SPI Technogrants

The 2026 call for proposals is now open. The deadline for applications is 15 October, 12:00 (noon, Swiss time). Applications must be submitted via the SPI online application platform.

About the SPI Technogrants

The SPI Technogrants support Swiss projects developing technologies relevant for research in polar regions (and other extreme environments such as remote high-altitude regions). SPI Technogrants can support new technological developments but also serve to improve and adapt existing technologies to extreme environments. In particular, SPI Technogrants can be used to develop clean technologies increasing sustainability and lowering the environmental footprint of polar and high-altitude research whilst maximising scientific output in these regions. The grants can be used to complement the funding of initiatives supported by larger funding schemes (e.g. SNSF, EU, etc.).

Eligibility

Applicants are reminded to study the eligibility rules for this call closely. Ineligible applications will not be submitted for evaluation. To be eligible, proposals must notably respect the call’s general aims, the definition of the call’s eligible applicants and costs as well as its geographic focus.

Eligible applicants and projects

The SPI Technogrants are complementary to the Polar Access Fund and SPI Exploratory Grants. Consequently, the eligibility will be restricted to Swiss led projects with a focus on technological development and that are relevant for research in polar regions (and other extreme environments in remote high-altitude regions). The grants are open to everyone from doctoral students to senior researchers affiliated to a Swiss public research institution.

Applications are submitted by a Principal Investigator (PI) who will be SPI’s contact person within his/her institution.

Private companies and start-ups are eligible to join the project as partners but should work within a project coordinated by a PI employed at a Swiss public research institution. SPI cannot support projects coordinated by private companies.

Geographic focus

The SPI Technogrants fund the development of technology relevant for polar science, the Arctic and Antarctic, according to the SPI’s focus on high latitude. This includes technologies to be deployed in the field but also those supporting remote acquisition of data. In addition to high latitude poles, SPI supports research in remote high-altitude regions with complex logistics (e.g. the Andes or the Himalayas). In specific cases, field testing of new technologies can take place in closer comparable environments such as the Alps.

Eligible costs and financial support

 Funding of up to CHF 75,000.- can be granted per successfully evaluated proposal. A detailed budget will be requested from each applicant. For this year (2026), the total budget allocated to SPI Technogrants is CHF 150,000.-.

Eligible costs:

  • All costs related to the conception, development, field testing (especially in the extreme environments of polar or remote high-altitude regions in which it is supposed to operate), upgrading and adjusting of science support technologies in accordance with the general aim of the SPI Technogrants.
  • travel and logistics costs for field testing purposes
  • purchase of equipment (in duly justified cases) and consumables
  • purchase of strictly required work clothing through our official partners. Clothing items must feature an SPI logo (for available options, please see the dedicated webpage)
  • offset of carbon emissions, if not an option already offered by the institution (see below for more details on the eligibility conditions of carbon compensation)

Non-eligible costs:

  • overhead
  • costs relating to salaries of permanent positions
  • initiatives taking place onboard or in context of the FOREL Research Platform. All activities and expeditions related to the Forel research platform should be applied for directly to the FOREL Heritage Association.

Environmental impact

In view of promoting innovative and sustainable research methods, applicants are asked to take a thoughtful approach weighing the benefits of the proposed technology development, such as innovative sustainable research methods for polar and high-altitude research, against the environmental impact of the project. While some projects have a greater environmental footprint than others, efforts made by applicants to reduce it must be made explicit in submitted proposals. The offset of carbon emissions should only be applied once all options to avoid and reduce emissions have been exhausted.

Submission

A complete application file consists of:

  1. Completed online application platform (contact, main information and proposal)
  2. Attachments to be uploaded into online application form as PDF:
    • Letters of support
    • CVs of the applicant and main partners, incl. publication lists as PDF (compulsory – free format, max 4 pages per person)
    • Completed carbon assessment tool

All application documents must be uploaded through the online application platform. Applications sent by email will not be accepted. Incomplete proposals will be considered ineligible.

The deadline for submission will be 15 October 2026 (12:00 noon Swiss time). The online application form will be closed on the deadline date. No late applications will be accepted and no exceptions will be made.

Should you encounter any problem in the submission process, contact: . Please ensure enough time to complete the submission process as troubleshooting in the last minutes before the deadline cannot be guaranteed.

Evaluation

Eligible proposals submitted before the deadline will be evaluated by an independent scientific panel appointed by SPI.

The proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  1. Technological novelty and potential (disruption)
  2. Impact of the proposed technology on polar science (added value)
  3. Impact of the requested funding on the development process
  4. Feasibility of the project
  5. Potential of the applicant(s)/consortium

Particular attention will be paid to development aspects of technology within the project as opposed to the purchase/minor adaptation of existing instruments and technologies.

Sound efforts to maximise the scientific outputs of proposed projects while minimising their environmental footprint will also be considered during the evaluation process. This is not intended to discriminate projects and disciplines that have fewer options to minimise their environmental footprint but solely to stimulate reflection on the environmental impact of the proposed project and to promote sustainability in polar research.

Evaluation results will be transmitted to applicants approximately four months after the application deadline. Successful applicants will receive a grant agreement (contract) from SPI specifying the conditions of the grant (reporting, payments, etc.).

For any additional information or clarification, please contact: .

For more information on projects funded by SPI, including through the SPI Technogrants, visit our project database or blog for field notes.