Villum Young Investigator

The Villum Young Investigator Programme awards multi-year grants to young researchers wishing to establish their own independent research group within the technical and natural sciences at a Danish university. Grants run for five years and are intended for experienced postdoctoral researchers or early-career faculty. Recipients join a network of Villum Young Investigators and Villum Fellows and participate in annual meetings and the mandatory 'Footsteps' programme. The programme is announced once a year and selection is made through a two-stage evaluation including interviews.

Grant funding up to DKK 9 million for a five-year period; participation in the Villum Young Investigator network and annual meeting; mandatory participation in the 'Footsteps' programme (DKK 200,000 allocated).

Applicants may be experienced postdocs, assistant professors or associate professors; at the application deadline applicants must have two to eight years of research experience after completing their PhD. Applicants who have already received a similar grant are ineligible, and an applicant may apply a maximum of two times.

Open annual call; two-stage assessment with committee selection for a second round and invited interviews, followed by board decision (final decision noted for December 2026).