EQT Foundation opens applications for breakthrough science grants to reduce dependence on critical minerals for the green transition

EQT Foundation is launching a new open call for proposals under its Science Grants program, focused on critical mineral substitutes for the green transition. The program will award catalytic, non-dilutive grants of €25,000 to €100,000 to researchers developing high-risk, high-impact deeptech solutions that reduce or eliminate the use of critical and strategic raw materials in key climate technologies. Designed to accelerate bold scientific ideas with strong translational potential, the call is open to scientists affiliated with accredited nonprofit institutions worldwide.

The global transition to net zero depends on technologies such as batteries, electric motors, power electronics, photovoltaics, and electrolyzers. Many of these rely on a narrow set of critical minerals whose supply is concentrated, volatile, and often associated with significant environmental and social costs. As demand for clean technologies scales, dependence on these materials risks creating bottlenecks, increasing costs, and slowing decarbonization efforts. (1)

This grant call aims to support frontier science that replaces or radically reduces the use of critical minerals, while improving performance, cost, and sustainability. The program seeks solutions that begin in the lab but are designed to move toward real-world deployment, helping to unlock resilient and scalable pathways for the green transition.

The program seeks research at the intersection of deeptech innovation and climate application, with a focus on:

• Substitutes for critical minerals in energy storage and conversion: materials, chemistries, and device architectures that reduce reliance on constrained inputs in batteries and electrochemical systems, while remaining manufacturable and competitive
• Rare-earth-free magnets and machine designs: innovations that significantly reduce or eliminate rare earth elements in magnets, motors, and generators without unacceptable efficiency or performance trade-offs
• Earth-abundant materials for solar, power electronics, and grid technologies: materials and system designs that reduce dependence on scarce inputs while meeting stability, reliability, and manufacturability requirements
• Circular substitutes through recycling, reuse, and “virtual” substitution: technologies that displace virgin critical mineral demand through novel recovery, purification, and re-manufacturing approaches

Cilia Holmes Indahl, CEO of EQT Foundation, comments: “The green transition cannot scale if it remains constrained by a small set of critical minerals with fragile supply chains. Through this grant program, we aim to support bold scientists developing frontier materials and technologies that can fundamentally change how clean energy systems are built.”

In addition to funding, selected grantees will benefit from access to EQT’s global network, including technical experts, potential industry partners, and tailored commercialization and founder support to help bridge the gap from scientific discovery to scalable impact.

Applications open on January 27, 2026, and close on February 25, 2026, at 23:59 CET. 

Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of scientific, technical, and translational experts. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interviews with the EQT Foundation team, with final decisions communicated shortly thereafter.

To apply, visit:
https://eqtgroup.com/eqt-foundation/grant-submission

1. International Energy Agency. (2021). Reliable supply of minerals. In The role of critical minerals in clean energy transitions (World Energy Outlook Special Report). IEA. https://www.iea.org/reports/the-role-of-critical-minerals-in-clean-energy-transitions/reliable-supply-of-minerals

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