societal value and will have a significant positive impact on the green transition.
Aim
Denmark and the rest of the world is facing massive climatic challenges in relation to e.g. rising temperatures, melting sea ice and more extreme weather, and a significant reduction in emission of climate gasses is required. Simultaneously, we are facing large challenges in relation to nature, the environment and biodiversity. Technology development and innovation play crucial roles in enabling us to achieve the necessary green transition.
The themes for this Grand Solutions call are defined on the basis of the "2021 Agreement on the allocation of the research reserve" and the Governmental Strategy for the "Green Solutions of the Future" (links inserted below). The Call aims to contribute to the green transition while at the same time taking considerations to nature, the environment and biodiversity and a more sustainable society into account, thus enabling Denmark to fulfill the governmental target of a 70 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 and CO2 neutrality in 2050.
The funds for technology development and innovation will be allocated within the green transition in a broad sense, with the aim to create societal value and/or economic growth for private and public companies and/or society. The research, must, to the extent possible, be carried out in close interaction between research institutions and the business community.
Investment Strategy
Innovation Fund Denmark invests in projects at all stages of the research and innovation value chain. Thus, IFD invests in the early strategic research project, where targeted efforts and cooperation with the most competent international and/or Danish partners from relevant scientific and professional disciplines are crucial, as well as in the good project that lacks the final steps towards successful implementation and introduction into market/society.
Innovation Fund Denmark's investments do not necessarily take a project all the way to commercialization. It is therefore crucial that the project parties themselves are able to lift the result onto the market or otherwise ensure commissioning - or have investors/end-users who can take over the project implementation after Innovation Fund Denmark's investment period.
Innovation Fund Denmark emphasizes that solutions for the green transition, in addition to natural and technical sciences, also include humanistic and social research and innovation that can contribute with valuable knowledge related to e.g. behavior, incentives, regulation and market conditions.
The 2021 Agreement on Allocation of the Research Reserve, recommendations from the government's climate partnerships 2019 and Forsk2025 contain many recommendations on how to enable the green transition. IFD would like to invest in projects that include climate solutions, technologies and behavioral changes that will provide the maximum effect on CO2 emissions and the climate - not only in Denmark, but globally.
Specifically, Innovation Fund Denmark would like to invest in projects within the green transformation, which are part of a broader societal and behavioral context, within the following sub-themes:
- Energy Production and Storage
- Energy Efficiency
- Agriculture and Food Production
- Transport
- Environment and Circular Economy
- Nature and Biodiversity
- Sustainable behavior and societal consequences (cross-cutting and not as a separate theme)
Innovation Fund Denmark places special emphasis on the role of agriculture in the green transition, e.g. in relation to both organic and conventional farming and the development of new sustainable, animal and not least plant-based foods. In addition, Innovation Fund Denmark would like to see a cross-disciplinary focus on technological opportunities within the seven themes, including e.g. digitization and artificial intelligence.
Innovation Fund Denmark also places special emphasis on the field of energy, including energy production, energy storage, energy efficiency as well as coherent energy systems and the potential for sector coupling across the overall energy area. Innovation Fund Denmark also emphasizes that sustainable construction, including the use of sustainable materials, is an important area.
Innovation Fund Denmark finds it important to focus on the Arctic and Arctic research, among other things, in relation to climate change and climate monitoring. Finally, Innovation Fund Denmark places emphasis on research into societal changes caused by climate change, including e.g. related international conflict management.
Technology development and innovation play a crucial role in achieving the goals for the green transition in Denmark and the rest of the world. Innovation Fund Denmark therefore also wants to invest in projects supporting the translation of relevant existing knowledge into concrete green technologies and solutions in close collaboration with the business community.
Assessment Criteria
The overall rating criteria are:
- Quality of research and innovation
- Value creation during and after the project period
- Efficiency in project execution
- Implementation of project results
In connection with applications for Grand Solutions 2021 “Green Research, Technology Development and Innovation”, special emphasis is placed on quantifying (as far as possible) the project's contribution to reducing CO2 equivalents/greenhouse gases - in Denmark and globally. The value creation in the project must not only be understood as monetary value, but can also encompass e.g. improved quality of life, cleaner environment etc. It is the responsibility of the applicant to describe the different aspects of value creation from the project.
Specifically, the assessment of the applications are based on the qualities of the project. In terms of research and innovation, this includes a global perspective, in relation to an articulated or latent need, state-of-the-art, directly competing or closely related scientific, behavioural or technological solutions, the scalability of the solution, technical, regulatory and market risks and the risk management as well as the feasibility of the project plan.
