Innovation Fund Denmark and Realdania wish to promote growth and value creation in Denmark through an accelerated shift to circular built environment.
The purpose of circularity is to reduce CO2 emissions as well as resource and energy consumption and to minimise environmentally harmful materials and processes. This must be done without compromising the quality of the materials and buildings and without generating new environmental and indoor climate challenges.
In recent years, experimental buildings and prototypes have been developed within circular built environment, in Denmark as well as internationally, and resources are being reused and recycled to an ever-greater extent. But the big shift to a situation where the circular is a more common choice than the linear still lies ahead.
Innovation Fund Denmark's and Realdania's shared ambition is to develop new circular solutions and new business foundations for the spread of circular resource economics within the built environment.
This must be done through collaborations between companies and public organisations in the building and construction industry, research institutions and researchers who combine theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
Therefore, Innovation Fund Denmark and Realdania support a practice-oriented, interdisciplinary research team – consisting of approx. 15 industrial researchers and their university and business supervisors – under the auspices of BLOXHUB.
BLOXHUB is an innovation and growth hub with the aim of contributing to sustainable, global urbanisation through development of innovative solutions within architecture, design and construction in Denmark.
The call is also based on the Government's ‘Strategy for Circular Economy’, September 2018.
With approx. 15 industrial research projects, Innovation Fund Denmark and Realdania will focus on how to increase both the speed and the scale of the construction industry’s shift to a circular economy.
The call is therefore an invitation to research projects that challenge existing paradigms through e.g. new systems thinking and value chain innovation, material development, new contract concepts and business models across sectors.
It is very important that the applications document real insight into the circular resource economy that already exists in the construction industry as well as insight into the developments and projects that have already been initiated on many fronts in the industry's companies and organisations and at knowledge and research institutions. Applications related to such parties and projects are welcome. Both private companies and public organisations may apply.
The applications must also document insight into the joint European project developments within the field as well as an understanding that it must be possible to implement solutions and methods internationally.
Applications may e.g. unfold within the following themes, but they will not be limited to the examples mentioned below:
- Business models that scale solutions and systems within the circular economy, including solutions for e.g. logistical, financial and risk-related challenges.
- New business models for contractors and building owners.
- Methods to support interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral innovation within the circular built environment.
- New solutions for selective demolition and alteration of buildings and structures, including new solutions for identifying and removing environmentally harmful substances.
- A well-functioning waste and recycling market, hereunder focus on upcycling.
- Decision-making tools for private and public contractors' choice of circular practices, hereunder focus on regulatory stipulations.
- Opportunities for legal support for sustainability and circularity in interaction between framework legislation, contract clusters and supply chains, hereunder utilisation of digital forms of regulations.
- Assessment and classification criteria for assessing the circular quality of environmental, climate and societal sustainability.
- The built environment's circular resource economy in a societal and social context.
Each project commits itself to engaging in interdisciplinary collaboration across the Postdoc projects in the team. It will positively affect the assessment of the individual project if, in addition to the sustainability goal, it incorporates a holistic approach to value creation throughout the value chain, which also includes end-user and society.
It is not crucial which educational background, theory or tradition the projects bring along. The key is that they must contribute with a critical attitude, innovative thinking, high-quality research and innovation. At the same time, it is an important parameter that the projects have a business potential and can be developed on a reassuring legal basis.
In order to promote the specific application-oriented aspect, there is in this call a special opportunity to receive an additional cash grant amount per project for specific 1:1 tests and other tests or interactions with users as part of the research project. In your application, you must explain why and how you want to take advantage of this opportunity. See more under 'Funding'.
In the selection process, it is also important that the projects complement each other on an interdisciplinary basis and that as an overall portfolio, they create an important foundation for Danish companies that are staking on circular economy as an international growth area.
Innovation Fund Denmark and Realdania emphasise interdisciplinary knowledge sharing in order to create a dynamic team of researchers within the same problem area. This will be done under the auspices of BLOXHUB.
Thus, in addition to becoming part of BLOXHUB's Science Forum, the approx. 15 industrial researchers (including their university and business supervisors) will form a team where researchers develop knowledge in dialogue with each other and where knowledge and experience are continuously being shared.
This includes the following:
- Two-day kick-off inspirational trip.
- Quarterly interdisciplinary knowledge sharing, collaboration and sparring among the 15 industrial researchers.
