Now is the time for truly radical initiatives and groundbreaking research ideas that can disrupt the markets of the future. Rise to Challenge (Näytönpaikka) is the most competitive Business Finland research funding, but it is all relevant themes for Finland are welcome.
What kind of future capabilities could grow out of the strengths of your research group? What kind of dream team would you build to boost your top expertise and tackle a challenge based on it? Do you have the charisma to lead and grow a world class team capable of solving the needs of future business and society? Can you communicate your lofty ideas and goals also to the future users and beneficiaries of your results?
Rise to Challenge funding offers Finland’s strongest research groups and most impactful projects as much as 5–10 million euros in funding for up to five years. Rise to Challenge funding is Business Finland’s most significant future investment in research organizations. With this funding, we accelerate top level research that builds the skills and capabilities needed in the growth sectors of the future. The bar is set high.
When should you apply for Rise to Challenge funding?
Rise to Challenge funding supports research projects whose productivity benefits and/or international commercial potential have been identified but cannot yet be accurately assessed. Because companies that could exploit the research results may not yet exist, or current companies’ business is not yet focused on the new competence area, company participation is not expected in the first phase of the project. The purpose of Rise to Challenge funding is to strengthen competence and grow top level teams in Finland, for example by recruiting visiting researchers from abroad and building international networks within the scope of the project.
The project must be a radical new initiative that:
- creates competence that can be exploited across multiple industries
- combines expertise from different scientific disciplines even in an unconventional way
- brings together the leading experts working in Finland in the field
- does not fall under the roadmaps of the ongoing "Veturi" (Leading Company) initiatives nor can it be developed into a Co-Innovation or Co-Research project in collaboration with companies.
Application guidelines in a nutshell
The deadline for submitting idea proposals is 3 November 2026. The material, prepared using the provided PowerPoint template (see below), must be sent via secure email. Please use the identifier "Näytönpaikka-tutkimushaku, BFRK/7/910/2026" in the subject field.
Based on the submitted material, the presenters of the most promising research ideas will be invited to pitch their project orally. Information on who has been selected for the pitching stage will be communicated in December 2026. The pitches will be organized via Teams in January 2027.
On the basis of the pitches, the selected research organizations will be invited to submit full applications for the first three year funding period by 31 March 2027.
The decision on funding for the second phase will depend on the results achieved in the first phase. The continuation decision will be made as a change decision to the project plan and budget, and no new funding application will be required.
Target group – Who can apply
The call is intended solely for public research organizations.
University hospitals or wellbeing services counties are not considered public research organizations in the context of Business Finland funding, because research is not their primary task. Therefore, they cannot act as applicants for Rise to Challenge funding.
Amount of funding available in the call
A total of 30 million euros has been reserved for the first phase of project funding. This is expected to finance 5–10 project entities.
For joint projects involving several organizations, the maximum total budget is 7.5 million euros and the maximum funding is 6 million euros. For a project by a single organization, the maximum total budget is 3.75 million euros, and the maximum funding is 3 million euros; these limits also apply per organization within joint projects.
A total of 20 million euros has been reserved for the conditional second phase of funding. For a possible two year extension period, the maximum total budget for a joint project is 5 million euros and the maximum funding is 4 million euros. For a project by a single organization, the maximum total budget is 2.5 million euros, and the maximum funding is 2 million euros; again, these limits apply per organization within joint projects.
Research organizations are funded at a rate of 80%.
Phased call, goal-oriented and staged funding
The maximum duration of a research project is five years. In this call, funding is granted for the first phase of the project, lasting up to three years. Based on the results of the first phase, the project may be granted continuation funding for an additional two years. The continuation requires that the objectives set for the first phase have been achieved.
If funding is granted for the second phase, the continuation decision will be made as a change decision to the project plan and budget, and no new funding application will be required. Business Finland’s aim is that projects which meet their first phase objectives can continue seamlessly into the second phase without interruption in funding.
Both phases can be implemented in collaboration between research organizations.
Idea call phase
In the idea call phase, the applicant defines the key research questions and the research roadmap. The research must relate to significant global needs and the new business opportunities arising from them.
Based on the standardized PowerPoint presentation, the presenters of the project ideas that best meet the call criteria will be invited for further discussions:
template for presenting the project idea (pptx)
- Mission and situational overview; novelty value of the idea
- Visualized roadmap for 2020–2035
- Impact and broad applicability of research results
- Metrics
- Project team and management
- Project content and budget estimate
- Commitment of the applicant organization to the research theme
The material must be submitted no later than Tue 3 November 2026 at 23:59 (using the PowerPoint template above) via secure email. Subject field: "Näytönpaikka-tutkimushaku, BFRK/7/910/2026".
