Funding Opportunities from the Volkswagen Foundation

29 August 2026

Through its funding program “Pioneering Projects – Explorations of the Unknown Unknown,” the Foundation VolkswagenStiftung supports groundbreaking and risky research ideas with high scientific relevance. They are looking for basic research projects with the potential for major scientific breakthroughs, but also with the risk of failure.

Deadline: August 29 at 2:00 p.m. for sketches (competitive two-stage process)
Duration and Amount: 3 to 5 years, up to 1.3 million Euro

Adressed are post-doctoral researchers and professors at German universities and research institutes; while (intl.) collaborations are also possible. An online information session about the program will be held on Thursday, June 11, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., as well as on July 16. The link to the online information session as well as further information can be found here

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