NCBR LIDER UP
Funds early career Polish researchers launching independent teams and first research agendas.
LIDER UP is NCBR's successor to the long-running LIDER scheme, aimed at young researchers who are building and leading a first independent team. It sits inside the national programmes portfolio, where the policy goal is not broad market deployment but the creation of modern solutions and technologies that strengthen the Polish economy. The first LIDER UP I Phase 1 call carried a 100 million PLN pool, opened in January 2026, and closed on 17 March 2026. Public pages do not confirm individual award caps, the exact age cutoff, or the full team rules, so the clearest facts are the programme's remit and its 2026 timing. The route is best suited to early-career researchers in Poland who can credibly lead a team and frame a research agenda with practical technical value. Universities and research organisations are the natural homes for applicants, but the competition is not a general startup grant or a broad institutional call; it is a career-building route for people moving into independent leadership.
No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.