NFFP-AeroX: Technological breakthroughs for next-generation flight systems

Future aviation systems require radically new solutions beyond incremental improvements. Therefore, this call for proposals aims to support the testing, development and validation of breakthrough innovations for next-generation aviation systems. It is aimed at project that explore an idea or hypothesis and constitutes the first stage of a three-stage effort that will promote experimental development and enable a faster path from idea to demonstration and operational capability.

Project can apply for a maximum of SEK 500,000 in funding and the project duration may be a maximum of four months. Vinnova can finance a maximum of 50 percent of the project's eligible costs.

The projects must consist of at least two independent organisations, of which at least one is a company. With this call for proposals we want to promote collaborations beyond the traditional consortia in the field of aeronautics. Thus, project consortia should be cross-functional, with several competencies outside of aeronautics and related disciplines, especially during stages 2 and 3.

Aviation systems are increasingly evolving as complex subsystems where technology, people and production interact in an increasingly complex operating environment. To meet future needs, solutions are required that go beyond incremental improvements. A first step is to test ideas and hypotheses that can contribute to technological breakthroughs.

What will the call for proposals accomplish?

With this phased call for proposals we want to stimulate the development of radically new avionics system solutions. The focus is on identifying, testing and demonstrating solutions that can change how future aviation systems will be designed and used.

The call for proposals should result in:

• New concepts for future avionics system solutions.
• Rapid testing of ideas and elimination of solutions that don't work.
• Demonstration of solutions in a relevant systems perspective.
• Increased collaboration between different disciplines and actors.

Call for proposals in three stages

To achieve the objectives of the call, the call for proposals is implemented in three stages, with three separate calls for proposals. With a staged process, we want to create the conditions for the projects to test and develop their ideas into solutions to a selected challenge in a short time, as described in section 12. The goal of each stage is to create the conditions for follow-up projects. Note that a grant for stage 1 does not guarantee a funding in stages 2 and 3. Funding of stages 2 and 3 requires a new proposal. The entire structure of the call for proposals is described in section 11.

Projects should select and address a challenge in one of the scenarios described in section 12. Each stage should answer a question as below.

Stage 1 – Explore: Is the hypothesis correct?

Show that the project's innovative idea can lead to a testable hypothesis. Develop the idea and formulate the hypothesis through testing and iteration, preferably with the help of a simple prototype.

Stage 2 – Breakthrough: Does the solution work in practice?

Take the formulated hypothesis further into a solution. Show that the solution works in a realistic environment or context of use.

Stage 3 – System Demonstration: Does it work as a system?

Show that the solution creates an effect together with other parts of the system by demonstrating the solution in a system context in a scenario.

What are the projects expected to achieve?

The projects will contribute to:

• During stage 1: Formulate and test clear hypotheses about future system solutions.
• During stage 2: Provide experimental evidence by validating the solution in a realistic environment.
• During stage 3: Demonstrate solutions in a systems context.
• During and after all stages: Create knowledge and results that can be taken forward in broader contexts.

Overall objective

The call for proposals is part of the Aviation engineering research (NFFP) whose objective is contributing to:

• Strengthen Sweden's position in aerospace engineering.
• Develop the sustainable and competitive aviation system of the future.
• Building expertise and collaboration between industry, academia and institutes.

Read more about the government mission NFFP, and its aim to strengthen aerospace research, development and innovation

The call for proposals is aimed at actors who can contribute to the development of future aeronautical system solutions. To apply, a collaboration between at least two independent organisations, where at least one of the parties is a company, is required.

We are looking for project who can quickly develop and test prototypes and who have the ability to think about entire systems, beyond a single technology, and see the role of the prototype in a larger system context.

We are looking for project teams that combine several different skills. The project consortium should be cross-functional and include skills from several areas in addition to aeronautical, for example:

• Design expertise, such as system design
• Artificial Intelligence or Digital Systems
• Human-system interaction, including psychology and behavioral science
• Production or manufacturing
• Operational use

The project constellation is allowed to vary between stages. Since this call for proposals refers to stage 1, cross-functional project teams are not yet a eligibility requirements. However, your proposal should describe which competencies and actors you plan to involve in stages 2 and 3.

The project manager must be employed by the coordinating party.

We do not target individuals actors or project without a clear system connection.

We are funding project, which develops and demonstrates groundbreaking avionics system solutions in three stages.

Stage 1 – Explore

The current the call for proposals applies to stage 1. Projects should select and address a challenge in one of the scenarios given in section 12. Projects are expected to formulate an idea or hypothesis that can lead to a solution that addresses the chosen challenge.

The aim of the stage is that the projects should:

• Develop a clear and verifiable hypothesis.
• Identify critical uncertainties with the hypothesis.
• Obtain early evidence for your idea or hypothesis through simple tests, simulations or prototypes.

Examples of activities during the stage:

• Iterative development of ideas and hypotheses for future aviation systems.
• Experiments, simulations and prototypes.
• Systems analysis and scenario-based development.
• Spreading results.