In addition, efficiency in terms of the rate of project development, the effective use of invested resources, managerial and professional skills and the subsequent effective implementation of the project results, nationally and/or globally, will be carefully evaluated. The value creation of the project will be assessed in relation to the size of the investment.
Likewise, emphasis will be placed on the project's beneficiaries/end-users and core stakeholders involvement and engagement in shaping the project, participating in the project or otherwise being directly involved in the project, e.g. through an investment in the implementation of project results.
In addition to these assessment criteria, reference is made to the "Guidelines for Grand Solutions 2021" and the distribution of the research reserve 2021.
Assessment Process
Applications for Grand Solution must be submitted via e-grant, which is Innovation Fund Denmark's application portal. The assessment process is outlined below. It is a one-phase application with potential interview:
Innovation Fund Denmark's Board of Directors decides which applications will proceed for peer review and invited for an interview with Innovation Fund Denmark. Prior to the interview, the peer reviews will be made available for consultation with the applicant.
Final decision to application will be at the end of October 2021, with project launch in the 4th quarter of 2021.
The Board of Directors' decision on either rejection or invitation to an investment agreement negotiation will be notified to the applicant via e-grant.
Scientific Officer Connie Benfeldt
M: 6190 5061
E: connie.benfeldt@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Bo Frølund
M: 6190 5043
E: bo.froelund@innofond.dk
Program Officer Jakob Dahl Wedel
M: 6190 5031
E: jakob.wedel@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer René Damkjer
M: 6190 5007
E: rene.damkjer@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Kathrine Hauge Madsen
M: 6190 5047
E: kathrine.hauge.madsen@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Sune Dalgaard Ebbesen
M: 6190 5030
E: sune.dalgaard.ebbesen@innofond.dk </p>
Scientific Officer Lars Denning
M: 6190 5069
E: lars.denning@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Erik Bech Jakobsen
M: 6190 5032
E: erik.bech.jakobsen@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Børge Lindberg
M: 6190 5012
E: børge.lindberg@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Michael Hansen
M: 6190 5037
E: michael.hansen@innofond.dk
Paola Scientific Officer Andrea Barrientos Quiroga
M: 6190 5086
E: paola.barrientos.quiroga@innofond.dk
Any legal entity in Denmark or abroad can be a project participant and receive funding from Innovation Fund Denmark eg.:
- Businesses
- Research institutions
- Public institutions
You can apply for funding for projects that create societal value and/or economic value in Danish public and private companies and/or from buyers in society, for example from citizens, the state, regions and municipalities.
A buyer can be an end user of the innovation, but it can also be a public or private investor who is willing to invest in the project after the Fund's commitment is completed.
It can be an advantage if the purchaser(s) of the project's results and other core stakeholders are involved as active participant(s) in the design of and through the project.
Grand Solutions projects will range from DKK 5,000,000 - 40,000,000
The money can co-finance expenses for salaries, equipment, other project-related costs, external services, etcetera.
The budget must include all direct project costs, meaning costs that can be directly attributed to the project, regardless of whether the costs are to be covered by Innovation Fund Denmark or will be covered by the project participants themselves or another party.
For further details, please see the programme guidelines.
The projects are of 1 to 5 years duration.
The application process for the Grand Solutions programme consists of two phases.
In phase 1, all interested applicants submit a short letter of interest, outlining their project. On this basis, applicants will either receive an invitation for phase 2 or a rejection.
In phase 2, the invited applicants submit a final application, describing their project in detail. When Innovation Fund Denmark has assessed all applications, the fund makes a decision as to which projects will be invited to enter negotiations for an investment agreement.
The application material for both phases must be created and submitted via the electronic application system: www.e-grant.dk. You must register as a user of the system with either a username and password or with MitID before you can create an application.
You create a new application by finding the correct call under "Search Options" and pressing "Start your application". Note that the list of search options is sorted alphabetically and that the names of all calls from Innovation Fund Denmark start with "IF".
You must write your application material for both phases in English.
You can find a guide to e-grant on the website of the Danish Ministry of Education and Research.
In both phases, the application consists of an electronic application form designed in the electronic application system e-grant (www.e-grant.dk), which you must fill out in English.
Your application must have an official title (maximum 180 characters including spaces), which briefly describes the project for which you seek investment. You must also enter an acronym.
You can find the Grand Solutions guidelines below under “Guidelines and general terms and conditions.
