FAQs

The SPARK programme is intended for researchers currently employed at Danish universities or hospitals, ranging from Ph.D. students to experienced professors.

Your project must be within the field of Life Science in the areas of therapeutics, diagnostics, health tech, MedTech or industrial biotech.

We welcome and encourage diversity among project teams and are constantly in search of high-impact projects, regardless of seniority.

Master and Bachelor students cannot apply.

Ph.D. students early in their studies may apply if they can document funding for the full, two years duration of the SPARK programme.

You can apply for the SPARK programme if you have other external funding. However, the SPARK programme does not cover double funding, so you cannot apply for funding for the same activities that are already covered through another grant. You will need to disclose all other funding for the same project in your application budget.

You cannot receive funding from SPARK if you receive funding at the same time for the same project from another programme funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation e.g. NNF Pioneer grant or Beta.Health. Please contact us – or the Novo Nordisk Foundation – if you are in doubt if there is a conflict.

You cannot receive funding from SPARK when you have created a spinout or other license agreement with an industry partner on the technology described in your SPARK project. If you have already created a spinout or if you have co-owned IP with an industry partner, you are not eligible to apply for SPARK funding. If you create the spinout during the participation in SPARK – you may stay in the SPARK programme to receive mentoring and training, but you cannot continue to receive funding from SPARK.

You may apply for funding if you have IP co-owned with another academic institution.
You cannot apply for funding for a project where there is IP co-owned with an industry partner. 

SPARK Denmark will not cover the salary of the main applicant. Main applicant should confirm that (s)he has salary for the full 24 months duration of the SPARK grant.

Applicants may apply for funding of salary for research assistance (Ph.D.’s, postdocs, consultants and project management (e.g., technical and administrative assistance)). Salary costs must not exceed 50% of the total budget.

SPARK Denmark grant funds cannot be used for:

• Support of research projects with no implementation intended
• Costs related to the publication and presentation of research findings
• Salary for main applicant

No, but we finance a documented administration fee of up to 5%.

The SPARK programme applies mainly to academic projects with an identified commercial potential, but more mature projects may also be enrolled.

A project cannot be enrolled if a spinout company related to the research project has already been incorporated.

We do not require any patent applications to be filed prior to applying, but many projects will aim to file a patent application in collaboration with the local technology transfer office (TTO) during the enrolment in SPARK and we encourage that you liaise with your local technology transfer representative prior to application.

After selecting a new SPARK cohort, each project team is invited to a welcome meeting with members of the SPARK management team to discuss specific mentoring activities and establish the project plan. This includes defining milestones and a final agreement on the associated funding support. Here, you will also be introduced further to the SPARK programme, including invitations to mentor meetings, educational sessions, and other relevant events.  

You will receive a Grant Agreement including details on how the funds are paid out. The grant recipient must send an electronic invoice, following the terms of the Grant Agreement. Please note that funds will be transferred only to “Research Accounts” (Forskningskonto).

The applicant will be expected to manage the project according to the agreed project plan, and to notify SPARK Denmark of any major changes to this plan.

The applicant is expected to participate in SPARK activities (regular project meetings, mentor meetings, educational meetings, and possible relevant investor events). In addition, the team related to the projects is also welcome to join the activities.

See ‘Application guidelines’ (link) for more information.

Calls are open approximately twice a year – check our webpage for exact dates.

The aim is to start within two months after nomination (final selection). The start date will be decided in agreement with the SPARK Denmark management team.

All application material will be treated as confidential information. All reviewers, SPARK mentors and others involved in the SPARK programme will be covered by a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and/or (academic project team members and SPARK administration) are covered by their employment contract, The Public Administration Act § (clause) 27 (Forvaltningslovens § 27).

SPARK Denmark is financed by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The SPARK Denmark administration is located at the University of Copenhagen.

The SPARK Denmark Steering group is represented by the five involved universities in Denmark: AAU, AU, DTU, SDU, UCPH as well as a representative from the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

SPARK Denmark is also represented at the local technology transfer or research support office at these universities.

We aim to alternate between in-person, hybrid and virtual meetings. Most mentor meetings will be held physically at the University of Copenhagen and physical presence will be an advantage. Many webinars are held only online.

Any expenses related to travels to attend the physical SPARK activities may be added to your SPARK budget at time of application (from application round 3 and forward). Incurred travel costs which exceed your application budget will not be covered by the SPARK grant.