ETH Zurich Pioneer Fellowship
ETH Pioneer Fellowship
Closes in 18 days
Applications close 2026-09-01.
GIVEN, equity-free: Deep-Tech track pays CHF 120,000 for 12 months (ICT, space tech, engineering and others) or CHF 180,000 for 18 months (life sciences, pharma, medtech). The Global Development track pays CHF 150,000 for 18 months across all fields. TAKEN: nothing - ETH takes no equity through the fellowship, though separate licence terms apply if you license ETH IP. About 5-6 Deep-Tech and 1 Global Development fellowship are granted per call.
You must co-fund 0%.
ETH Zurich
public · national
Deadline: cutoff — The application portal opens 1 July 2026 and closes 1 September 2026 at 5pm Swiss time. Deep-Tech interviews are scheduled for 29 October 2026; the Global Development interview date is to be confirmed.
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Major bid — written case, budget, possibly partners.
Who can apply
- Sectors: deeptech, health, space, ai, social
- Stage: idea
- Locally registered entity required
Applicant must be an ETH Master's or doctoral student or ETH researcher wishing to commercialise ETH research. The company must NOT yet be incorporated at the time of application. Global Development projects must serve populations earning under USD 10 per day in eligible low- and middle-income countries.
How to apply
- Secure the support of an ETH host professor - the project must be fully backed by them
- Prepare the business case and technical plan
- Apply through the ETH Pioneer Fellowship portal before the September deadline
- Interview with the selection panel
- Fellowship starts; the company must not yet be incorporated at application
What you will need
- Application form and project proposal
- Letter of support from an ETH host professor
- Business case
- CV
Source. https://entrepreneurship.ethz.ch/startups-spinoffs/find-offers-programs-space-grants-for-entrepreneurs/pioneer-fellowship.html — checked 2026-08-14
"CHF 120'000 for 12 months (ICT/Space Tech/Engineering/Others) or CHF 180'000 for 18 months (Life Sciences / Pharma / Medtech)"