Innovation Programme

Applications to the 2024 GÉANT Innovation Programme are now closed.

The GÉANT Innovation Programme is a unique opportunity to enable initial development, establish a proof of concept or testing of new ideas, with lightweight administrative constraints.

As part of the GÉANT Community Programme (GCP), the GÉANT Association has reserved EUR300k to support an Innovation Programme for specific research projects to be carried out by the GÉANT community.

The call for proposals is for research project funding of up to EUR50k, for a max duration of 6 months.

GÉANT Member National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) and/or legal entities from one of its ‘connected institutions’, including universities, research or education institutes or institutions connected to an NREN, are welcome and eligible for funding under this programme. Joint applications of a small consortia led by an NREN or eligible entity are also welcome to apply.

GÉANT values equal opportunity, being fair and inclusive, and supporting a community where everyone feels welcome. We are therefore committed to increasing the number of women and individuals from underrepresented groups in the Research and Education Networking sector. We strongly encourage women and individuals from underrepresented groups to apply for the Innovation Programme.

Topics from areas where the GÉANT community is currently most active include: Network and Network Technologies; Above the Net services; Trust and Identity; Security, and Digital Health. Other areas the community are engaged in are also strongly welcome.

We particularly encourage innovative proposals that demonstrate significant scientific or societal and economic impact, and create benefit for the GÉANT European Research and Education community. Examples of previous innovation developed within the GÉANT community include widely adopted services, such as eduroam, eduVPN and eduMEET.

GÉANT’s Thematic Areas

Network and Network Technologies
Focused on network infrastructure, services, and management - including such areas as routing and switching, multi-domain service provisioning, automation and orchestration, monitoring and measurement, AI, time and frequency transfer, quantum networking and secure networks.

Above the Net
Digital services for the end-user, including educational services, commercial and community cloud services, and open-source videoconferencing solutions.

Trust and Identity
Secure, agile, and scalable services for scientific, academic, and commercial user communities, providing trusted access to digital infrastructure and online collaboration resources.

Security
Leading-edge tools, solutions, and support to keep networks, services, connections, and users safe and secure in an environment of increasing levels of cyber security threats.The Innovation Programme facilitates the opportunity to test new ideas and make a real difference in advancing not only technology, but also business practices, human capital, and sustainability for, and by, the GÉANT community.

The Innovation Programme facilitates the opportunity to test new ideas and make a real difference in advancing not only technology, but also business practices, human capital, and sustainability for, and by, the GÉANT community.

Our funding decisions are based on a number of criteria, including quality, innovation, potential impact, and value for money.

An important goal of the Innovation Programme is to ensure project results are well represented and integrated into the broader GÉANT community.

TNC

Applicants are expected to propose how their project will be presented at GÉANT’s flagship TNC conference. This could include submitting proposals for single presentations, side events, lightning talks, and/or demo areas. The GÉANT Community Hub at TNC is another channel for engagement. Appropriate budget allocation of at least one participant at TNC (ticket, plus travel and accommodation) should be included in the budget request. Make sure to regularly visit the TNC25 website to stay up to date with ticket releases, and information on travel and accommodation.

Innovation Programme Showcase

All Innovation Programme participants present their project results at a GÉANT community event. This could be a thematic SIG/TF meeting or another GÉANT/ Research and Education Community organised event. Mentors support facilitating links between Innovation Programme projects and the broader GÉANT community.

Download the application form

PDF | Word

Fill it in and upload it onto Indico

events.geant.org/e/innovation

Receive the final evaluation

Login or registration to Indico is required in order to submit your proposal. Applicants must upload: 

1. Digitally signed PDF of the proposal.
2. Before submitting a proposal, the lead partner has to ensure their Institution's administrative and/or legal departments accept to sign the GIP Research Agreement as is, without any amendments. Delays in submission of the signed research agreement will disqualify the application. Depending on the nature of the project: GIP RA with Data Processing Agreement for projects that plan to process person-related data (Controller-Processor) or without Data Processing Agreement (Controller-Controller) is required.

• GÉANT Innovation Programme - Research Agreement with DPA (controller-processor).
• GÉANT Innovation Programme - Research Agreement without DPA (controller-controller).

Consult the guidance for applicants on the dedicated page, including FAQs and a checklist to verify your eligibility and the completion of your application.

The GÉANT Innovation Programme collaborates with the Vietsch Foundation. When a prospective proposal cannot be accepted any more within the Innovation Programme, we provide those projects the opportunity to have their proposal submitted to the Vietsch Foundation for potential funding.

Launched in February 2021, the GÉANT Innovation Programme has funded various projects. If you are interested in reading about the projects that were awarded funds in the past editions of the GÉANT Innovation Programme, visit the dedicated webpage.