Expected project results after the stage:

• Formulated testable hypothesis. For example: “If we do X, then we achieve Y (measurable) under Z conditions”.
• Identified critical uncertainties in the form of an inventory of possible errors and risks, or alternatively a fault tree map. The inventory should answer what is the biggest reason why the idea could fail.
• Results of preliminary tests. For example, simple experiments, simulations, data analyses, concept demonstration, etc.
• System map showing how solutions fit into an aircraft system. It should be clear which other subsystems or components (in a broader sense) are needed to realize the idea.
• Formulated cancellation criteria for the next stage. For example: "Om X is not achieved in stage 2, the project should be stopped."

Subsequent stages

The project application for this call for proposals concerns stage 1, but should also briefly describe intended plans for the possible implementation of stages 2 and 3.

Granted project in stage 1 will be offered the opportunity to apply to stage 2. Granted project in stage 2 will be offered the opportunity to apply to stage 3.

The projects are expected to continuously test their hypothesis with growing eligibility requirements complexity and system integration throughout the stages.

• During stage 1, the hypothesis for a proposed solution is developed and tested.
• During stage 2, the solution is validated in a real environment and
• during stage 3, the solution is demonstrated in a system context with a connection to the selected scenario.

The results from this stage lay the foundation for the next stage. Section 11 summarizes the entire structure of the call.

Examples of activities through the stages:

• Iterative development of ideas and hypotheses for future aviation systems: from early idea to system demonstrator.
• Experiments, simulations and prototypes.
• Integration of different techniques and disciplines.
• Systems analysis and scenario-based development.
• Demonstration in a relevant environment.
• Spreading results.

We do not finance:

• Project without clear system connection.
• Basic research only without a plan for application.
• Incremental improvements to existing solutions.

What costs can we finance?

Vinnova's funding is covered by rules about state aid. The rules govern what kinds of costs we can finance. These are called eligible costs.

In this the call for proposals, these types of costs are eligible:

• Salary costs: Gross salary paid, employer contributions and other salary costs.
• Equipment, land and buildings: Costs for instruments, equipment and rent for premises other than regular business premises.
• Consulting and licensing costs: Costs for consulting services, knowledge and patents purchased or licensed from an external party. These costs may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget.
• Other direct costs: Costs for, for example, materials, supplies and travel that are necessary to carry out the project.
• Indirect costs (overhead): Costs that are linked to the project but do not arise directly, such as premises and cleaning. Indirect costs may not exceed 30 percent of salary costs. Universities, university colleges, research organizations and government agencies may have higher permitted levels, depending on activities.

For more detailed information about which costs we can finance, see Instructions for eligible costs.

Which eligibility requirements apply to costs we finance?

In order for your costs to be eligible for support, the following applies:

• They must be factual, reasonable and necessary for the activities in the project.
• They must be booked correctly and under a separate project code in the accounting. You may not cover project costs with other public funding or own funds intended for other project.
• You may not claim someone else's expenses as your own.

For more detailed information on which eligibility requirements, limitations and exceptions apply, see our general terms and conditions.

The rules about state aid govern how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is determined individually for each organisation. We therefore differentiate between how large a funding project can get, and how much a participant organisation can get.

The total budget for all stages of the call is approximately SEK 40 million.

How big funding can the project get?

Funding is searched in three steps:

• Stage 1: up to 500,000 SEK per project (approximately 20 project)
• Stage 2: up to 2 million SEK per project (approximately 7 project)
• Stage 3: approximately 5 million SEK per project (approximately 3 project)

Funding in later stages requires that the project be granted continued support.

How much funding can a participant organisation get?

How much funding a participant organisation can receive depends mainly on:

• the organisation's size and activities
• which activities the organisation will carry out in the project.

Descriptions in the following sections about what support we can provide are simplified. For complete information, see Support bases and support levels for funding.

Support to companies for research and development

In this the call for proposals we give support to experimental development and feasibility study.

Experimental development can be simply described as combining, shaping and using existing knowledge to develop new or improved products, processes or services.

Feasibility study can be simply described as a evaluation that analyzes the following:

• Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks in an upcoming research and development project.
• What resources are required to carry out the project.
• How likely it is that the project will succeed.

How much of the costs can we finance?

The organisation's size and type of activity determine how large a proportion of the costs we can finance. This is called the maximum level of support. To calculate how large a company is and thus which aid intensity is relevant for that company, Vinnova EU's definition of small and medium-sized enterprises is applied, see User Guide on the definition of SMEs.

Maximum aid intensity for experimental development:

• Small business 45 percent
• Medium-sized company 35 percent
• Large company 25 percent

Maximum aid intensity for feasibility study:

• Small business 70 percent
• Medium-sized company 60 percent
• Large company 50 percent

Situations where we finance a higher proportion

If the project is covered by any of these bonus bases, we can finance a higher proportion of the costs.

