Funding Opportunities
The Research section includes calls for funding for basic or applied research.
The Innovation section includes calls to support projects that aim to develop processes, products or services or test innovation ideas. These include funding for SMEs and start-ups.
Research Funding
Current Calls
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN-JD HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks - Joint Doctorates
MSCA Doctoral Networks will implement doctoral programmes, by partnerships of universities, research institutions and research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs, and other socio-economic actors from different countries across Europe and beyond. MSCA Doctoral Networks are indeed open to the participation of organisations from third countries, in view of fostering strategic international partnerships for the training and exchange of researchers.
These doctoral programmes will respond to well-identified needs in various R&I areas, expose the researchers to the academic and non-academic sectors, and offer training in research-related, as well as transferable skills and competences relevant for innovation and long-term employability (e.g. entrepreneurship, commercialisation of results, Intellectual Property Rights, communication). Proposals for doctoral networks can reflect existing or planned research partnerships among the participating organisations.
Key Dates:
Applications Open: May 28, 2025
Full Proposal Deadline: November 25, 2025, by 17:00:00 Brussels time
To participate, please get in contact with the Grants Office at grants.office@unibocconi.it
ERC Consolidator Grant 2026
ERC Consolidator Grant supports scientists who want to consolidate their independence by establishing a research team and continuing to develop a success career in Europe.
Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition, and feasibility of their research proposal.
The ERC grants operate on a 'bottom-up' basis without predetermined priorities and fund ground-breaking, ambitious long-term projects.
Key Dates:
Applications Open: September 25, 2025
Full Proposal Deadline: January 13, 2026, by 17:00:00 Brussels time
To participate, please get in contact with the Grants Office at grants.office@unibocconi.it
Past Calls
ERC Advanced Grant 2025
ERC Advanced Grant supports for excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they are already established research leaders with a recognised track record of research achievements.
Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition, and feasibility of their research proposal.
The ERC grants operate on a 'bottom-up' basis without predetermined priorities and fund ground-breaking, ambitious long-term projects.
Key Dates:
Applications Open: May 23, 2025
Full Proposal Deadline: August 28, 2025, by 17:00:00 Brussels time
To participate, please get in contact with the Grants Office at grants.office@unibocconi.it
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) scheme aims to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research.
The Fellowships aim to enhance the potential of researchers holding a PhD and who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility.
Fellowships will be offered to excellent researchers of any nationality undertaking international mobility either to or between the EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, as well as to associated Third Countries.
Key Dates:
Applications Open: May 8, 2025
Full Proposal Deadline: September 10, 2025, by 17:00:00 Brussels time
To participate, please get in contact with the Grants Office at grants.office@unibocconi.it
02/04/2025 17:00
Fondazione Cariplo - €100.000 - €200.000
Fondazione Cariplo has published a new call on "Inequalities Research - generating knowledge to reduce inequalities".
The call aims to mitigate inequalities; therefore, proposals must generate new knowledge in order to identify the different dimensions of inequality and foster the development of shared agendas and potential solutions.
The English version of the call will be available soon.
To participate, please get in contact with the Grants Office at grants.office@unibocconi.it
(two-phase call - see phase one deadlines below)
Fondazione Cariplo - max €200.000
Fondazione Cariplo has published a new call: "Young Researchers - Supporting postdoctoral researchers in the early stage of their career"
Through this call, Fondazione Cariplo supports after graduation researchers in the early stage of their careers. Indeed, the call is dedicated to researchers who accomplished their PhD no more than two years before the call deadline. The aim is to identify the best proposals to enhance the profile of young researchers and support the development of their research identity.
When submitting their proposals scholars will have to specify the academic area in which their project falls in choosing from:
• Physical Sciences and Engineering — deadline: 24 March 2025
• Social Sciences and Humanities — deadline: 26 March 2025
• Life Sciences — deadline: 28 March 2025
To participate, please get in contact with the Grants Office at grants.office@unibocconi.it
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) scheme aims to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research.
The Fellowships aim to enhance the potential of researchers holding a PhD and who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility.
Fellowships will be offered to excellent researchers of any nationality undertaking international mobility either to or between the EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, as well as to associated Third Countries.
Key Dates:
Applications Open: May 8, 2025
Full Proposal Deadline: September 10, 2025, by 17:00:00 Brussels time
To participate, please get in contact with the Grants Office at grants.office@unibocconi.it
Innovation Funding
Current Calls
No calls scheduled
Past calls
23/04/2024 00:00
Invitalia - between €100.000 and 1,5 milion
Smart & Start Italia is the incentive that supports the startup and growth of innovative startups. The application is presented only online on the Invitalia platform.
Innovative startups established for no more than 60 months and registered in the special section of the business register can apply for funding.
Smart & Start Italia finances business plans with expenses between € 100,000 and € 1.5 million, to purchase investment goods, services, personnel expenses and company operating costs.
The business project must have at least one of the following characteristics:
- have a significant technological and innovative content
- be oriented towards the development of products, services or solutions in the field of digital economy, artificial intelligence, blockchain and the internet of things
- be aimed at the economic exploitation of the results of public and private research
Smart & Start Italia offers a zero-interest loan, without any guarantee, to cover 80% of eligible expenses.
This percentage can rise to 90% if the startup is made up entirely of women and / or young people under 36, or if among the partners there is an expert with the title of Italian PhD (or equivalent) who works abroad and wants to return to Italy.
Startups based in Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily can enjoy a non-repayable grant equal to 30% of the loan and thus return only 70% of the loan received.
The loan must be repaid in 10 years starting from the 12th month following the last loan received.
23/04/2024 00:00
Invitalia - up to € 3 milion
"Nuove Imprese a Tasso Zero" is the incentive for young people and women who want to become entrepreneurs. The concessions are valid throughout Italy and provide for a mix of zero-interest financing and grants for business projects with costs of up to 3 million euros, which can cover up to 90% of total eligible expenses.
It is aimed at micro and small businesses made up mostly of young people between 18 and 35 years old or women of all ages, throughout the national territory.
Companies established within the previous 5 years having a shareholding structure made up of at least 51% of young people under 35 and women of all ages are eligible.
Individuals can also apply for a loan, with the commitment to set up the company after.
Businesses can apply for funding to implement new initiatives or expand, diversify or transform existing businesses. Coverage of eligible expenses can be up to 90% to be repaid over 10 years.
No guarantees are required in the event of loans of less than 250 thousand euros; instead, the guarantee is envisaged for loans exceeding 250 thousand euros.
There are two lines of financing with different spending programs and aid schemes, depending on whether the companies have been established for no more than 3 years or for at least 3 and no more than 5 years.
Applications will open on 19th May 2021.
23/04/2024 00:00
Invitalia - up to €400.000
The incentive supports the startup and growth of companies and non-profit initiatives of the tourist-cultural sector. The loans are active in the Basilicata regions, Calabria, Campania, Puglia and Sicily. The application is presented only online starting from April 26, 2021.