NTNU’s strategic area within Health and Life Science is announcing this year’s opportunity for seed funding, which is directed towards strengthening applications for external project funding. NTNU Health and Life Science aims to provide knowledge and technology for health-promoting societies and a sustainable health service. Projects that contribute towards these main goals may apply for funding. A special focus will be placed on developing knowledge and technology within the following thematic areas:

• One Health: Understanding how the interdependence between humans, animals, plants, microbes, and their shared environment affects the health of living organisms.  
• Healthy life spans: Understanding causes of “lifestyle” diseases, how to prevent them, and what promotes healthy lives.
• Value-based health services: Understanding how health systems and -services can be designed and managed to improve quality of care and give value to the patient and the society, with an efficient use of resources.

Who can apply?

All NTNU employees in temporary or permanent academic positions can apply. The project must take place in 2026 and/or 2027, and the funds must be spent by November 2027. 

What can you apply for?

You can apply for pilot/proof-of-concept studies where the goal is to establish feasibility or collect data to strengthen future applications for external funding. Expenses you can apply for are: Purchase of equipment, consumables, use of research infrastructure, purchase of analyses, data services, data collection, and salary for a research assistant or equivalent (not including buy-out of permanent staff or position extensions). Each project can apply for NOK 20.000-200.000, and 6-12 projects will be funded in total.

Application requirements 

• The proposal must fall within the scope and aims of NTNU Health and Life Science (stated above).
• Description of the project’s importance and future contribution towards attracting external project funding.
• Interdisciplinarity: Contribution from participants with different scientific expertise should be clearly shown. It is highly encouraged to include active participants from at least two faculties. 
• Highlighting the use of local infrastructure at NTNU.
• A budget with cost distribution in 2026-27 showing in detail how the funding will be spent on e.g. consumables, infrastructure etc. Any additional project-related costs and funding sources should also be included. Download the budget template here.

Evaluation criteria 

I) The project’s significance for future project development, II) scientific originality and ambitions, III) feasibility, IV) use of infrastructure and resources at NTNU, and if otherwise equal V) relevance for the thematic focus areas.

The applications will be evaluated by the leader team of NTNU Health and Life Science, and the final priority and awarded funding will be decided by NTNU Health and Life Science's strategic council.

Submit your application here

Application deadline is May 19th, 2026. A decision can be expected in June and projects can start from June 2026. 

Questions may be directed to Liv E. Falkenberg: liv.falkenberg@ntnu.no