Supporting Exceptional and Innovative Ideas
The Seed Funding Program supports exceptional and unorthodox ideas for projects with up to 50,000 € in funding. The program aims to foster collaboration within and between the MCQST research units. Calls for proposals are made twice a year.
Funding Criteria
- Eligibility: MCQST PIs (core and associated) and Postdocs (with support letter from a PI) from MCQST research groups are eligible to apply.
- Only one application per group is permitted. Therefore, either a PI or a Postdoc from a group may apply. Special cases: START Fellows and Distinguished Postdocs are considered as PIs.
- Researchers who received Seed Funding in the most recent call cannot apply until the next funding round.
- Preference will be given to junior and female researchers.
- Projects that connect different research units, encourage collaboration, or have high-risk, high-gain potential will be prioritized.
- Successful seed funding projects are expected to seek additional third-party support upon completion.
How to apply
How to apply
Applications for MCQST Seed Funding should include:
- A completed application form, including a budget plan (maximum two pages).
- For Postdocs: A support letter from a PI.
The funding period of this eleventh call will range from January 1, 2025, to June 30, 2025. Applications are open until October 21.
Please send your application form to support[at]mcqst.de
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Selected success stories
Shaping the group's profile
The results from the project shaped the main research direction (quantum networks) of Andreas’ group. Moreover, the project enabled a successful major grant application (BMBF) targeting portable quantum network nodes based on erbium-doped silicon.
Project by Andreas Reiserer (TUM)
© C. Hohmann / MCQST Establishing long-term collaboration
The project has helped solidify Amanda's research relationship with her collaborator Angelo Lucia. The two scientists have already planned future projects.It is a collaboration that Amanda expects to continue for years to come.
Project by Amanda Young (TUM)
Scientific breakthrough
Facilitated by the flexible funding, the group was able to produce the so-far coldest Fermi gas of polar molecules thus far. The groundbreaking results were published in Nature and featured on the magazine’s cover.
Project by Xinyu Luo (MPQ)
Kick-starting a new laboratory
The seed funding project has provided Kirill with an essential experimental and theoretical basis for the follow-up project on “Quantum Microwave Tokens & Memories” (QuaMToMe) funded by BMBF with a total budget of 1.9 M€.
Project by Kirill Fedorov (WMI)
Encouraging innovative ideas
A follow-up project was recently awarded additional funding by SPRIND (Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation in Germany). This agency supports radical new ideas and technologies in Germany. The group became the first successful SPRIND awardees at LMU.
Project by Samarth Vadia (LMU)
Exploring new directions
The funding enabled the exploration of a new research direction focused on mechanical tuning of electronic properties in twisted 2D systems. Now, the group is close to harnessing both the in-plane and out-of-plane strain as tuning parameters.
Project by Martin Lee (LMU)
© Christoph Hohmann (MCQST) Seed Funding: A Match Made in Munich
A physicist and a chemist, who probably wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for MCQST, are currently developing a new kind of quantum camera. Andreas Stier and Dominik Bucher intend to use it primarily to study ultra-thin 2D materials.