All DTU students, PhD's and postdocs + alumni (within 1 year from graduation) and teams with at least one DTU profile in the founder team can apply. The special call is made possible through the partnership initiative 'Technology Leaving No One Behind' between DTU, the Bevica Foundation and Disabled People's Organizations Denmark with the objective of making inclusion and accessibility a natural part of engineering new sustainable technological solutions at DTU.
The special call is part of Skylab Funding with common deadline once every semester.
Funding application guidelines
The application should be no more than 3 pages and include at least the following content:
- 1 page with a brief description of the project: what is new about it, what potential does it have and how will you do it?
- 1 page should introduce the team behind the project. We encourage you to work in multidisciplinary teams since they are usually stronger.
- 1 page should include the project budget (for the applied amount) and a description of how you will use the support.
- Always include a description of how the funding can help your project. Where do you stand now, and where will the funding get you.
- It's a good idea to include a short description of how the idea has emerged where you stand today.
- Include a short description of market research and results already carried out/obtained by the project.
- A detailed estimated budget of up to DK100,000 with a Time Plan for the project.
- The time plan should stretch over no longer than a 6-month period.
Evaluation criterial for applications
When evaluating the application, we will emphasize the following criteria:
- Accessibility and universal design: is the object of the project and the business model to create a mindset, environment or product design to ensure that people with motoric disabilities have equal opportunities as people without a disability through either an assistive technology or a mainstream product with inclusive design?
- Example: you have created a solution that gives people with motoric disability equal opportunity regarding e.g. education, work, transportation, health, social activities or other aspects of life and society, as people without disability, or a solution that considers fill usability be people of different age groups with different physiological, psychological and/or economic ability.
- Societal and public benefit (Samfundsnytte): Does the project have a spoken, or unspoken, ambition to have a positive impact on the environment, society or similar. Does the project have the potential to create employment or empowerment of large groups of people?
- Example: you have created a solution that can replace existing solutions that are using non-renewable energy.
- Market potential: Are you able to describe that there is a market for the product/service. Does the team have a realistic and clear view of how to reach the market?
- Example: did you call three companies and ask them if they would be willing to buy your product or service. Can you get them to sign a letter of intent?
- Value for money: Will the grant make a big difference for the project? Do they need funding at this point?
- Innovation project: is the technology/service or design new in any way? Does the startup have a realistic view of competitors and a strategy to fit into the market and do they have insight in the work of their competitors.
- Team: Does the team have the needed competences to fulfill their plans? Do they have a strategy to find missing competences and can they describe it clearly?
Apply for Bevica Seed Grants through Skylab Funding here:
https://www.skylab.dtu.dk/programmes/funding
If you want to know more about the initiative or you have an inclusive idea for a star-up, please contact:
