2026 International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges
The International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges represents a collaboration among research funders from the Åland Islands, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and the United Kingdom to support international, interdisciplinary and transformative research aimed at harnessing disruptive technology to address major global societal challenges.
Description
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all member states of the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They are a call to action for all countries to work together to tackle major and interlinked global challenges to ensure long-term peace and prosperity. There has been global recognition that the world is behind on achieving the SDGs by their 2030 deadline. Indeed, the challenges facing humanity seem to be intensifying. Concurrently, advances in science, communication and disruptive technology are changing the world around us.
This call aims to harness the potential of disruptive technology to offer novel solutions to global challenges and accelerate progress towards achieving the SDGs. More research is needed on how disruptive technologies can have transformative economic or societal impacts to improve the lives of people and the planet in contextually appropriate interventions.
In this call, “disruptive technology” is defined as “an innovation whose application replaces or radically alters systems, processes and/or behaviours to have transformative economic or societal impacts. The impact may be localized or far-reaching. Disruptive technology may include cutting-edge and novel innovations, or the application of an existing innovation in a new context, bringing about substantial change or paradigm shifts.”
Research harnessing disruptive technologies to address global challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach—including expertise from the natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, social sciences and humanities—across a multitude of sectors, including academia, government, not-for-profit organizations, community organizations and private industry. Co-development of research and solutions in partnership with affected stakeholders is essential for long-term success.
This interdisciplinary and stakeholder-oriented approach is instrumental in driving change at an international level and will advance progress on achieving the SDGs. Projects in this call must directly address at least one of the SDGs.
The 17 SDGs are:
- No poverty
End poverty in all its forms everywhere. - Zero hunger
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. - Good health and well-being
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. - Quality education
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. - Gender equality
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. - Clean water and sanitation
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. - Affordable and clean energy
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. - Decent work and economic growth
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. - Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. - Reduced inequalities
Reduce inequality within and among countries. - Sustainable cities and communities
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. - Responsible consumption and production
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. - Climate action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. - Life below water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. - Life on land
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. - Peace, justice and strong institutions
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. - Partnerships for the goals
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
Recognizing there are gaps in the SDGs, particularly related to Indigenous communities, projects may also apply if they are addressing a global challenge that is not captured by the SDGs.
Expectations for funded projects
The International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges call will support research projects focused on harnessing disruptive technologies to address at least one of the SDGs or another recognized global challenge. Projects may be focused on developing or implementing a disruptive technology, or research on the impact of a disruptive technology on society and/or economies.
Projects must be interdisciplinary, integrating information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts or theories from two or more disciplines or bodies of specialized knowledge. Projects must involve disciplines from at least two of the following three areas: natural sciences and engineering; social sciences and humanities; and health and life sciences.
Projects are expected to include appropriate stakeholders and end users in the co-development and co-leadership of the project. Engagement with other sectors, as appropriate, will help identify implementation barriers as well as help develop strategies to overcome them. A trans-sectoral approach, involving the academic, research, economic (businesses), societal (governmental and non-governmental organizations) and/or community sectors, as appropriate, ensures relevant outcomes while positioning research for uptake and use, which will maximize impacts in the long-term. Non-academic stakeholders may be included as team members or collaborators.
Each project team must be eligible to receive funds from at least three participating funding organizations. To fulfill this requirement, the project team must include a minimum of three co-principal investigators (co-PIs), and each must be eligible to receive funding from a different participating funding organization. One co-PI must be eligible to apply to the New Frontiers in Research Fund.
Participating funding organizations
- Dutch Research Council (NWO)—The Netherlands
- International Development Research Centre (IDRC)—Canada (eligible countries: Ghana, Indonesia, Namibia, Peru, Rwanda, Zimbabwe)
- New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF)—Canada
- NordForsk—Åland Islands, Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
- Research Ireland—Ireland
- São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)—Brazil
- Spanish State Research Agency (AEI)—Spain
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)—Switzerland
- National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)—Taiwan
- UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)—United Kingdom
Some funding organizations are still subject to budgetary confirmation.
Contact list
If you would like to connect with other researchers interested in this call, we invite you to join our contact list. Complete this survey before February 9, 2026, and you will be added to a list where your contact information will be shared with others interested in participating in this call, and their information will be shared with you. By submitting the survey, you consent to the information you provide being shared with other potential applicants.
More information about the call will be available when it officially launches in January 2026.
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