On the basis of the material, we will select the most promising research ideas to pitch their project concept to Business Finland experts. In mid December, we will send those invited to pitch a booking link to schedule a discussion slot. The pitches will be presented to BF experts in January 2027. In connection with the pitch, the project team must demonstrate how the research organization is committed to the project and to strengthening the research team.
Feedback from the follow up discussions will be provided by 19 February 2027 at the latest.
From the idea phase, the most promising ideas are invited to proceed
Based on the January discussions, some applicants will be recommended to submit a full application by 31 March 2027. A standardized project plan must be attached to the application:
Project plan (docx)
In the full application, the key research questions and the roadmap presented in the idea phase must be further specified. The project plan must describe, at a general level, the mission and overall plan for the entire five year project, including its objectives. In addition, it must present a detailed plan for the first three year phase, including measurable objectives and a cost estimate.
In the first phase of the research project:
- the research plan is implemented
- research resources are assembled and strengthened
- interdisciplinary research needs are defined and cooperation is organized, for example with social sciences, humanities and creative fields, and international research networks are reinforced
- companies that will utilize the research results in their own R&D are committed to the project’s second phase, and other potential exploitation paths for the research are outlined
- the research plan for the second phase is refined during the project
The applicant and Business Finland will refine the measurable objectives during the preparation of the application so that they support both project steering and reporting, as well as impact monitoring. On the basis of these indicators, it will be decided whether the project will receive continuation funding after the first three year period.
Indicators for assessing the results of the project’s first phase
In its funding application, the research organization must present indicators that can be used to evaluate the results of the first phase and justify proceeding to a possible second phase of the research project (three mandatory indicators and one optional indicator). The proposed indicators must be relevant not only in terms of project organization and research quality, but also in terms of the expected societal and business impact.
Mandatory for all:
- Researcher resources at the starting point and the organization’s commitment to a permanent expansion of the relevant research field, of which this project is only one part.
- Progress of the first phase towards the mission, i.e. implementation of the project in line with the roadmap and project plan.
- Identification of exploitation paths and evidence of the commitment of users/beneficiaries to the second phase of the research.
Examples of optional indicators:
- Multidisciplinary and international cooperation relationships, objectives and plan for participating in international calls.
- Development of research infrastructures and use of existing infrastructures.
- Research results from the first phase and their (peer reviewed) publications.
Evaluation criteria
Idea call phase:
- Significance of the mission, and the uniqueness and novelty of the research idea
- Vision of the breadth of exploitation and business potential of the competence generated by the research; relevance of the resulting competence and outcomes to Finnish society
- Versatile expertise of the research group(s) in an international comparison, and the project leader’s experience and leadership capability
For those projects that are recommended to submit a full application, in addition to the above:
- Ambition level and quality of the project plan, and the plan for engaging the intended users of the results in the project
- Initial resources and RDI capabilities, and their planned development
- Development of the research project’s national and international collaboration networks
Advancing to the project's second phase is based on the achievement of objectives
The funding decision for the second phase of the project depends on the results achieved in the first phase. As a rule, the set indicators must be achieved.
In connection with the reporting of the first phase, the applicant must, in addition to the report, submit a more detailed plan and cost estimate for the project’s second phase. The plan must include the refined objectives for the second phase. If funding is granted for the second phase, the continuation decision will be made as a change decision to the project plan and budget, and no new funding application will be required.
In the second phase, the research will proceed in accordance with the refined plan. Alongside the research, additional impactful exploitation paths for the emerging results must be identified, and links with industry and other stakeholders must be further strengthened. Commercialisation paths implemented through the establishment of new companies are included among the exploitation options. This phase also includes applying for international research funding and building the international networks required for it.
The duration of the second phase is a maximum of two years.
Instructions for submitting the full application
Only some of those who participated in the idea call will be recommended to submit a full application. The full funding application must be submitted by 31 March 2027 via:
Business Finland's funding e-service
Select "Co-Research" as the funding service. You do not need to include "Notification of participation in the project" forms in the application.
In the "Programmes and other connections" section, select "Näytönpaikka” from the drop-down menu. Give the application a name in the format "Näytönpaikka – project name".
The project plan must be prepared using a separate template, which is added as an attachment to the application. link
All parties in a joint project must use the same project name. In joint projects, each research organization submits its own application in the online service, but the project plan is shared by the whole consortium. The questions in the online service are answered briefly at the level of the entire project, with a more detailed description of each party’s own contribution.
Funding is applied for the first phase of the project, for a period of three years.
Funding terms
Only research organizations are funded in this call. The funding follows the terms of the Co-Research funding service, but company participation is not expected in the first phase of the project; instead, companies may be engaged during the course of the project.