How to apply – students

Students at NTNU can apply for financial support either for pilot projects (up to NOK 75,000) or main projects (up to NOK 300,000).

Pilot project: Get started

It is common to first apply for pilot project funding. A pilot project provides the opportunity to verify, investigate or create a prototype to minimize technical and commercial risk in the future. The pilot project has a time frame of a maximum of 6 months, and is established as an internal project at the applicant’s department.

The project must have an administrative from the academic staff at the applicant’s department. Being the student, you are the project manager and responsible for implementation and reporting.

Deadline:
Pilot project funding is granted every month. Application deadline for pilot projects are at the end of every month and the application is assessed the next month.

Consider this before you apply for pilot project funding

Application requirements
  • The applicant/s must be active degree students at NTNU via a study program associated with a department at NTNU.
  • For students at NTNU Trondheim, the project must have received financial support from the Aneo fund through SPARK*. This does not apply to students at NTNU Ã…lesund and NTNU Gjøvik. This does not apply to students at NTNU Ã…lesund and NTNU Gjøvik.
  • The pre-project must have been started and finished before the establishment of the company and cannot be linked to an existing company.
Assessment criteria

All applicants who meets the formal requirements are invited to present the project in front of a jury of employees from NTNU and Helse Midt-Norge.

The applications are assessed according to the following criteria:

  • Degree of innovation – to what extent is this a new product?
  • Market potential
  • Team composition and competence
  • Project plan and commercialization strategy
  • Contribution to achieving the UN’s sustainability goals
What is funded by NTNU Discovery
  • Consulting services: Costs related to the purchase of services from subcontractors or other development services, including external R&D and consulting services
  • Materials and equipment: Costs related to the purchase of materials and equipment for the production of prototypes, necessary equipment for laboratory tests, etc.
  • Rental costs: Costs related to the rental of a laboratory, office or similar spaces.
  • Other costs: All costs that do not fit under the above categories must be specified and directly connected to the project’s commercialization goals in order to be covered by NTNU Discovery.
What is NOT funded by NTNU Discovery
  • Salary for students during the project period.
  • Fundamental research, development or marketing of existing products and services, development costs for companies.
  • Patenting costs.
  • Development of marketing material, website, logo and profiling products.

Main project: The road ahead

To stimulate further innovation and development of your project, you can apply for main project funding up to NOK 300,000.

Application deadline:
Main projects are normally awarded once or twice a year.
The first application deadline in 2024 is 15. March.

Consider this before applying for main project funding

Application requirements
  • The applicant/s must be active degree students at NTNU via a study program associated with a department at NTNU.
  • For students at NTNU Trondheim, the project must have received financial support from the Aneo fund through SPARK*. This does not apply to students at NTNU Ã…lesund and NTNU Gjøvik. This does not apply to students at NTNU Ã…lesund and NTNU Gjøvik.
  • The main project must be started and finished before company establishment, and cannot be linked to an existing company.
Assessment criteria

All applicants who meets the formal requirements are invited to present the project in front of a jury of employees from NTNU and Helse Midt-Norge.

The applications are assessed according to the following criteria:

  • Degree of innovation – to what extent is this a new product?
  • Market potential
  • Team composition and competence
  • Project plan and commercialization strategy
  • Contribution to achieving the UN’s sustainability goals
What is funded by NTNU Discovery
  • Consulting services: Costs related to the purchase of services from subcontractors or other development services, including external R&D and consulting services
  • Materials and equipment: Costs related to the purchase of materials and equipment for the production of prototypes, necessary equipment for laboratory tests, etc.
  • Rental costs: Costs related to the rental of a laboratory, office or similar spaces.
  • Other costs: All costs that do not fit under the above categories must be specified and directly connected to the project’s commercialization goals in order to be covered by NTNU Discovery.
What is NOT funded by NTNU Discovery
  • Salary for students during the project period
  • Basic research, development or marketing of existing products and services, development costs for companies
  • Patent costs
  • Development of marketing material, website, logo and profiling products

NTNU Discovery:
From idea to product

NTNU Discovery is with you all the way, from having an idea to getting it ready for monetization.

