Early Academic Career (Tidig Akademisk Karriär)

Early Academic Career (Tidig Akademisk Karriär)

Supports early-career researchers at Swedish universities conducting applied industry-linked research.

Tidig Akademisk Karriär (Early Academic Career) is KK-stiftelsen's program for recently postdoctoral researchers at Swedish newer universities, funding applied research conducted in genuine collaboration with private-sector partners. The program replaced the former Prospekt scheme from 2025. KK-stiftelsen funds research and competence development at 22 eligible institutions — all established after 1977 — that operate in co-production with the business sector. The program is designed to support researchers at the earliest stages of independent academic careers, providing both research funding and industry embeddedness.

The 2026 call opens September 10 and closes November 25, 2026, with application instructions published in June 2026. The maximum grant is 2.5 million SEK over 2 to 3 years. The principal investigator must not have been academically active for more than 3 years prior to the application deadline; career breaks are deductible from the clock. The host institution must be in KK-stiftelsen's 22-institution target group. Industry co-funding must at least match the KK-stiftelsen amount, and at least two independent industry actors must serve as co-financers — these are strict structural requirements, not soft preferences.

The most competitive applications pair a researcher with a credible track record in industry-adjacent applied work with industry partners who have a genuine stake in the research outcomes. Because the PI eligibility window is narrow — career breaks aside, the 3-year clock moves quickly — researchers nearing the boundary should apply in this cycle. The dual requirement of institutional eligibility and industry co-funding means applicants should verify both before investing in proposal preparation.