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Novo Nordisk Foundation

Funds long-term initiatives in science, education, and social impact through public mission-focused grantmaking.

Denmarknovonordiskfonden.dk
Key stats
Annual fundingDKK 10.1B
Programs11
Active grants6
Total grants9
About

The Novo Nordisk Foundation is an independent Danish enterprise foundation based in Denmark, founded in 1924, and one of Europe's largest charitable foundations by assets. In 2024 it awarded DKK 10.1 billion across nearly 1,800 projects, crossing DKK 10 billion for the first time, with DKK 2.8 billion delivered through open-competition grants. Its mission spans health, sustainability, and the life…

Programs & grants under this funder
Denmark BioInnovation Institute (BII)

Connects innovative organizations in Denmark that are turning innovation ideas into reliable market-ready products.

Novo Nordisk Foundation BioInnovation Project Grants

Funds Novo Nordisk Foundation BioInnovation Project Grants to move pre-clinical Danish biotech ideas toward startup-ready development stages.

Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Programmes

Funds Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Programmes for ambitious Danish research teams tackling high-impact disease, sustainability, and biotechnology themes.

Challenge Programme

Funds Challenge Programme to support large-scale themed consortium grants high-ambition research on annually defined societal scientific challenges.

4 grants
Challenge Programme — AMR Diagnostics for LRTI
Open
DKK 150M pool·45 days
Challenge Programme — Hybrid Bio-Electrocatalysis
Open
DKK 150M pool·45 days
Challenge Programme — Earth-Abundant Materials
Open
DKK 150M pool·45 days
Challenge Programme — Heat and Hypertension
Open
DKK 150M pool·45 days
Data Science Investigator Programme

Connects Data Science Investigator Programme to support career-staged investigator awards data science ai researchers based danish institutions emerging.

1 grant
Data Science Investigator Programme
Between cycles
DKK 99M pool
Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme

Administers Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme to support high-risk high-gain seed grants untested interdisciplinary ideas spanning nnf's biomedical biotechnology.

1 grant
Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme
Open
DKK 68M pool·11 days
Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials

Invests Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials to support large non-commercial clinical trial grants md-led denmark-anchored investigations improving treatment high-quality.

1 grant
Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials
Open
DKK 89M pool
New Exploratory Research and Discovery (NERD) Programme

Backs New Exploratory Research and Discovery Programme to support long-horizon single-project lead grants exceptional exploratory ideas natural technical.

RECRUIT — Grants for International Recruitment

Provides RECRUIT Grants for International Recruitment to support mobility grants attract internationally competitive researchers danish universities professorial levels.

1 grant
RECRUIT — Grants for International Recruitment
Between cycles
— pool
Steno Collaborative Grants

Supports collaborative diabetes research linking Steno centers with external research environments.

1 grant
Steno Collaborative Grants
Closed
DKK 30M pool
Tandem Programme — Translational Research Collaboration

Runs Tandem Programme Translational Research Collaboration to support paired grants linking basic scientist clinician high-quality translational health research.

Last verified: 31 May 2026Source: novonordiskfonden.dk