Call for Proposals: ScaDS.AI Early Career Innovation Projects on the Future of AI (formerly known as Seed-Grants)

This call aims to foster innovation and promote young scientific talent by supporting high-risk, high-gain project ideas addressing the future of Artificial Intelligence. The initiative gives support for learning how to apply for research funding in joint proposal-writing sessions and an internal open-to-all pitch symposium and early-career researchers, leading to independent project funding for selected candidates.

What can be funded?

Funding is provided for individual projects for cost of up to six months (TV-L E13 equivalent), with contracts ending no later than 31st December 2026. Eligible costs are limited to personnel expenses. The total budget available for all funded projects is 250,000 Euro.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include recent Bachelor’s / Master’s graduates, project employees, PhD candidates towards the end of their project time, and postdoctoral researchers who do not hold a position at ScaDS.AI / UL for a substantial period in 2026. Applicants not holding a Master’s degree at the time of the pitch symposium, can only apply for an E11 position.

How to apply

Applications consist of a one-page proposal outlining the project idea, the expected outcome (e.g. scientific publication, software prototype, demonstrator, start-up concept, or follow-up grant proposal). It should explain shortly how the project fits into the main research areas of ScaDS.AI (Knowledge-based AI, Neurosymbolic AI, Machine Learning Foundations, AI-Driven Data Science & Models, Life Science & Medicine, Math Foundations of AI, AI-related Hardware-Software integration). The proposal should also contain a personnel-only budget plan. An attached short support letter from the hosting principal investigator from ScaDS.AI in Leipzig or Leipzig University should outline how they are supporting the project. Finishing thesis writing is not a sufficient project outcome. Proposals must be submitted via EasyChair by the applicants for the positions themselves. Pre-selected proposals must attend an internal, open-to-all Pitch-Symposium where the funded projects are selected by a Jury.

Selection criteria

Project pre-selection for the pitches will be done based on these criteria: a) Innovation, b) in-scope for ScaDS.AI and c) economic feasibility. Project selection is carried out by a jury of four to five principal investigators or team leads. Based on proposal reviews, performance at the pitch symposium and ensuring gender/topic-area/career-level diversity, the jury will select projects for funding. If not available, pitch speakers can be substituted by colleagues at a similar career level.

Timeline

• 14 January: Call opens

• 20 January, 1 pm: Joint proposal-writing session (optional, Seminar Room B05.23 Collmberg, 5th floor, ScaDS.AI, Löhrstraße 18)

• 23 January, 11:59pm: Submission deadline

• 13 February: Announcement of pre-selected projects

• 18 February, 9am: Joint pitch-preparation session (optional, Seminar Room B05.23 Collmberg, 5th floor, ScaDS.AI, Löhrstraße 18)

• 24 February, 2pm: Pitch Symposium and final funding decision (Seminar Room B05.23 Collmberg, 5th floor, ScaDS.AI, Löhrstraße 18)

Contact

In case of questions reach out to robert.haase@uni-leipzig.de or join the proposal writing session on January 20^th or the joint pitch preparation session on February 18th.