Call for Courses
We are inviting educators and researchers to submit innovative learning and development formats in the field of innovation, entrepreneurship, and venture creation. These initiatives can be supported monetarily and non-monetarily by Impossible Founders.
Key Details
Submit a ProposalObjective
Supporting innovative education and training formats that can be integrated in university courses or doctoral programs to foster cross-disciplinary entrepreneurship
Course Timeframe
Summer Semester 2026 or
Winter Semester 2026/27
Eligible Applicants
Universities and research institutions
in Hamburg & Northern Germany
Proposal Structure
Online Form & Proposal Concept (max 4 pages)
Type of Support
Monetary & Non-Monetary
Application Deadline
09 March 2026
Supported courses & Training Formats
The call is intentionally open. A wide range of teaching and learning formats may be funded – key evaluation criteria are innovative character, reach, and impact.
Eligible approaches include, but are not limited to:
- Project-based formats that focus on tech- or knowledge-driven ideas
- Advanced courses addressing core innovation and venture topics
- Industry-specific courses such as GreenTech, advanced materials, AI, quantum computing, or MedTech
- Formats for PhDs and postdocs with a strong research and tech focus
- Structured dialogue and exchange formats that go beyond purely event- or networking-oriented activities
Combinations of these approaches are explicitly welcome.
Funding Criteria
Course concepts are considered particularly eligible for funding if they clearly address at least two of the following aspects:
- a strong innovation or experimentation character
- the use of new technologies or digital tools
- the engagement of previously underrepresented target groups
- a high degree of interdisciplinarity or openness beyond individual institutes, faculties, or universities
- the integration of external actors from industry, startups, or the investment community
- a strong project-, application-, or implementation-oriented approach
The list is intentionally non-exhaustive: other innovative elements or approaches may also be eligible for funding.
Call Objectives
- Moving beyond traditional entrepreneurship courses and engaging students and researchers early in the innovation process to advance tech towards real-world impact
- Raising awareness among talents, encouraging team formation and providing practice-oriented knowledge in building startups
- increasing the effectiveness of teaching and development offerings to encourage more talents to enter an entrepreneurial process and continue developing their ideas
Type of Funding
This call does not provide lump-sum funding. Support is granted on a needs-based basis, derived from the course concept and a cost estimate. This support can be monetary and non-monetary.
Eligible costs include, but are not limited to:
- budgets for the development or further development of course formats
- funding for materials, components, or software licenses for prototyping
- the development, use, or licensing of digital tools
- the involvement of external experts and intensive team coaching
- the training of tutors and coaches
- excursions, field trips, or visits to application environments
- Paid teaching assignments, if a content-related gap is filled
- Personell costs for staff (typically limited to 1-2 person-months)
Funding is generally expected to remain below EUR 5,000. For more extensive new developments or formats with exceptional leverage, higher funding may be granted.
Application Process
The level of innovation, expected impact, and feasibility of the course should be at the core of the proposal.
Application Documents:
- Fill in a short online form
- Write a Course Concept of max 4 pages
Course Concept elements:
- target groups and academic embedding (Bachelor, Master, PhD)
- course format, educational approach, core methodology and supervision concept
- planned implementation (timeframe, semester, block format or semester-long)
- expected impact (qualitative and quantitative)
- specific non-monetary support needs and/or required funding, including a rough cost estimate.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are members of universities and research institutions who are able to anchor courses or course-like offerings within their organizations.
Applications may be submitted jointly with cooperation partners. External instructors/experts may be involved.
Implementation is possible at all study levels. Curricularly embedded formats are preferred.
This Call for Courses is a voluntary funding initiative of Impossible Founders gGmbH. There is no legal entitlement to funding.
Impossible Founders reserves the right to amend or terminate the call.
All applications will be treated confidentially.
