Application deadline: 18 August 2020 at 12:00 CET
Grand Solutions project duration: Typically 2-5 years
The 2020 budget for the 2 calls with deadlines 27 February and 18 August is maximum DKK 700 mill.
Innovation Fund Denmark (IFD) invests in ambitious and targeted strategic research and innovation projects that create and implement new solutions, technologies, behavioural changes and valuable new knowledge.
IFD co-finances green projects, preferably with transdisciplinary approach across the scientific fields including natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, that in competition with the global state-of the-art knowledge and a committed and efficient consortium creates large value for society and high impact on the green transition.
Objective
The objective of this call is to enable green transition towards a sustainable society and to enable the Danish governments’ ambitious target of 70% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Denmark by 2030 and net-zero emissions in EU and Denmark by 2050. This requires research and innovation with interdisciplinary approach in all different sectors and scientific disciplines to develop innovative solutions and implement them.
The research and innovation must strengthen the entire value chain from strategic research to development and implementation, and contribute to build-up capacity in the Danish research sector to provide knowledge and educated staff at all career levels and access to infrastructure, to secure targeted long-term green innovation efforts.
Based on Danish research- and/or professional strongholds within academia and/or industries in collaboration with international input, we must develop green solutions that are globally scalable through establishment of obligating partnerships between the contributing parties. To do that, we seek ambitious ideas with large potential for both transition and growth in the green area that will lead us to fulfil the Danish reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions.
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 a promising project that lacks the final steps towards implementation and a successful introduction into market/society.
IFD's investments often do not necessarily take a project all the way through the value chain. Therefore, it is crucial that the project partners themselves have the ability to ensure that the outcome of their efforts enter the market/society to ensure implementation, or have investors/end-users who can take over the project implementation after IFD’s investment period.
IFD emphasises that the green transition projects should, where necessary, work with transdisciplinary approach across the scientific fields including natural sciences, humanistic and societal research and innovation, that may contribute with valuable knowledge on e.g. human behaviour, incentives, regulation and market/societal conditions. Use of artificial intelligence, and robot and drone technological perspectives promoting the green transition may also be included.
The White Paper from IFD Climate Solution Panel 2019, the 2020 Agreement on Allocation of the Research Reserve, Finance Act 2020, the partnerships on climate established by the Danish government 2019, Research 2025 and IFD Investment strategies for Bioresources, Environment and Energy have many recommendations on how to enable the green transition. IFD invites proposals that focus on solutions, technologies, and behavioural changes that mitigate climate change, and consequently will provide maximum effect on the reduction on greenhouse gas emissions in Denmark and globally.
In short, IFD is looking for solutions to secure a sustainable nature and environment, as well as behavioural aspects in relation to the green transition, reflecting the fact that technical solutions cannot stand alone as they are often part of a broader social and behavioural context, and invites project applications that focus on the following sub-themes:
- Energy and storage
- Climate
- Climate friendly agriculture and sustainable food
- Climate and environmentally friendly transport
- Sustainable nature and environment
- Sustainable cities and community
- Manufacturing Industry and materials
- Behavioural aspects in relation to green transition
Please see the appendix for elaboration on the sub-themes (pdf).
The overall assessment criteria are:
- Quality of research and innovation
- Value creation – during and after the project period
- Efficiency of project execution
- Implementation of results
In connection with applications for the Grand Solutions 2020 "Research and Innovative Solutions Aiding the Green Transition ", particular importance is paid to describing the project’s quantified contribution to the green transition; including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, in Denmark as well as globally. Hence, the partners must account for the specific value creation of the project, and in this connection, value creation should not be understood only as monetary value, but may also encompass improved quality of life as well as reduced environmental impact, cleaner environment, etc. It is the responsibility of the applicant to describe the different aspects of value creation from the project.
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, it is weighted that the project's beneficiaries/end-users and core stakeholders contribute to the formation of the project, participate in the project or are otherwise directly involved in the project, e.g. through investments and implementation.
In addition to the above assessment criteria, reference is made to “Guidelines for Grand Solutions" (published 12 December 2019) and the Allocation of the Research Reserve. Allocation of funds will be made on the basis of the 2020 Finance Act.
Assessment Process:
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Interviews take place in November 2020.
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Projects not invited for interviews will be notified in October 2020.
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Final decision on the application is expected in December 2020 with project start in Q1 2021.
Download the call text: "Research and Innovation Solutions Aiding the Green Transition" (PDF)
- Call text: Research and Innovation Solutions Aiding the Green Transition (pdf)
- Appendix: Sub-themes (pdf)
- Guidelines for e-grant
- The Climate Solution Panel white paper (PDF)
- Finance Act 2020 (in danish)
- RESEARCH2025, including the listed indicators for the allocation of funds
- 2020 Agreement on Allocation of the Research Reserve as well as other research priorities
- IFD Investment strategies for Bioresources, environment and energy (PDF, in danish)
- UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Scientific Officer Bo Frølund
Phone: +45 6190 5043
Email: bo.froelund@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Connie Benfeldt
Phone: +45 6190 5061
Email: connie.benfeldt@innofond.dk
Program Officer Jakob Dahl Wedel
Phone: +45 6190 5031
Email: jakob.wedel@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer René Damkjer
Phone: +45 6190 5007
Email: rene.damkjer@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Helle Junker
Phone: +45 6190 5029
Email: helle.junker@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Kathrine Hauge Madsen
Phone: +45 6190 5047
Email: kathrine.hauge.madsen@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Sune Dalgaard Ebbesen
Phone: +45 6190 5030
Email: sune.dalgaard.ebbesen@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Lars Denning
M: 6190 5069
E: lars.denning@innofond.dk
Scientific Officer Paola 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 NemID/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.
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)
- Expected total budget and duration of the project
- Requested total investment from IFD
- 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)
- Contribution for up to 5 core project participants (maximum 600 characters per participant)
- Competences and experiences for up to 5 key persons in the project (maximum 600 characters per person)
In phase 1, the following appendices must be attached to the electronic form:
- Appendix A: Budget overview (obligatory)
- Appendix B: List of references (obligatory)
Download templates for the appendices below or from the electronic application form in e-grant.
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 in 7-8 weeks (11 weeks in 2024 however).
Applicants who make it to phase 2 can expect 9 weeks of processing time in this phase and a total timeline of 9 months from submitting their letter of interest in phase 1 and until they receive a final decision in phase 2 (however, please expect up to 10 months in 2024).
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.
Since publication in February 2024, the following clarifications have been made to the guidelines:
- The overhead for hospitals and museums has been corrected to 3.1% and selected organisation types have been specified as Danish or non-Danish
- It has been specified that there are no limitations on budget changes performed between core project participants
- It has been specified that the main applicant is responsible for contact to IFD during the application process
- Clarifications have been made to the time frame for investments covered by the de minimis regulation
Here you can find and download call texts from 2024