Helmholtz Calls for Applications

Applications shall be submitted by February 25

HELMHOLTZ-Doctoral Award 2027

With their scientific work, doctoral researchers at Helmholtz make valuable contributions to solving pressing societal challenges. The Helmholtz Association's goal is to inspire talented young…

Applications shall be submitted by November 12

Funding for innovative AI projects - Helmholtz AI Projects 2026 Call

The Helmholtz Association strengthens the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. To this end, it has created Helmholtz AI with the mission of fostering creativity in different fields…

Submission deadline: October 15, 2026

Helmholtz Validation Projects

Validation funding from the Initiative and Networking Fund (IVF) supports the transfer of promising research results from Helmholtz Centers into practical application. Funding primarily targets ideas…

ScienceServe: Boosting Research Software at Helmholtz

Project funding to enhance the sustainability and quality of research software

Submission deadline for applications: 15.07.2026

Helmholtz Rising Talent Professorship (W2/W3)

The Helmholtz Association is intensifying its efforts to attract and fund highly talented women scientists – especially from abroad – to top positions.

Submission deadline for applications: 15.07.2026

Helmholtz Distinguished Professorship – Call 2026

The Helmholtz Association is intensifying its efforts to attract outstanding women scientists from abroad to the upper management levels.

The deadline for applications is July 06, 2026

HMC Project Call 2026

Funding of innovative projects for the generation, enrichment and optimization of metadata at Helmholtz

Helmholtz Investigator Groups (Standard Track) & Helmholtz Innovation Exploration Groups (Pilot Track)

Standard Track

The Helmholtz Investigator Groups program aims to win the best international and national recognised researchers (2 to 6 years of academic age) for a first leadership position in…

Helmholtz Enterprise

Helmholtz Enterprise (HE) is the internal program for spin-offs from the Helmholtz Association. The overall purpose of the program is to support scientists to work entrepreneurial and start a…

Call for Proposals for Projects on the Quantum Use Challenge: Pushing the Boundaries of Quantum Tech for Applications

The Helmholtz Association invites proposals for joint research projects in the field of quantum use, aiming to expand the diverse research approaches of quantum technologies to include new, relevant…

Application Deadline: May, 30 2025

Helmholtz Benchmark Projects – Call UNLOCK 2025

The Helmholtz Association supports the hyperUNLOCK initiative with a first call UNLOCK for benchmarking projects to initiate a community of practice for benchmarking and to support these first…

Submission deadline for applications: 05.05.2025

Call for Joint Projects in Biomedical Engineering

The Helmholtz Association invites proposals for joint research projects in Biomedical Engineering, focusing on interdisciplinary innovations that deliver rapid solutions to medical challenges.

Submission deadline for applications: 30.4.2025

Helmholtz Investigator Groups

05.12.2024 - The Helmholtz Investigator Groups offer top international talents early scientific independence.

Deadline for lab proposals: 03.03.2025

Helmholtz Water Safety and Security Initiative

With the launch of the Helmholtz Water Safety and Security Campaign, the Helmholtz Association is addressing the critical challenge of ensuring sustainable and secure water management in the face of…

Submission deadline for applications: 01.02.2025

MTZ-Award

The prize, funded by the MTZ®stiftung, is aimed at scientists working in the research field of Helmholtz Health in the area of medically oriented systems biology or systems medicine. It serves as a…

Submission deadline for applications: 01.05.2026

HELMHOLTZ Software Award

The Helmholtz Software Award emphasises the often underestimated contributions of software developers in the association.

Submission deadline for applications: 27.09.2024

Helmholtz Enterprise - 1. Batch 2024

Helmholtz Enterprise (HE) is the internal program for spin-offs from the Helmholtz Association. The overall purpose of the program is to support scientists to work entrepreneurial and start a…

Submission deadline for applications: 16.09.2024

Helmholtz Foundation Model Initiative

23.07.2024 - The Helmholtz Foundation Model Initiative (HFMI) is soliciting bids for a second round of projects.

Submission deadline for applications: 31.07.2024

Helmholtz Distinguished Professorship – Call 2024

02.04.24 - Within the framework of the Joint Initiative for Research and Innovation, the Helmholtz Association is intensifying its efforts to attract outstanding female scientists from abroad to the…

Submission deadline for applications: 26. Juni 2026

Helmholtz Imaging Projects – Call 2026

funded by the Helmholtz Initiative and Networking Fund

Submission deadline for applications: 15.03.2024

Call for proposals Helmholtz Excellence Networks

21.12.23 - By funding Helmholtz Excellence Networks, the Helmholtz research portfolio and particular strengths of the Association are to be strategically integrated into new Clusters of Excellence in…