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Research Council of Norway: its industrial innovation call closes on 1 October, quantum and industrial-symbiosis calls on 14 October

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By TrustList Editorial

The Research Council of Norway closes its Innovation Project for the Industrial Sector call, which covers software and IT services, at 13:00 on 1 October 2026. Two company calls close on 14 October; SkatteFUNN 2026 details are not yet published.

About Research Council of Norway: its industrial innovation call closes on 1 October, quantum and industrial-symbiosis calls on 14 October

Research Council of Norway: its industrial innovation call closes on 1 October, quantum and industrial-symbiosis calls on 14 October

30 September 2026 — The Research Council of Norway, the government's main research funder, has several calls open to companies this autumn. The one most relevant to software and IT firms, the Innovation Project for the Industrial Sector, is closing: a notice on the call page says it "will close on 1 October 13.00 CET". Two other calls open to companies close on 14 October 2026.

Innovation Project for the Industrial Sector: closes 1 October

The call funds company-led research and development for new products, services or processes. It names the ICT industry among its sectors and defines it as "software, IT services, telecommunications, computer systems and digital platforms".

  • Amounts: NOK 1 million to 16 million per project, from NOK 678 million expected to be available, of which NOK 40 million is reserved for circular-economy projects. Projects run 12 to 48 months.
  • Rates: up to 50% of each company's costs. Industrial research is funded at 50%. Experimental development is funded at 45% for small companies, 35% for medium and 25% for large.
  • Who leads: a private company registered in the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises with economic activity in Norway. Sole proprietorships can be partners but not project owners. At least one other Norwegian company, or commissioned research from an R&D provider, must take part.
  • Limits: one application per calendar year across these calls, submitted once. Work started before submission, IP protection, market research and marketing are not funded.

Calls closing on 14 October 2026

  • Industry-oriented Quantum Technology: deadline 14 October 2026, 13:00 CEST. Companies can apply for NOK 1 million up to 75 million, research organisations up to 16 million, from NOK 116.2 million available. A company-led project needs at least one approved Norwegian research organisation. Company rates range from 70% for industrial research in a small company down to 25% for experimental development in a large one, with a collaboration bonus of up to 15 percentage points, capped at 80%.
  • Capacity Boost to Strengthen Regional Industrial Symbioses: the deadline was postponed to 14 October 2026, 13:00. Projects run for 48 to 60 months at NOK 20 million to 27 million each, from NOK 127.3 million available. At least two Norwegian non-research user partners must together bear at least 15% of the amount sought.

Open-ended: public-sector innovation and SkatteFUNN

The call for research-based innovation in the Norwegian public sector (NOK 3 million to 10 million per project) is open-ended. It is led by public agencies, with companies taking part as partners. SkatteFUNN, the right-based R&D tax deduction for Norwegian companies, is listed as open-ended for projects starting in 2026. Its 2026 page, however, still reads "Information Will Be Updated" and states no deduction rate or cap.

Not yet independently verified. SkatteFUNN’s 2026 deduction rate and cap, and a fixed closing date for the public-sector innovation call, are not yet on the Research Council’s pages. The publisher has not stated it yet; we will update the dates here as we hear from the publisher. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

What to do

  • Norwegian software firms with an industrial R&D application in progress have until 13:00 on 1 October; the call page's notice says the call will then close.
  • Companies with quantum-related work, or taking part in a regional industrial-symbiosis consortium, have until 13:00 on 14 October.
  • Firms planning SkatteFUNN claims for 2026 projects should check the scheme page for the rates before relying on last year's.

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