SNSF Spark
Offers funding for unconventional Swiss research ideas through early pilots and novel concepts.
SNSF Spark supports rapid testing of novel and unconventional scientific ideas. It is a small, high-risk route for original work, and it is currently paused, with no further calls expected until at least the end of 2027. Awards run from CHF 50,000 to CHF 100,000, usually for six months to one year and exceptionally for up to two years. A single applicant leads the project, applications are double-blind, and the program is open to all disciplines at Swiss research institutions. The applicant may draw a salary from the grant, but doctoral students cannot be employed on the project. Spark works best when the idea is genuinely new and can be tested fast without preliminary data. The scheme was made permanent in 2023 after a 2019 to 2020 pilot, yet the current pause changes the timing for applicants: the route is still relevant conceptually, but it is not accepting new calls now. The rules also limit applicants to one ongoing Spark project and bar a researcher from the next four calls after an approved or rejected proposal in the weakest third of the previous call.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.