ETH Zurich Pioneer Fellowship Program 2027 for Entrepreneurial Research

Overview of the ETH Pioneer Fellowship 2027

The ETH Pioneer Fellowship Program 2027 in Switzerland offers an exceptional opportunity for entrepreneurial Master's, Doctoral, and Postdoctoral students from around the globe. Hosted by ETH Zurich, this fully funded fellowship aims to empower innovative researchers to transform their academic findings into marketable products, services, or successful spin-off companies. The program spans a duration of 10 to 18 months, providing comprehensive support to foster groundbreaking ventures. This highly competitive fellowship is designed to identify and nurture the most promising applications and entrepreneurial talents, ensuring that only projects with the highest potential are selected. Re-applications from previously rejected candidates are not permitted, emphasizing the rigorous selection process.

The fellowship is structured into two distinct tracks to cater to different entrepreneurial aspirations:

• Pioneer Fellowship Deep-Tech Incubation Program: This track is specifically designed to assist entrepreneurial ETH students and researchers in converting their advanced research-based ideas and technologies into viable products and services. The ultimate objective is to facilitate the successful launch of an ETH spin-off company, bringing cutting-edge innovations to the market.

• Pioneer Fellowship Social Impact Incubation Program: This program focuses on supporting entrepreneurial ETH students and researchers who are dedicated to developing products and services from their research that generate significant positive social impact. The goal is to establish a scalable ETH spin-off company that addresses societal challenges through innovative solutions.

Eligibility Criteria for Applicants

To be considered for the ETH Pioneer Fellowship 2027, prospective candidates must meet a stringent set of requirements, ensuring a high caliber of participants and projects:

• Applicants must possess a Master's or Doctoral degree awarded by ETH Zurich.

• The program is open to individuals or teams of 1-2 entrepreneurs who are committed to commercializing the outcomes of their research, which could stem from a Master's thesis, Doctoral thesis, or Postdoctoral research conducted at ETH.

• A compelling and promising business case must be presented, demonstrating the potential for market relevance and commercial viability.

• The proposed project must not yet involve an established company, focusing on nascent ventures.

• Crucially, both the project and the entrepreneurial team must receive full endorsement and support from a host professor at ETH Zurich. This professor must maintain their ETH position for the entire duration of the fellowship and commit to providing necessary support and infrastructure within their professorship free of charge.

Required Application Materials: The application must be meticulously prepared by the candidate and accompanied by a formal letter of support from their host professor. Key components include:

• A concise project summary outlining planned activities, market landscape, and innovation potential, ensuring no confidential information is included.

• A detailed description of the idea, grounded in ETH Zurich research results, emphasizing innovative aspects, efficiency, customer benefits, and product/service specifics. This should include evidence of market relevance, a foundational business model, commercialization strategy, and technical/market analysis. Details on intellectual property (IP) like patent applications and software, milestones, and a comprehensive explanation of anticipated expenses are also required.

• A thorough list of financial requirements.

• The candidate's complete CV, including relevant publications and a brief outline of career aspirations.

• Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest for both candidates and the host professor.

• A signed letter of support from the host professor, detailing their commitment, evaluation of the project, and the infrastructure provided.

• A 2-minute presentation video (MP4 format via Polybox) showcasing the project and motivation.

Financial Benefits and Support

The ETH Pioneer Fellowship 2027 is a fully funded program designed to cover all essential expenses for selected candidates, providing substantial financial backing to facilitate their entrepreneurial journey. Successful applicants will be awarded a significant lump sum of 150,000 CHF. This grant is intended to cover the applicant's salary costs, with the specific salary level adjusted based on the applicant's educational background, as well as other project-related expenses. Pioneer Fellows will be formally employed as scientific employees (Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeitende) at ETH Zurich under this grant.

It is important to note that the fellowship grant consistently remains at 150,000 CHF, irrespective of the number of applicants or their educational level. This grant cannot be supplemented by other research funds or professorships. However, combinations with most additional external funds, such as prize money or Innosuisse funds, are permissible. Conversely, combining the Pioneer Fellowship grant with other personal grants tied to an employment contract, such as the BRIDGE Proof of Concept grant, is not allowed.

Beyond salary, the fellowship comprehensively finances most aspects crucial to the project's success, including:

• General Expenses: This covers essential items such as equipment, project-specific consumables and materials, measurement costs at specialized facilities (e.g., FIRST, ScopeM, EPIC), and licenses for specialized software not already provided by the research group. It also includes costs for pre-clinical trials and outsourcing activities like website development, software creation, market reports, or external consultancy services.

• Travel and Field Expenses & Industry Fairs: Support is provided for participation in industry engagement or partnership events (e.g., BioEurope, Hannover Messe), customer visits, and presentations to potential investors. All these expenses must be exclusively dedicated to the project and not for personal use. All receipts must be submitted to the Finance Department for justification.

• Tuition Fees for Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS): A tuition fee of CHF 9,200 for the CAS ETH in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Technology Ventures (CAS ELTV) can be directly covered by the grant for a single candidate, as enrollment in this program is mandatory. If a team of two applies and the second candidate opts to enroll, ieLab will contribute 50% of their tuition fee.