Researcher–Sciencepreneur Collaboration Grant (RSCG) 2026

The RSCG is Instrument #5 of the Swiss Leading House for Africa, managed by the Innovation Office at the University of Basel. Experience from working with science-based ventures has shown that continued research collaboration is often essential for ventures to develop their technology and align it with real market expectations, this need to combine the world of research and innovation similar to swiss instruments is the basis of this call..

Every funded project connects a researcher and a science-based entrepreneur, with at least one partner from Switzerland and at least one from sub-Saharan Africa. Either role may be filled from either side of the corridor. Projects can involve co-creation workshops, immersion stays, prototyping, field validation, market discovery, or proof-of-concept work. Existing research partnerships now moving into innovation are explicitly welcome, as are previous AIT programme participants and LH Africa research grant recipients.

Projects will be selected based on the quality and complementarity of the partnership, the relevance and potential of the venture, the credibility of the proposed activities, and the African partner’s commitment to the collaboration. A jury of Swiss and African experts will evaluate and rank all eligible applications.

Eligibility:

Applications must include at least one Swiss partner (researcher or sciencepreneur affiliated with a Swiss institution of higher education, or a sciencepreneur with a company founded within the last 3 years) and at least one African partner (researcher or science-based entrepreneur). All African countries are eligible except the Maghreb region and Egypt. The Swiss partner is always the lead applicant and is responsible for financial management and reporting.

Funding:

Grants of CHF 5,000–20,000 per project support activities over up to 12 months. Full details on eligible costs, payment terms, and reporting requirements are set out in the grant agreement, which is available on the application platform. The grant agreement is standard and non-negotiable; submission of an application implies acceptance of its terms.

Application process:

Applications are submitted by the Swiss lead applicant via f6s.com. African co-applicants join the same application on the platform. The application includes a venture description, project outline, short pitch deck, and a 2-minute video introducing the collaboration — ideally featuring both partners. Apply via f6s: https://www.f6s.com/rscg-2026

TIMELINE: 

Call open – May 2026

Call deadline – 31 August 2026, midnight (CET)

Eligibility screening – week of 7 September 2026

Jury review – 8–19 September 2026

Decisions communicated – end of September 2026

Grant agreements signed – mid-October 2026

Projects start / first payment – end of October 2026

Final report and second payment – 12 months after project start