- Dissemination of own research at dissemination events in BLOXHUB’s Science Forum
- Opportunity for a researcher workplace in BLOXHUB, as a supplement to the company or university workplace, respectively.
- Counselling events where company and university supervisors are invited to offer advice across projects with the aim of promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration across companies and universities.
As an integral part of the project period, the 15 industrial researchers will be further involved in BLOXHUB's interdisciplinary innovation event for Danish and international companies and in knowledge environments. Each event typically lasts four days, and it is expected that you attend at least one event each year, i.e. a total of approx. 12 days over a three-year period.
Everything about interdisciplinary knowledge sharing, collaboration and sparring will be facilitated by BLOXHUB.
The application is submitted via the ordinary application entries to Innovation Fund Denmark's Industrial Researcher programme. In the application form, select 'Circular Built Environment' in the first step following the introduction. Be sure to choose the correct application option (Industrial PhD or Industrial Postdoc, public or private sector).
After receiving the application, Innovation Fund Denmark will assess whether your application falls within the theme of the call. If the application fits better into the regular Industrial Researcher pool and thus does not comply with the terms of this call, Innovation Fund Denmark will contact you with a view to moving the application to that pool before making the final decision. We will not move your application without your acceptance. It is possible to apply for both an Industrial PhD and an industrial Postdoc, and it is possible to apply for up to two projects per company/public organisation. Likewise, it is possible for two or more companies/public organisations to consolidate around one industrial researcher as long as there is just one main supervisor company.
The applications must follow the guidelines for the type of Industrial Researcher project applied for – Industrial PhD or Industrial Postdoc. This means that the applications must meet all the requirements for Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc, respectively. You will find the requirements in the guidelines for Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc. Here, you will also find a description of the project structure, the requirements on the participants and the project, conditions for funding and the assessment process. Please note that there are special conditions for Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc in the public sector. These are stipulated in chapter 8 of the guidelines.
In addition to the assessment criteria outlined in the guidelines, we will, in connection with the final selection, emphasise an interdisciplinary palette of projects that complement each other within the academic breadth described above.
Projects approved under this call will receive funding from both Innovation Fund Denmark and Realdania.
Innovation Fund Denmark's funding for the company/public organisation and the university/research institution follows the guidelines for Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc, respectively. In addition, Realdania's subsidy to the company amounts to DKK 10,000/month towards the candidate's salary. Specifically, this means that the company will receive a subsidy of up to DKK 27,000/month in total to cover the salary of an Industrial PhD or DKK 32,000/month if it is an Industrial Postdoc. The total salary subsidy is paid out by Innovation Fund Denmark.
In addition, Realdania will provide support in the form of a cash amount of up to DKK 200,000 (incl. VAT) per project for specific 1:1 tests, other tests or interactions with users or citizens as part of the research project. In the application form, there is a special box for this, where you have to indicate whether you wish to take advantage of this opportunity and what the money will be spent on.
Up to DKK 100,000 of the maximum grant amount of DKK 200,000 does not require co-financing by the company/public organisation. On the other hand, an application for an amount of between DKK 100,000 and 200,000 requires co-financing of a similar amount by the company for the part that exceeds DKK 100,000. As an example, an application for DKK 150,000 will require the company/organisation to finance DKK 50,000 by itself. An application for DKK 200,000 will require that the company/organisation finances DKK 100,000 by itself.
There are no expenses associated with the use by the industrial researcher and the supervisors of BLOXHUB's research rooms, large offices or meeting rooms (to a limited extent). Travel expenses for the mentioned inspirational trip are covered by Realdania's grant, while transportation costs related to meetings in BLOXHUB's office facilities in Copenhagen must be covered by the company. The company/public organisation must cover all remaining costs of the project.
To get as many qualified applications as possible, the Innovation Fund Denmark and Realdania, in collaboration with BLOXHUB, are organizing three events from November to February, aimed at companies, research talents and universities.
All three events will take place in BLOXHUB. It is possible to participate in all three or fewer.
Information Meeting - November 14, 2019 at 15-17: Learn about the Industrial Researcher programme, the professional focus of the call and what it means to be part of the team. Also meet companies and industrial researchers.
Register for information meeting
Matchmaking meeting - December 5, 2019 at 15-17: Interested candidates will have the opportunity to pitch their project idea and companies can advertise for specific types of projects.
