Application guidelines for TIA Seed funding
Please read the application instructions on this page before filling out the application.
The link to the application system is at the bottom of this page (the application form will open on September 15, 2025).
Goals
The Tandem Industry Academia Seed funding is intended for researchers who have recently entered the Finnish research funding system, are in the early stages of their careers in Finland, and are on the professor career path.
The purpose of the funding is to initiate and accelerate research work and industry collaboration, thereby creating significant advancements in developing Finnish expertise and strengthening global competitiveness.
The goal of the funding is to establish a new area of expertise in Finland. In the evaluation of applications, emphasis is placed on defining the new area of expertise and its relevance to the development of Finland’s economy and to critical areas of national security, both now and in the future. This includes already identified key areas with skill gaps as well as future critical areas. In defining the skill gap, societal impact is of central importance.
Who can apply?
The funding is intended for professor-level researchers who have been employed at a Finnish university or research institute for no more than three years at the time of application and who have resided continuously outside Finland for at least five consecutive years before coming to Finland.
An exception to the three-year employment condition may be made for a specific reason, such as maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, compulsory military service, civil service, or long-term illness.
The funding is granted to the Academic Partner, which acts as the employer of the professor and any other researchers employed for the project.
Industry collaboration
The project must involve collaboration with at least two Finnish companies. The contact persons from these companies, as named in the application, must be committed to participating in the project and contributing to the development and utilization of the relevant expertise in their own organizations.
The applicant must name the committed industry partners and their contact persons in the application form. The applicant should generally have no significant connections to the industry partners (e.g., board membership or ownership of more than 5% of the company).
An industry partner can be a company operating in Finland with at least one full-time employee. The company may operate in international markets, but it must have a limited liability company (“osakeyhtiö”) registered in Finland and carry out activities relevant to the project. The designated contact person must work in the Finnish company.
In the collaboration plan attached to the application, the applicant must describe:
- the role of each company in the project, and
- how the collaboration will benefit both the companies and the broader Finnish business sector.
Funding period and financing
The duration of the funded project is up to three years from the start of funding. The project must start between January 1, 2026, and March 1, 2026. Any request to delay an already granted funding must be agreed separately with the Finnish Research Impact Foundation for a justified reason.
The project may consist of joint precompetitive research and other supporting activities. TIA Seed funding supports projects with a budget of approximately 200 000 euros. The funding can be used to cover: salary costs, overheads, travel costs, material costs, and publication and collaboration-related expenses. Up to 20% of the total budget may be allocated to the applicant’s (professor’s) own salary costs. Salary costs can also be budgeted for researchers working in support of the project leader, such as doctoral students or postdoctoral researchers.
Material costs cannot include equipment purchases or investments, but costs related to data acquisition may be considered. Travel costs cannot include regular commuting between home and workplace. Other costs may include, for example, expenses related to publishing. All other costs must be justified in the free-text field of the budget section.
Eligibility and organisation’s consent
The applicant must confirm with their academic host organization that the funding is suitable for the organization, and have the project budget, salary levels, and costs verified (e.g., by the financial administration of the organization).
The applicant must attach the organization’s consent (letter of commitment) to apply for the funding. A link to the funding terms can be found in the application form.
Submission and application process
The call has two stages. In stage one, the application must be submitted electronically via the foundation’s application system by October 26, 2025, at 11:59 PM. Saved applications can be edited in the system until the end of the application period and for 24 hours after submission. The application must be completed by the applicant (the professor).
In stage two, a selection of applicants will be invited to interviews, to be held on Monday, November 24, 2025, and Friday, November 28, 2025. Instructions for the interview will be sent to invited applicants in November. Interviews will generally be conducted in person in Helsinki, with efforts to accommodate applicants’ schedules.
Applications will be evaluated by the foundation and by external reviewers. Funding decisions will be made shortly after the final interviews and communicated to second-stage applicants in December 2025.
The application form
- Basic information of the applicant
In this section, you are asked for basic details about yourself and the academic host organization.
Attachments needed (in PDF format):
- Letter of commitment from academic organization
- CV and list of publications, including up to 10 key publications and a proven track record of the applicant’s research relevant to the project’s theme.
- Information about the project
In this section, you are required to provide information about the project, including a public description of the project in both English and Finnish, a preliminary schedule and division of labor, and the project budget.
Attachments needed (in PDF format):
- Project plan (max 5 pages), including answers to the following question:
- What are the objectives of the project?
- How will the objectives be achieved?
- What unique innovations and opportunities does this project introduce from the perspective of Finnish expertise, and how do these contribute to enhancing Finland’s global competitiveness?
The project budget should cover the duration of the project. You need to enter salary costs and overheads for yourself (i.e., PI). Please note that your salary (with related indirect employee costs and overheads) cannot exceed 20% of the total budget. Additionally, you may budget salary costs for researchers (such as postdoctoral researchers and/or doctoral students).
The budget may also include travel and material expenses, as well as costs associated with publishing and collaboration. Please note that funding does not cover investments (such as equipment) but may include costs such as data and data acquisition. Travel costs cannot be used for regular commute expenses.
- Collaboration and industrial partnerships
In this section, you are asked to provide information on at least two industrial partners and name a steering group comprising one representative from each company and a representative from the academic organization (other than the PI).
Attachments needed (in PDF format):
- Collaboration plan (max 2 pages), including answers to the following question:
- Describe the role of each company in achieving the project’s objectives and how the companies benefit from the collaboration
- Describe the forms of collaboration with each company (e.g. thesis work, joint courses, joint research)
- Outline how the results of the project will be transferred for the benefit of the business sector
- Describe how each company participates in developing and utilizing the expertise gained in the project
- Agreements
In this section, you need to review and accept the general terms of the funding, as well as check the other requested consents.
