Villum Investigator

Technical and Scientific Research

For experienced and internationally recognised researchers with the potential to make a significant contribution to research at a Danish university.

Contact

Anders Smith

Head of Programme

Technical and Scientific Research

+45 29 66 70 86

asm@villumfonden.dk

Thomas Bjørnholm

Chief Scientific Officer

Professor

Technical and Scientific Research

+45 28 75 18 35

tb@villumfonden.dk

The ideal applicant is an active researcher who has demonstrated groundbreaking research at the highest international level for 10 years or longer.

The Villum Investigator programme is open for submission every second year.

You may apply for up to DKK 30 million, including project supplement (indirect costs).

A grant runs for six years. After the grant period, it is possible to reapply for the programme in competition with other applicants.

It takes approximately seven months from application to final approval or rejection of the application.

The assessment of applications for the Villum Investigator programme takes place in two stages. In the first stage our Working Group for Technical and Natural Science evaluates the applications and selects a number for the second stage.

In the second stage the chosen applications are sent for anonymous peer review by 3-4 independent international peers. The applicant is then called for an interview with the working group. Based on the peer reviews and the interview the working group recommends a number of applicants for funding to the board.

For the 2026 call, the board of Villum Foundation makes the final decision at their meeting in March 2027.

If you applied for the Villum Investigator programme in 2024 and were not invited for an interview, you are ineligible to apply in 2026. Applicants for the Villum Investigator call in 2026 who are not invited for an interview will be ineligible to apply in the 2028 call.