ULS ECR Technology voucher programme

Call for applications: ULS ECR Technology Vouchers

Are you an Early Career Researcher with a research idea that new technology, specialist facilities or complementary expertise could help you take further?
Utrecht Life Sciences (ULS) is launching a new ECR Technology Voucher Programme. Through this programme, Early Career Researchers can apply for a €2.500,- voucher (ex VAT) to use at one of the facilities listed on the ULS Facilities website.
The aim is simple: to give ECRs the opportunity to explore new technologies, generate pilot data, test an innovative idea or establish a new connection with a research facility elsewhere in the Utrecht Life Sciences community.
What can the voucher be used for?
The €2.500,- voucher can be spent on services, technologies or expertise offered by a facility listed on the ULS Facilities website. We particularly encourage you to use the opportunity to explore an approach, technology or facility that is new to your research.
Explore the available facilities here: https://www.ulsfacilities.nl/

Who can apply?
For this call, we define an Early Career Researcher as an Assistant Professor (UD) or junior group leader.
A few additional conditions apply:
• You may only submit one proposal
• You may not apply for a project at a facility that is led by your own research group.
• You may apply to another facility within your own department or institute, provided it is not led by your own research group.
• The facility you wish to use must be listed on the ULS Facilities website.
• The vouchers must be spent in 2026, so the invoicing must be completed before the end of 2026 and the activity must be started in 2026.
• If you are unsure whether a facility is sufficiently independent from your own research group, please contact us via utrechtlifesciences@uu.nl before applying.

How to apply?
Apply using the link to the application form below (yellow registration block)
We want the application process to be as simple and accessible as possible. In your proposal, briefly describe:
• Your idea: what would you like to test, explore or achieve, at which facility and why this facility? (max 3000 characters including spaces)
• The next step: what could you do with the results if the experiment or pilot is successful? (max 1000 characters including spaces)

Before submitting, we recommend contacting the facility to check whether the invoicing can be completed before the end of 2026 and your proposed activity can be started in 2026.

Voucher value: €2.500,- ex VAT
Number of vouchers available: 6
Application deadline: October 23^rd

How will the vouchers be awarded?
There will be no formal scientific review or ranking of proposals.
After the application deadline, all submissions will undergo a brief completeness and eligibility check to confirm that they meet the conditions of the programme.
All complete and eligible proposals will then enter a lottery, from which six proposals will be randomly selected to receive a ULS ECR Technology Voucher.
This approach is deliberately simple: we want to keep the administrative burden low and give all eligible ideas an equal chance of receiving support.

Discover. Connect. Experiment.
ULS brings together research facilities and expertise from across the Utrecht Science Park. The Technology Vouchers are an invitation to look beyond your usual research environment, discover what is available and make new connections.
What could you do with €2.500,- and access to a technology you have never used before?
Explore the ULS Facilities website, find a facility that could help move your idea forward, and apply for a ULS ECR Technology Voucher.
We look forward to seeing your ideas!

Best regards,
Utrecht Life Sciences