This is the 11th call for Societal Partner Projects (former Social Innovation Projects) within Digital Futures.
Important dates
- Call opens: 5 October 2026
- Proposal Submission Deadlines: 10 December 2026
- Expected decision on Projects: February 2027
- Expected Start of Projects: 1 July 2027, depending on the duration of project contract negotiations.
Purpose
The partner projects aim to foster research collaboration with public actors and industry and generate impact within the Digital Futures eco-system. The main goals are to position Stockholm as a leading area in the field of digitalisation, to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities related to digitalisation for different actors (industry as well as public authorities), and to foster the creation of novel and innovative project consortia that can address challenges and grow into larger consortia and initiatives.
Societal Partner Projects are the project form through which Digital Futures generates societal impact in the broader Stockholm area, in collaboration with public actors such as the City of Stockholm and Region Stockholm. The purpose of this call is to fund projects that bring digital technologies into the public sector and address the specific needs of this constellation. Triple-helix constellations that bring together actors from the academic, industrial, and public actors are encouraged.
Scope
Societal Partner Project proposals are welcome in all areas of digital transformation. The research question must include a digitalisation component and align with the Digital Futures Research Matrix by addressing at least one research theme and one societal context. More information about these areas can be found at: https://www.digitalfutures.kth.se/research/
Eligibility
PIs and Constellation
Researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University are eligible to apply in this call as PI or Co-Pis.
The following positions/titles/roles are eligible to apply: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor, Permanent full-time Researcher or equivalent (”tillsvidareanställning”) with a PhD degree and 80% employment or more at KTH or SU. Researchers from RISE (Division of Digital Systems) are eligible as co-PIs without funding from Digital Futures.
PIs or co-PIs do not need to be Digital Futures faculty when applying, but will become Digital Futures faculty if the project is granted.
Project Duration and Funding Conditions
- Minimum project duration: 1 year
- Maximum project duration: 2 years
- Maximum Digital Futures funding: up to SEK 0.5 million for a 1-year project and SEK 1 million for a 2-year project
Stockholm University will fund up to three PIs/Co-PIs.
Co-funding requirements
Societal Partner Projects must be co-funded by project partners. The partners’ combined matching contributions must at least equal the amount requested from Digital Futures (1:1).
What counts as matching funding depends on the partner:
- City of Stockholm and Region Stockholm may match the funding entirely with in-kind resources. No cash contribution is required.
- Other Digital Futures partners* are welcome to join. They may contribute cash, in-kind, or both.
In-kind contributions
In-kind contributions may include, for example, time, access to existing infrastructure or data, or access to new or existing testbeds.
Each partner must submit a Letter of Intent with the project proposal, outlining their contribution.
Project agreements
Partner projects are subject to signing a project agreement among all involved parties should the proposal be successful. The project contract primarily concerns funding and IPR. Project consortia submitting proposals under this call are encouraged to discuss and align their interests before submitting proposals to ensure a swift process once their project is accepted.
Applicable Funding Policy for Digital Futures Faculty
Researchers can be involved in several projects under different instruments, but within Digital Futures, the funding per PI is limited to 1 MSEK/year. Hence, funding that you may have received under the current Digital Futures instruments Flagship projects, Research pairs, Research pairs Consolidator and Demonstrator projects will be taken into consideration. Funding from Digital Futures to Societal Innovation Projects, and Industrial Innovation Projects, is included, but not the part from partners. Digital Futures Fellows, Postdoctoral Fellows projects, ISPP postdoc Projects, seed projects and Proof of Concept Projects are not considered.
Q&A Meeting
An optional Q&A session will be held on 9 November 09:00am online via Zoom.
Zoom link: https://kth-se.zoom.us/j/64047232941
No registration is required
Evaluation
Partner project proposals are evaluated in two steps.
Step 1:
External review based on:
- Relevance to and contribution to the Stockholm Digital Sandbox
- Scientific quality and originality
- Societal and/or industrial impact and outreach
- Team, interdisciplinarity and partner involvement
- Feasibility and project plan
Step 2:
Board recommendation: Feedback from Step 1 will inform the Digital Futures Industrial and Societal Board, which will then recommend funding to the Governing Board.
How to apply
- Prepare your application using the Partner Project Template and budget template.
- All proposals must include a Letter of Intent from partners outlining their contributions.
- Send your application file together with all supplementary material to: call@digitalfutures.kth.se with subject line: “Partner Postdoc Project Call 2026”
Contact & Questions
Contact call@digitalfutures.kth.se for further questions.
Background
About Digital Futures
Digital Futures is a cross-disciplinary research centre that explores and develops digital technologies to address major societal challenges in Sweden and globally. We generate knowledge, innovations, and future leaders of high industrial relevance and strategic importance. Today the centre involves twelve partners across the three sectors: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, AstraZeneca, City of Stockholm, Ericsson, Hitachi Energy, Region Stockholm, Saab, Scania, Skanska, and Xylem. This partnership forms the foundation of a vibrant ecosystem where scientific knowledge, innovation, and societal needs intersect. Find out more about Digital Futures here.
Digital Futures’ research is organised around its Research Matrix, which contains four societal contexts: Smart Society, Digitalised Industry, Rich and Healthy Life, and Educational Transformation, and three core scientific themes: Trust, Cooperation, and Learn.
*Digital Futures partners:
AstraZeneca, City of Stockholm, Ericsson, Hitachi Energy, Region Stockholm, Saab, Scania, Skanska, and Xylem.