Join the matchmaking meeting
Write a good application - 20 February 2020 at. 15-17: The meeting is for those who are in the proces of applying for the Innovation Fund Denmark. Get specific advice for the application and answer questions about the academic focus.
Sign up Write the good application
- Companies that have a geographical department in Denmark and have the finances and facilities to run the project.
- Universities and research institutions that are able to assign a supervisor to the project.
- Graduates who have obtained a PhD degree. The degree must be a maximum of 5 years old at the time of application.
Innovation Fund Denmark supports both Industrial Postdoc projects within the three political themes below, and projects that do not fall within one of the three themes below:
- Green research, technology and innovation
- Life science, health and welfare technology
- Digitalisation, technology and innovation
- Space technology
The company receives up to DKK 22,000 per month in subsidy for salary and DKK 2,500 per. month in travel allowance.
The university receives up to DKK 10,000 per month.
University grant can be used at:
- Research mentors' sparring with the business postdoc.
- Research mentors' participation in conferences. This includes one round trip to the destination per stay, visa, travel insurance, accommodation and participation fee. Diet, daily / local transport, etc. are not covered.
- Project-relevant equipment, materials, equipment (procurement and / or use) and external services
- Other employees' work on the project (does not include HR and finance functions, rent, supply, etc.)
- Publication and dissemination of research results.
The company grant can be used at:
- salary for the business postdoc
- travel activities, this includes one roundtrip to the destination per. exchange/conference, visa, travel insurance, accommodation and university fees. Diet, daily/local transport, books, etc. are not covered.
The company must pay all other expenses for the project, including equipment, materials and data collection. This also includes personal equipment for the Industrial PhD, such as laptop, cell phone, etc.
Salary Levels
An Industrial Postdoc must have at least the same total salary (salary + pension) as a university-employed postdoc. The AC agreement regulates the salary of postdoc employees who are classified in accordance with §4 and §8 of the agreement and receive a fixed supplement of DKK 4,532.46 per month.
See current salary steps on the Danish Master's Association's website
The salary seniority is increased by the time that the postdoc employee has been employed in work conditioned by the education. As a postdoc employee typically already has at least 3 years of employment as a PhD student, they usually start at grade 5 or higher.
The collective wage is a minimum wage. As an Industrial Postdoc, you naturally have the opportunity to negotiate a higher salary. All in all, you should consider your Industrial Postdoc employment as any employment in terms of negotiating terms of employment. This means that you can also negotiate matters such as vacation and maternity terms. The employment must, as a minimum, be on normal salaried terms. Also note that non-compete clauses or the like in the employment contract must not restrict the Industrial Postdoc's ability to obtain employment elsewhere.
Innovation Fund Denmark recommends that you seek advice from a trade union or an HR office regarding. wage conditions and the above rates should be considered as indicative.
The project can take between 12 and 36 months.
If you are a business or graduate, the path typically goes through universities. Here are the subject matter experts who have connections to relevant companies and can point to good graduates among the students and PhD students.
To find the right university researcher, we recommend that you go to the PhD school for the subject area. Each university has PhD schools in different subject areas. The PhD schools are the administrative focal point for the university's PhD programs and will be able to help point out a subject-relevant university researcher.
List of Danish universities (dkuni.dk)
You can also contact your local Business Hub, which may put you together with partners in the field. Find the networks here. For graduates, industry associations will also be able to refer you to relevant companies. Also keep an eye out for science dating events at universities where students and businesses can meet.
Candidates can also make direct contact with relevant companies. Our experience is that you get the most out of the contact with a company if you have a proposal for a specific project where the commercial value for the company is clear, and that you are at the same time open to the company wanting to participate in shape the project so that it becomes relevant to them.
Company Supervisor must create and submit the application.
Your application 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 in either Danish or English.
You can find a guide to e-grant on the website of the Ministry of Education and Research
We strive to maintain a processing time of three months from the application deadline until the applicant receives a decision on the application. In some cases, it may take longer.
Decisions are sent via e-grant.
Unsatisfactory description of the project's business significance
This section can advantageously be substantiated with specific figures and / or specific application scenarios, which make it clear why the project has a clear business significance for the company.
Unnecessary competencies
When you develop a project that is professionally broad and / or interdisciplinary, you must also be aware that the project participants cover all necessary competencies. Remember that it is an opportunity to associate with third parties.
