Awarded Proof of Concept grants in the 2023 call

The purpose of the Proof of Concept (PoC) grant is to bridge the gap from academic research to innovations. The grant gives researchers the opportunity to develop their early-stage discoveries towards validated methods, products or processes and provides the opportunity to carry out activities that validate and accelerate the development of the project and prepare for innovation and commercialization.

Calls in Life Science, in AI or Quantum technologies and in Materials Science are announced annually.

The KAW Proof of Concept grant is linked to the Wallenberg Launchpad (WALP) mechanism. The first phase of WALP consists of individual coaching sessions for identified candidates, preparing them for the WALP pitch and (potential) grant recommendation. The second phase provides continued support and follow-up meetings from the WALP team during the PoC project.

The grant is paid directly to the researcher's university and the use of the grant must comply with the university's regulations and the specific terms and conditions of the grant as stated by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.  Eligible to apply are those who have or have had grants from the Wallenberg Foundations and employed at a Swedish university.

A researcher can have maximum two PoC grants parallel at the same time. The same PoC application can be submitted to only one PoC grant call during a given calendar year.

Awarded Proof of Concept grants in the 2023 call of Life Science

Ilaria Testa, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
TumbleSense: a novel instrument to probe protein-protein interactions in their native environment.

Anna Dimberg, Uppsala University
New antibody treatment for aggressive brain tumors - anti-CD93 therapy to block invasion and induce anti-tumor.

Christian Hedberg, Umeå University
CryptoSafe - Selective anti-infectives to address Cryptosporidium infection.

Sophie Erhardt, Karolinska Institutet
Targeting KAT III: A novel treatment option for immune-induced cognitive impairment and psychosis.

Ulf Landegren, Uppsala University
High-throughput analysis of specific antibody reactivities.

Magnus Cinthio, Lund University
Novel ultrasound-based method to detect atherosclerotic plaques that cause strokes and heart attacks.

Paul Bourgine, Lund University
Bioengineering human mini-bones as personalized therapeutic-testing platform.

Fredrik Bäckhed, University of Gothenburg
Drug the bug: Inhibiting urocanate production to treat fibrotic disease.

Kevin Smith, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
AISmartDensity - AI Software for Targeted MRI Follow-up in Mammography.

Johan Elf, Uppsala University
SENSE-TB: Fast Phenotypic Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

Earlier years