Application for phase 1
In phase 1, the application is a letter of interest and must contain:
- Official project title and acronym
- Short summary of the project (maximum 600 characters)
- Overview of the expected budget and duration of the project
- Requested total investment from Innovation Fund Denmark
- Foundation and concept of idea (maximum 1,800 characters)
- Quantifiable goals (maximum 1,200 characters)
- State of the art and competition (maximum 2,400 characters)
- Expected impact (maximum 1,200 characters)
- Description of the project's methods used (maximum 1800 characters)
- Contribution for up to 5 core project participants (maximum 600 characters per participant)
- Description of any other project participants and their contributions to the project (maximum 500 characters per participant).
- Description of competencies and experience for up to five key people (maximum 600 characters per person)
- Literature list (maximum 1200 characters)
- Budget overview (see the instructions in the application form in e-grant for further information)
The following optional appendices can be attached to the electronic form: Appendix A: Figure (max. 1 A4 page with max. 1 figure)
Application for phase 2
In phase 2, the application is a full application. The content of the electronic application form for phase 2 and the corresponding appendices will be announced in the invitation to applicants who make it to the next round. You can find more information on which adjustments are allowed from phase 1 to phase 2 in the programme guidelines
You can also see a preliminary outline of the application form for phase 2 below – please note that this is only a preview of the expected application form and that the final form may be subject to change.
The programme text for Grand Solutions has been updated in February 2024. To learn more about the changes to Grand Solutions, visit our Q&A here.
The applications are assessed by four committees with members who convene and qualify evaluations on committee meetings. The committees have the competence to assess as well as make decisions and are thus the bodies in which applications are evaluated and decisions on investments are made.
The committees consist of 10-18 members, divided between established international researchers and impact specialist with extensive knowledge of Danish affairs.
In phase 2, the applications are also assessed by external evaluators, and evaluations that are subject to consultation are sent to the applicants as part of a consultation process.
Applicants who are not invited for phase 2 or to enter an investment agreement after phase 2 will receive a rejection stating why.
Special conditions in 2024:
In 2024, letters of interest for phase 1 of the application process will be assessed internally and by external evaluators (including a consultation process for applicants) and decided by Innovation Fund Denmark’s board of directors. The reason is that the new committees are introduced for the first time in 2024 and will not be functional until later this year. Applications for phase 2 will be evaluated by the new committees in the second half of 2024.
Applications for the Grand Solutions programme are evaluated based on three overall decision criteria:
- Quality of idea
- Impact
- Quality of execution
You can find further information on the three overall criteria and their sub-criteria in the guidelines for phase 1 and phase 2 of Grand Solutions. Please note that the sub-criteria for the two phases are not identical.
In phase 1, applicants will receive either a rejection as response to their letter of interest or an invitation for phase 2, in which applicants must submit a full application. The decision will be notified to you via e-grant.
In phase 2, invited applicants will receive either a rejection or an offer of investment and thus an invitation to negotiate an investment agreement. The decision will be notified to you via e-grant.
Applicants for Phase 1 of Grand Solutions will receive a response after 10 weeks.
Applicants who progress to Phase 2 can expect a 12-week response time in this phase itself and a total time horizon of 9 months from the time the expression of interest is submitted in Phase 1 until they receive a final response in Phase 2.
The programme text for Grand Solutions has been updated in February 2024. To learn more about the changes to Grand Solutions, visit our Q&A here.
An investment from Innovation Fund Denmark is conditioned by the project parties entering into an investment agreement with the fund on the organisation of the project no later than 60 days after receiving the written invitation to investment negotiations.
The project must be started no later than 90 days after this investment agreement has been signed by all parties.
Innovation Fund Denmark may demand repayment of parts of the investment if the agreed conditions are not met. You can find more information in the investment agreement and the document containing the general terms and conditions for the programme.
Below, you will find the standard documents needed for the investment agreement negotiations.
You are free to choose whether you want to prepare the agreement in Danish or English.
The project can start as soon as there is an approved investment agreement and it must start no later than 90 days after the agreement has been signed by all parties.
The payment is generally made two times a year and is handled in collaboration with Innovation Fund Denmark and the financial administrator appointed by the project.
Innovation Fund Denmark is an active partner in all Grand Solutions projects and engages proactively with the project for its entire duration. Specifically, Innovation Fund Denmark appoints one or more investment officers to carry out this task.
The project follow-up and the requirements for accounts and reporting will be evident from the investment agreement that Innovation Fund Denmark enters into with each project.
Innovation Fund Denmark may terminate the investment ahead of time if the Fund considers that there is insufficient progress, the project proves aimless, or if the project is unable to achieve the objectives which the Funds' investment to the project is based upon.
There will be an ongoing dialogue between the appointed Investment Officer from the Innovation Fund as well as with the steering group of the project about the progression of the plan.
At the project's last steering group meeting, the completed accounts are reviewed and the project's progress and results are evaluated.
Here you can find and download call texts