The project does not match the call
Before submitting an application, you should make sure that you apply during a round that suits your project. Ie. You must be aware of whether you are sending the application to one of our “regular” rounds targeted at private companies, or our annual round of targeted public organizations. Read about our definition of "private company" vs. "Public organization" in the guidelines.
The project does not fit into one of the politically determined themes
In addition, you must be aware that your project idea must fit into one of the politically determined themes for the Industrial Researcher programs. Read more about the themes in the guidelines.
Not all project participants have been involved in preparing the application
We recommend that the entire team (company mentor / supervisor, university mentor / supervisor and, if applicable, graduate) participate in preparing the application. It is important from the very beginning to discuss and agree on what the project is specifically about.
It is important that the university supervisor / mentor is involved in the application, as it is a special discipline to write research applications - there are many special things to keep track of: State-of-the-art, literature references, method descriptions ( see links below).
It is equally important that the company helps to formulate the section on the project's business significance (see above).
We also strongly recommend that you enter into actual collaboration agreements on eg IPR and Publishing
When re-applying, you must pay attention to addressing all rejection reasons (ie points of criticism) that appear in the rejection letter from your last application. In the e-grant application form, you must state that you have previously been rejected and what changes you have made.
All applications are evaluated by the Industrial Researcher Committee, which submits applications for decision to the Fund. It is the Fund that makes the final decision.
Industrial Research Committee assessing applications.
The committee consists of 24-28 members, representing both respected researchers and senior figures from the Danish private business community.
The committee makes recommendations on the applications, in the end it is Innovation Fund Denmark that makes the decision.
The application is assessed on three criteria
- The quality of the idea
- Impact
- Quality in execution
Read more about the assessment criteria in the guidelines.
Once the project has been approved, you will be notified of this in the e-grant. After this, the company must submit signed commitments and the university must submit signed commitments and enrollment certificates.
The project can start at the earliest from the day the commitment is given. If you receive a conditional commitment, it is only when the final commitment has been given that the project can start. The project must start no later than six months after the award of the commitment.
In case of conditional approval, you have six months to fulfill the condition / conditions. Answers to the condition are submitted in e-grant. The answer must not exceed two A4 pages per condition, if this is exceeded, the Fund may reject the answer. It must be made clear what is being answered and the answer must be submitted in one single document. The treatment time is approx. two months and in some cases longer.
Regarding the fulfillment of the condition that an Industrial Postdoc candidate must be found for the project, the answer must include
- PhD Certificate
- CV including publication list. Employment must be stated in months and years.
It is important during the course that you meet regularly and discuss the development of the project. We recommend that you hold physical meetings at least once every three months, and preferably more often, where everyone participates. At the start of the project, it is strongly recommended that you agree on who is responsible for convening meetings. Unless otherwise agreed, the business advisor / mentor is expected to take the initiative.
You can establish a steering group with several professionals from the company and the university and hold a steering group meeting once every six months. It can also be recommended that the student writes a short newsletter approx. every other week, where the development of the project is explained. Above all, all project partners must mentally understand the situation of the others and be prepared to make changes in the project if it is in everyone's best interests.
We also strongly recommend that you enter into actual cooperation agreements on eg IPR and Publishing.
Before grants can be paid out, the Fund must receive and approve signed commitments from the company and the university. The parties may choose to sign in one and the same document or submit two signed documents.
The start date is set to the date stated on the undertaking's signature page (Industrial Postdoc).
Both the university / research institution and the company receive 85% of the grant in advance.
Read about payment of the remaining 15% under Accounting and payment of remaining grants - what should we be aware of?
Industrial PhD and Industrial Postdoc candidates can apply for leave in connection with, for example, maternity and illness. Subsidies are not granted during leave, nor during maternity and sick leave. The end date of the grant period is postponed by the leave period and the grant is granted during the extended period.
Note: The fund must approve a request for leave before the leave can start. The Fund does not approve requests for leave retroactively. The request is sent via e-grant (section "Change requests").
A leave request must include:
- Justification for leave.
- Start and end date for leave period.
- New end date for the project (project end date is postponed during the leave period).
- Signatures of the company (eg supervisor), research institution / university (eg supervisor) and candidate.
If you do not know the exact dates, please provide tentative dates. As soon as you know the exact dates, inform them to the Fund (via e-grant), after which the period is adjusted and the final end date for the project is determined.
