Call for Seed Funding Proposals: Advancing Transdisciplinary AI Research

The Centre for Transdisciplinary AI (TAIGA) is pleased to announce a seed funding opportunity to support innovative transdisciplinary AI research projects. This call aims to empower researchers to develop and refine ideas that integrate methodologies or knowledge from at least two distinct disciplines that advances the state of the art. Our goal is to provide the time, travel support, or resources you need to craft robust applications for external funding opportunities in the near future. 
 
We invite applications for projects that:

• Combine expertise and/or methodologies from multiple disciplines to tackle complex problems or generate novel insights.
• Have the potential to advance state-of-the-art AI research, whether through theoretical breakthroughs, novel applications, environmental impacts, or insights into societal consequences. 
• Align with the strategic priorities of TAIGA, including ethical and human-centered AI.

Successful projects should aim to submit a full research proposal to an external funding body (e.g., VR, Formas, Wallenberg, ERC) within the next 1–2 funding cycles. 
 
The total available sum for this call is 1 million SEK, the maximum sum awarded to each project is 100 000 SEK (incl. all costs and overhead). If a proposal gets approved, 50% of the funding will be provided, with the other 50% provided pending final submission of the proposal for which the seed funding is awarded. 

Eligibility

The main applicant must be employed at Umeå University. Collaborators from other institutions are welcome to be included and funded within the project, but the project must be led by a researcher from Umeå University, with Umeå University as the administrating organisation for future research applications. No previous affiliation with TAIGA is needed to apply.

Funding Scope

Seed funding may be used to:

• Cover time for project development and planning.
• Support travel or networking necessary for project advancement.
• Acquire resources or preliminary data critical for building a strong external funding application.

Application Requirements

Applicants should submit the following:

1. A two-page description of the research idea, including its interdisciplinary approach, potential impact, targeted external funding bodies, and alignment with the AI center’s priorities.
2. A budget outlining requested funding and its intended use, including overhead.
3. A short CV (max two pages) for each participating researcher.

Deadline

The deadline for submissions is 11th of April 2025. 
We aim to have decisions made in early May (final date will follow).

Application Process

Please submit your application as a single PDF document to info.taiga@umu.se. Submissions will be evaluated based on their potential quality, novelty, interdisciplinary scope, alignment with the AI center’s mission, and potential to secure external funding. 
 
We encourage researchers from all fields and faculties to apply and seize this opportunity to push the boundaries of AI research through collaboration and innovation. 

Further information

For further information, please contact TAIGA project administrator Anna Lindström or the director Frank Dignum.
 
We look forward to receiving your proposals!