Start-up funding for joint research projects with MIT

Researchers from all disciplines, especially ambitious young researchers who are still at the beginning of their academic career, such as qualified postdocs, e.g. habilitation candidates, participants in the Emmy Noether Program, heads of junior research groups, ERC Starting Grant recipients, junior professors, professors with tenure track and newly appointed professors can apply for the Seed Fund 2024-2025. The projects must include students and doctoral candidates as members of the team. 

The seed fund program promotes and supports early-stage collaborations between University of Stuttgart and MIT faculty members and researchers. Many of the joint projects lead to publications, additional grant awards, and the development of valuable long-term relationships between international researchers.

The program is administered and managed by the MIT International Science and Technology Initiative (MISTI). It is possible to organize contact with potential/desired research partners at MIT via MISTI.

The MIT Germany - University of Stuttgart Seed Fund 2025-2026 provides a maximum of $25,000. The application deadline is December 16, 2025.

Questions?
Please contact Justin Leahey, Managing Director Germany Seed Fund at MIT, and/or the Rectorate for Science Transfer and International Affairs at the University of Stuttgart.

In 2015, the University of Stuttgart and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/MIT agreed on this cooperation program for scientists and students, which aims to establish closer relationships in research and teaching between the two universities.