Call for Projects in Partnership with the Canton of Vaud
Transform your data into a large-scale project
Are you a Vaud-based company, an academic-industrial consortium, or representatives of the cantonal public administration with exploitable data? Do you want to launch an innovation project and benefit from the expertise of the Swiss Data Science Center? Benefit from financial support from the Canton of Vaud of up to CHF 100,000, and technical expertise of up to 1.2 full-time equivalents (FTE) provided by the SDSC, to help you transform your data into high-impact artificial intelligence solutions.
This call for Vaud projects, run jointly by the SDSC and the Canton, aims having a tangible and lasting impact on the economy and public community of the Vaud region. We support collaborative projects in the field of data science, bringing together the strengths of academic excellence, companies, particularly SMEs and public actors.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to write to us.
benefits
From idea to implementation
Funding
Up to CHF 100,000
Ressources
An average of 0.6 FTE to 1.2 FTE in data science for 6 to 12 months
Support
Methodological and technical support, coaching
Neutrality
Neutral environment and an unbiased solution, supported by the Canton of Vaud, SDSC, UNIL and HEIG-VD
Testing
Opportunity to test AI for your business
Innovation
Development of a sustainable and innovative solution
Protection
Respect of original intellectual property and protection of sensitive data
Networking
Access to a network of academic experts and partners
3rd call for vaud projects
Submit your project based on your AI experience
Collaborative projects should demonstrate significant potential impact, preferably in the following domains: in energy and sustainability, health and biomedical, social impact, or digital transformation. Depending on the AI maturity of your organisation, two tracks are available.
Track 1 – Support and Proof of Concept
Duration: 6 months
Track 2 - Collaborative Project and Funding
Duration: 1 year
selection process
A multidisciplinary committee for high-impact projects in the Canton of Vaud
We select projects through a competitive call for applications. A panel of external experts and a committee made up of the SDSC, representatives of the “Service de la promotion de l’économie et de l’innovation (SPEI)”, and academic and business partners review and assess them jointly.
This call for Vaud projects is open to SMEs, start-ups, scale ups and academic and industrial consortia based in the Canton of Vaud as well as representatives of cantonal public administration.
milestones
Key dates
- September 7, 2026: Launch of the 3rd call for Vaud projects
- October 5, 2026: information webinar
- October 31, 2026 at midnight: Application submission deadline (Tracks 1 & 2)
- End of November, 2026 : Selected Track 2 candidates invited to submit a full application
- January - February, 2027 : AI and data science project methodology workshops (Track 1)
- February, 2027 : External expert evaluation (Track 2)
- March, 2027 : Finalist pitches (Track 2) and coaching (Track 1)
- Summer 2027: Start of collaborations for PoCs (Track 1)
- Spring 2027 : Start of collaborations for winning projects (Track 2)
Partnership with Canton of Vaud
Data Science Supporting the Vaud Economy
Led and supported by the “Service de la promotion de l’économie et de l’innovation (SPEI)”, the partnership between the Canton of Vaud and the SDSC aims to strengthen Vaud's position as a leading center for data science and AI. It supports the development of the SDSC in its region, notably with having its own premises at Biopôle, and stimulates collaborative innovation through calls for projects initiated by SPEI involving local research institutes, public administration, SMEs, and start-ups. These calls for projects receive CHF 1.5 million in funding per year over the period 2025–2028, with the aim of developing solutions with economic and societal impact in areas such as life sciences, energy, sustainability, and digital transformation.
ENERBAT facilitates the net-zero transition of the Canton of Vaud with data-driven strategies
Building on the successful collaboration with the Swiss Data Science Center (SDSC), WSP, and Haute École d’Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud (HEIG-VD), the Canton of Vaud is applying the ENERBAT data-driven methodology to its building renovation strategy to achieve the portfolio carbon neutrality goal by 2040.
Contact us
Would you like to explore how we can work together?
Our team of data scientists and professionals looks forward to engaging in impactful, results-driven collaborations with you.