This page contains frequently asked questions about the Into Change Award and the Into Innovation Award.
Yes, if the recipient institution is a Danish public research institution, overhead will be included in accordance with standard public funding rules. Overhead is not added in addition to the grant amount, but is included as a percentage of the total research grant awarded.
The research grant is given as a framework grant to one of the recipient’s places of employment, which will be responsible for managing the funds and distributing them to other award recipients in the group. If the grant is administered by a foreign or private institution, overhead will not be applied as part of the overall research grant.
Nominations may be submitted by European universities, research institutions, foundations (public or private), and academies of sciences and letters. Each institution is encouraged to submit a maximum of one nomination. However, this is a recommendation rather than a strict rule, and departments may submit additional nominations.
In the e-grant nomination form, you may register the following roles separately:
It is perfectly acceptable for the same individual to be registered for more than one role if appropriate. The practical upload and submission can therefore be handled by the research group or administrative unit, as long as the formal nominator is clearly indicated in the form.
The award is open to research groups consisting of 2–8 named individuals who have demonstrated outstanding research with significant societal impact. The nominated group must also exemplify key research values such as curiosity, collaboration, and openness in the work for which the group is nominated. A majority of the group members must be affiliated with European institutions. Additionally, the designated group representative, must hold a PhD or equivalent qualifications.
Affiliation is understood as formal employment at an institution in Europe. This does not have to be a full-time position, but it must constitute more than a loose or honorary affiliation. The nominated person must be actively engaged in research (understood broadly) in their current role.
Each group member must submit a CV and a selective list of significant publications not exceeding 3 A4 pages in total per person. Up to five letters of support may also be included, though this is not obligatory.
The awarded research group is expected to be announced early November 2025 and will be contacted directly.
The award ceremony is expected to take place in Denmark mid-December 2025.
"Nominating institutions of research groups that are not awarded will be notified when a decision has been made.
Nominations are evaluated by the Board of Directors of Independent Research Fund Denmark, who selects a number of nominations (‘shortlist’) for further assessment by the selection committee composed of representatives from public and private research funding organisations. The selection committee assesses shortlist and makes in recommendation to the Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, who will appoint the award winners.
If the grant is awarded to price recipients employed at start-ups or scale-ups the Into Innovation Award falls under the EU State aid de minimis regulation, as the grant is below the threshold of EUR 300,000 over three years. The start-ups or scale-ups must confirm that they have not exceeded the de minimis limit. A de minimis declaration will thus be required before the award is disbursed. The start-up or scale-up must be located in Europe.
Eligible nominators include Danish universities, university hospitals, university colleges business academies, art academies and maritime educational institutions, GTS-institutes as well as public or private foundations, and Academies of letters and sciences. Universities may submit up to two nominations, while other institutions may submit only one.
Nominees may be individual researchers, innovators, or collaborative groups who have contributed to the creation of knowledge-based start-ups or scale-ups. The individual nominee or (in case of groups) the leader or representative must have a current or former affiliation with a Danish higher education or research institution.
Each nominee may submit a CV and selected list of publications or activities not exceeding 5 A4 pages in total. Up to five letters of support may also be included.
All applicants will be notified by early November 2025, and the award ceremony is expected to take place in December 2025.
Nominations are assessed by expert panels from Innovation Fund Denmark. Based on their evaluations, the Board of Directors recommends candidates for final selection by the Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science.
Yes, it is possible to receive a partial award. If the nominee is affiliated with a start-up or scale-up and the company has not fully available capacity under the de minimis ceiling (EUR 300,000 over a three-year period), the recipient may still be granted the portion of the award that fits within the remaining capacity.
