Funding | International Joint Initiative

Funding Opportunity | 2026 International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges

This call aims to harness the potential of disruptive technology to offer novel solutions to global challenges and accelerate progress towards achieving theUN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this call, “disruptive technology” is defined as “an innovation whose application replaces or radically alters systems, processes and/or behaviours to have transformative economic or societal impacts. The impact may be localized or far-reaching. Disruptive technology may include cutting-edge and novel innovations, or the application of an existing innovation in a new context, bringing about substantial change or paradigm shifts.”

Project Eligibility and Expectations:

• Projects in this call must directly address at least one of the SDGs.
• Projects must be interdisciplinary. It is strongly recommended that all project teams include at least one expert in social sciences or humanities among the co-principal investigators (co-PIs), fostering successful implementation for maximum impact.
• Project team must include a minimum of three principal investigators, each eligible to receive funding from a different participating funding organization. See each funding organization’s annex for more details on eligibility.
• Projects are expected to include appropriate stakeholders and end-users in the co-development and co-leadership of the project.
• Eligible researchers may only participate as a co-PI (or principal investigator) on one application to this competition.

NFRF Funding: $1,500,000 ($1,200,000 direct expenses + $300,00 indirect expenses). Funding is available for three-year projects. One-year no-cost extensions may be available in some circumstances, on request and requiring appropriate justification.