The second round of the SGW Open Competitions XS 2026 is open. SGW researchers who obtained their PhD at least 5 years ago and have a promising idea can submit an application. The deadline for submitting an application for the second round is April 7, 2026, before 14:00:00 CEST.

About the call

This call focuses on curiosity-driven, innovative research and rapid analysis of promising ideas. Furthermore, the proposed research must fall within the SGW disciplines.

The characteristics of SGW Open Competition XS research are:

  • the proposed research is innovative;
  • it is not predetermined whether the intended project goal will be achieved;
  • each project contributes to existing and new scientific insights.

XS applications are peer-reviewed based on the research idea by the applicants themselves. Therefore, applicants prepare the research idea anonymously in the application form.

Applications within this call amount to a total maximum of 20ac 50,000. The maximum duration of an XS project is two years.

Third round 2026

After this round, there will be one more round in 2026. The third round opens mid-July, with the deadline on September 15.