Helmut Horten Foundation: Young Investigator Grant
Event details
| Date | 10.03.2026 |
| Category | Call for proposal |
To support innovative research projects of independent, early-career group leaders in Switzerland.
The Foundation supports medical research of all types, funding specific research activities within the applicant’s research program. It does not fund partial support or purely clinical studies.
Funding and duration per project
- Duration of funding: maximum 3 years
- Volume of funding: up to CHF 400'000 in total
- The Foundation funds up to ten projects per year.
Who can apply:
Eligible for applications are independent, early-career group leaders in Switzerland
- Independent: a PI leading their own group and eligible for SNSF project funding.
- Early‑career: within 6 years of starting as an independent group leader (by March 2026), minus any eligible interruptions.
- they have already been beneficiaries of the grant in the past
- they already hold a tenured professorship position.
Double funding for the same project is not allowed. Applicants must declare if the same or an overlapping application has been submitted elsewhere, specify the agency, estimate the overlap, and attach the summary sheet. They must also inform the Foundation immediately if they submit a similar application during the evaluation process.
Evaluation
Evaluation takes place in two steps by multiple experts across biomedical research:
- review of the structured summary, and
- review of selected full proposals.
- scientific originality
- the investigator’s track record
- feasibility
- budget justification and coherence
Timeline
- Internal deadline for employer letter ( if applicable- see below) March, 02, 2026 (contact [email protected])
- Deadline: March 10, 2026 at 12:00 CEST- Structured summary and full proposal must be submitted simultaneously.
- Initial outcome: week of April 20, 2026
- Final decision: week of June 29, 2026
Structure of the application
The application consists of the following documents (templates available on the website) :
- Structured summary (template available from 29 Jnaury ) submitted as a single PDF, including:
- SNSF official CV (from mySNF / SNSF CV portal)
- Up to 10 key publications (underline those relevant to the project)
- If applicable: declaration of identical/overlapping submissions to other funders, including funder name, estimated overlap, and the other proposal’s summary sheet
- Full proposal (template) submitted as a single PDF, including the same annexes:
- SNSF official CV
- Up to 10 key publications (underline those relevant to the project)
- If applicable: declaration of overlapping submissions as above
- Independent eligibility calculator table (template)
- Only the HHF office sees the detailed deductions; reviewers do not
- If applicable: a letter from the employer confirming contract extension until the project end date (for applicants with annual or expiring contracts). Please contact [email protected]
The budget may cover salaries for project staff (e.g., PhD students, postdocs, technicians, study nurses), material costs, and other expenses directly related to the research project. The applicant’s own salary cannot be funded, and equipment purchases are not eligible.
Plese note, at least two‑thirds of the total funding must remain in Switzerland.
Overhead costs are not covered.
For more information have a look at the call webpage, and the FAQ
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Contact
- research Office