Pilot project: A small beginning

1. It begins with an idea

Do you have an idea you can’t let go? Do you have an idea you can’t let go? NTNU Discovery provides financial support early in the development phase so that you can check whether your idea is viable.

2. Write a good application for pilot project funding

If you meet the formal requirements, write a good application where you present your idea and tell us why it should be on the market.

3. Present the project to the jury

An internal jury with employees from NTNU and Helse Midt-Norge will assess the project according to these criteria .

4. Yes! You get financial support to further develop the idea

If you convince the jury, you get financial support to further develop the idea.

5. Determine whether this is worth continued development

During the project period, you can create a prototype, do a market test or further develop the idea to check whether can be turned into a commercial product that the market needs.

6. Submit a report finalizing the pilot project

When the project period is over, submit a final report to NTNU Discovery. Now you have several options: Put the project on hold, work on further development with main project funding or establish a company continuing the work.

If you choose to continue work with your idea, you can get further financial support by applying for main project funding.

Main project: The road ahead

1. Write a good application for main project funding

If you meet the formal requirements, write a good application where you present your idea and tell us why it should reach the market. We advise you to do a pilot project before applying for main project funding.

2. Present your project to the jury

A jury consisting of both external and internal participants will assess the project.

3. Yes! You get financial support to further develop the idea

If you convince the jury, you get financial support to further develop the idea.

4. Determine whether the project is worth continued development

During the project period, you can create a prototype, do a market test or further develop the idea to check whether can be turned into a commercial product that the market needs.

5. Submit a report and finalize the main project

When the project period is over, submit a final report to NTNU Discovery.

6. You conquer the world!

About half of the applicants for pilot project and/or main project funding end up establishing a business. Several of the ideas that have received support from NTNU Discovery have turned into successful products – read more about some of the projects we have supported.

NTNU Discovery: From idea to product

NTNU Discovery is with you all the way, from having an idea to getting it ready for monetization.

Pilot project: A small beginning

1. It starts with a good idea!

Do you have an idea you can’t let go? Do you have an idea you can’t let go? NTNU Discovery provides financial support early in the development phase so that you can check whether your idea is viable.

2. Write a good application for pilot project funding

If you meet the formal requirements, write a good application where you present your idea and tell us why it should reach the market.

3. Present the project to the jury

An internal jury with employees from NTNU and Helse Midt-Norge will assess the project according to these criteria .

4. Yes! You get financial support to further develop the idea

If you convince the jury, you get financial support to further develop the idea.

5. Determine whether this is worth continued development

During the project period, you can create a prototype, do a market test or further develop the idea to check whether can be turned into a commercial product that the market needs.

6. Submit a report and finalize the pilot project.

When the project period is over, submit a final report to NTNU Discovery. Now you have several options: Put the project on hold, work on further development with main project funding or establish a company continuing the work.

If you choose to continue work with the idea, you can get further financial support by applying for main project funding.

Main project:
The road ahead

1. Write a good application for main project funding

If you meet the formal requirements , write a good application where you present your idea and tell us why the product should reach the market. We advise you to do a pilot project before applying for main project funding.

2. Present your project to the jury

A jury consisting of both external and internal participants will assess the project.

3. Yes! You get financial support to further develop the idea

If you convince the jury, you get financial support to further develop the idea.

4. Determine whether the project is worth continued development

During the project period, you can create a prototype, do a market test or further develop the idea to check whether can be turned into a commercial product that the market needs.

Submit a report and finalize the main project

When the project period is over, submit a final report to NTNU Discovery.

6. You conquer the world!

About half of the applicants for pilot project and/or main project funding end up establishing a business. Several of the ideas that have received support from NTNU Discovery have turned into successful products – read more about some of the projects we have supported.

Contact:

Project Manager
Jan Hassel
Email: jan.hassel@ntnu.no
Telephone: +47 906 53 180
Office: Main building

HÃ¥vard Wiebe
Email: havard.wibe@ntnu.no
Telephone: +49 414 73 768
Office: Main building

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