Industrial Postdoc candidates can apply for part-time at eg illness, but you can not apply for part-time on the grounds that the candidate must do other work next to it. Industrial Postdoc jobs are basically full-time positions.
Note: The fund must approve the request part-time before the part-time can start.
The Fund does not approve part-time requests retroactively.
The request is sent via e-grant (section Requests for Change).
A part-time request must include:
- Justification for part-time work.
- Start and end date for part-time period.
- Part-time rate.
- New project end date (project end date postponed part-time).
- Signatures of the company (eg supervisor), research institution / university (eg supervisor) and candidate.
The part-time rate is what percentage of the part-time work is full-time. Eg. a part-time rate of 50% means that the candidate works half as much as a full-time employment during the period in question ..
The end date of the grant period is binding, and can only be adjusted due to approved leave or part-time (see "Maternity and leave from the project - what should we be aware of?" And "Part-time work on the project - what should we be aware of? ") but not due to other reasons / delays. Please note that the Fund's grants may not be used after the end date of the grant period. If the project is delayed, the parties may continue the project at their own expense.
Please note that the deadlines for submitting accounts and auditors' statements are not postponed. The same applies to the deadline for the final report for an Industrial Postdoc project, as the final report is only expected to cover the grant period.
The same rules apply to the payment of the remaining 15% of the grant as to projects without delay (see Accounting and payment of the remaining grant - what should we be aware of?).
No. Industrial Post.doc projects cannot be transferred to other companies.
No. Industrial Postdoc projects cannot be transferred to other research institutions or companies.
In the event of a planned change of company supervisor, company supervisor or university supervisor (Industrial PhD) and company mentor or research mentor (Industrial Postdoc), a change request must be sent via e-grant, which must include:
- Justification for change.
- The new supervisor / mentor's CV and contact information (incl. E-mail and telephone), cf. CV for project participants - what should we be aware of?
- Signature of candidate, new supervisor, company (eg current supervisor) and university / research institution (eg current supervisor).
Replacement of an Industrial Postdoc candidate is only allowed under the following conditions:
- The former Industrial Postdoc is out of the project.
- There are at least six months of grants left of the project.
- Business and research institution have essentially complied with their bonds.
Change request sent via E-grant and must include:
- Statement of change of candidate, as well as confirmation that the above three conditions are met.
- End date for the old candidate and start date for the new candidate.
- The new candidate's name, social security number, private e-mail, private telephone, gender and nationality.
- The new candidate's CV, cf. CV for project participants - what should we be aware of?
- PhD certificate for the new candidate.
- Signature of company (eg supervisor), university (eg supervisor) and the new candidate.
For Industrial Postdoc projects, project partners must complete a final report focusing on effects, results, and process. You will be reminded of the task we e-grant. The assignment contains a link to a template for the report, which can also be found on the Fund's website under Project Administration / Industrial Researcher.
Both the university / research institution and the company receive 85% of the grant in advance. The remaining 15% will be paid when the following conditions are met.
The remaining 15% to the company and the research institution will be paid out once the Fund has approved
- Final accounts from both parties.
- Auditor's statement for the company's final accounts.
- Project final report (see Final report and mid-term evaluation - what should we be aware of?)
Forms for accounts, auditor's report and final report can be found on the Fund's website under 'project administration' - 'business researcher'. All documents are submitted via the respective tasks in the e-grant.
The company (and possibly the research institution, see above) must submit one account for the entire project at the end of the project. Unused funds must be repaid to the Fund. The grant for travel and courses cannot be used to cover other expenses in the project. The accounting period corresponds to the project period. Thus, the accounts must not include expenses that are before the project start date and after the project end date. Expenses outside these dates will be rejected and will be reimbursed. The project period appears in the e-grant under case profile.
Note that in part other rules apply to older grants. Check out your letter of commitment, which contains the relevant guidelines, if you want to know more
Contact
T: +45 61 90 50 00
E-mail: erhvervsforsker@innofond.dk
Phone hours: Thursday 9.00-12.00
E-grant technical questions?
Contact e-grant support
T: +45 33 92 91 90
E-mail: Support.e-grant@ufm.dk
Weekdays: 09.00-12.00
If you have submitted an application or have a grant from Innovation Fund Denmark, please contact us via your case in e-grant.
