The Center for Space and Habitability offers different resources and funding opportunities for current CSH members as well as researchers looking to join the Center.
Here you will find information about our own offers, such as the CSH Fellowship and the ERC/SNSF Starting Grant, as well as national and international funding opportunities from external institutions.
The SNSF provides funding for fundamental research across all scientific disciplines through a large variety of funding schemes and programs including BRIDGE, Ambizione and Starting Grants, National Centers of Competence in Research (NCCR), National Research Projects (NRP) and many more.
Specifically for space research, the SNSF offers the funding scheme MARVIS—Multidisciplinary Applied Research Ventures in Space—commissioned by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), focusing on (i) the contribution of space travel to a sustainable future, (ii) ensuring a rapid response in emergency situations, and (iii) protecting space assets.
SERI supports the development of innovative technologies, scientific instruments and applications in the space sector. Funding can take various forms, including direct grants for research projects, support for the development of new technologies, and the promotion of cooperation between universities and industry.
Switzerland participates in many of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) and European Union’s space activities and programs. SERI provides support through three key areas, (i) ESA-run PRODEX (Program for the Development of Scientific Experiments), (ii) support of National Research Activities in the Space Sector, and (iii) Space Technology and Applications Development in collaboration with ESA.
The Swiss Innovation Agency contributes to sustainable economic, social and ecological development by promoting science-based innovations. It offers funding for national and international projects, as well as project or start-up set-up assistance and networking, notably the Flagship Initiative, and the joint SNSF BRIDGE Grant.
The ESA Business Incubation Centre Switzerland is a nationwide initiative powered by the European Space Agency (ESA) and ETH Zurich. It offers extensive support packages to start-ups that exploit technologies related to space for application on Earth or technologies from Earth adapted for usage in space.
ISSI offers funding for scientific interactions and collaborative research through a range of tools directed at both groups of researchers and individual scientists, including international teams, general and breakthrough workshops, working groups and forums, and the Johannes Geiss Fellowship.
Switzerland is a member state of ESA, and Swiss institutions can participate in various ESA programs such as ESA PRODEX (Program for the Development of Scientific Experiments; see SERI/SSO above), GSTP (General Support Technology Program) and ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunicaitons Systems).
ESA’s Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP) is designed to collect innovative ideas and gives an overview of all ESA related calls and funding opportunities.
Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation. The current funding program runs until 2027 with a new framework for excellence, innovation and competitiveness proposed for 2028-2034.
Switzerland joined Horizon Europe (and other key EU research and innovation programs) on November 10, 2025—this agreement now places Swiss researchers and organizations on the same footing as those in EU Member States and allows them to lead consortia, receive direct EU funding, and access all thematic pillars and instruments of the programs.
The NOMIS-ETH Fellowship Program is intended to foster young interdisciplinary researchers in the field of the origin and prevalence of life who have demonstrated scientific excellence in the early stages of their careers.
