Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, and Vinnova (The Agency for Innovation Systems), Government of Sweden, is announcing grant funding to implement projects aimed at producing new solutions which, aided by artificial intelligence (AI), have significant potential to improve public health, nursing or care in Sweden and India. Projects may focus on such things as disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, improved medicines and vaccines, nursing or processes. Projects should be able to add economic value either by:

• bringing about new products and services, which can be commercialised,or
• by other means such as improved healthcare or streamlining of nursing or care

For this reason, the solution should be scalable and implementable during the lifetime of the project. The project duration may be up to three years and should start no later than 26^st of February 2021.

This call addresses groupings of at least two project partners of differing expertise; AIplus healthcare, nursing or care. The grants must be jointly applied for by Indian and Swedish partners. Applicants are welcome from all sectors. This might include companies, universities, county councils and municipalities. At least one requirement owner should be included as a project partner in the group. In this call, a requirement owner means someone who needs the solution which the project intends to develop. The requirement owner is responsible for the solution corresponding to a genuine need and that the solution can be implemented within the allotted duration of the project. Users, customers,patients and the public sector are examples of possible requirement owners.

Swedish applicants send their application to Vinnova and Indian applicants to DBT. Relevant information on this offer and a link to Vinnova’sapplication service (eServices Portal) can be found on the Vinnova website1and on DBT’s website2. Swedish applicants should submit their applications to Vinnova no later than 2 p.m. Swedish time on 28thof August2020. Indian applicants should summit their applications to DBT no later than 23.59 p.m. Indian time on 28^th of August 2020. Vinnova and DBT’s jointdecision to award or decline an application will be made by e‑mail no later than 15^th of December 2020.

Read more here.

Vinnova and DBT will only consider applications which meet the following:

• The grants must be jointly applied for by Indian and Swedish partners
• The application should meet call objectives(see Purpose of call above)
• The application must be submitted as per the format on DBT’s website (https://​dbtepromis​.nic​.in/pi/f…) Indian applicants and at Vinnova’s application service, the eServices Portal (https://​por​tal​.vin​no​va​.se/) for Swedish applicants
• All project parties must be legal entities
• Project duration is to be maximum 3 years
• The application is submitted between 15^th of February and the 28^th of August at 2 p.m. local time for Swedish applicants and 23.59 p.m. local time for Indian applicants.