• Actual collaboration: Some level of collaboration between small and larger companies, between companies in two different European countries or between research organisations and companies.
• Dissemination of results: Extensive dissemination through, for example, conferences or open databases.
• Other bonus basis.

Maximum aid intensity for experimental development with bonus basis:

• Small business 60 percent
• Medium-sized company 50 percent
• Large company 40 percent

Support of minor importance to businesses

We can provide de minimis support, also known as support of minor importance. We can fund up to 100 percent of an organization's costs.

A organisation can receive a maximum of 300,000 euros over a three-year period in this form of support, regardless of the funder and project. This means that if the same organisation has received support of lesser importance in other project from other funders in the past, it affects how large the support can be in this the call for proposals.

Submit a certificate of de minimis support when you submit proposal. This is required for us to be able to grant this support.

Certificate of de minimis-support

Support to start-ups

In this the call for proposals we provide support to start-up companies. We can finance up to 100 percent of the company's project costs.

A start-up company means a company that:

• has fewer than 50 employees
• is not listed on the stock exchange
• has not distributed any profits yet
• was registered, commenced its activities or became liable to pay taxes less than five years ago.
• has not taken over another company activities, acquired or formed through a merger.

Support to universities, university colleges and other public organisations

We also give support to organisations that do not engage in economic activities. This means that the organisation do not offer a service or product on a market. This usually includes universities and university colleges, research institutes and other public organisations.

This support is not covered by state aid rules. We can therefore finance up to 100 percent of such an organization's costs. The support is often called "not state aid."

How is it determined whether a organisation is engaged in economic activities?

A organisation that offers any form of service or product in a market is considered to be engaged in economic activities and cannot be granted this form of support.

It does not matter how the the organisation is financed: whether it is public or private, or whether it has a profit motive. It also does not matter what legal form the business has. For example, whether it is a limited liability company, a trading company, an economic association, a non-profit association or a foundation.

Whether a organisation engages in economic activities is determined by their regular activities, not by the activities in the project.

Some organisations conduct both economic and non-economic activitiesactivities, such as research institutes. In that case, it is important that you know in which of these activities you are applying.

If you are unsure whether a organisation in your project is conducting economic activities, contact call manager. However, The organisation is responsible for assessing whether it is conducting economic activities.

In order for us to assess your proposal it must meet certain formal eligibility requirementsrequirements. If the requirements are not met, we will reject your proposal immediately.

Eligibility requirements on participants

• All participants organisations must be legal entities. Individuals or sole proprietorships cannot participate. Foreign legal entities can also participate. However, foreign actors that receive funding from us must have a branch or establishment in Sweden, and the costs must be incurred by the branch or establishment.
• The coordinating party must be a Swedish legal entity and conduct activities in Sweden.
• At least two independent participants shall participate in the project. This includes the coordinating party. Different parts of a organisation are the same legal entity and are counted as one participant, for example two departments at a university or two companies under a parent company.
• At least one participant must be a company.

Eligibility requirements on the project

• The project may apply for a maximum of SEK 500,000 for stage 1.
• The project must start on January 4, 2027 and be completed no later than April 30, 2027 for stage 1.
• The project must not have started before you submit your proposal.
• Costs for consulting services and licenses may not exceed 20 percent of an organization's budget.

Eligibility requirements on proposal

• Proposal should be written in Swedish or English.
• Proposal should follow the instructions in section 9 - "How to apply".
• Proposal should contain all requested attachments.

Applications that meet our eligibility requirements criteria will be forwarded to assessment. In the assessment, we look at how big potential your idea is, how realistic it is and who will implement the project.

We also look at how well your project integrates gender equality, both in how your project group is composed and how you implement the project. By integrating sex and gender perspectives, more inclusive and relevant solutions are developed. This strengthens both the innovation capacity and the project's results.

Gender equality as a tool for innovative social development

What do we assess?

Assessment criteria for stage 1 are described here, these are linked to eligibility requirements on content in the project description as stated in section 9.

Assessment criteria for subsequent stages 2 and 3 can be found in section 11.

When assessing applications, we look at three main criteria:

• Potential: We analyze what effects and what value we can expect from the project.
• Actors: We assess the participants' competence and ability to implement the project and achieve the desired results and effects.
• Feasibility: We assess how realistic and credible the project plan is, both for implementing the project and for achieving the desired results.

Assessment in Stage 1

Potential

• How big an impact could the project proposal have on future aviation systems.
• How innovative and groundbreaking the hypothesis is.
• How well the hypothesis addresses any of the call's scenarios (given in section 12).

Actors

• If the project constellation throughout all stages as a whole has appropriate cross-functional competence.
• How well the composition, participation, competence and ability of the actor constellation contribute to project objectives and implementation.
• How well the project manager and other key people are assessed to be able to lead and implement the project.

Feasibility

• If the project plan and budget for stage 1 are reasonable and clearly described.
• If the preliminary implementation ideas for stages 2 and 3 are described.
• Whether the intended idea/hypothesis is verifiable.
• Whether the risk analysis for the idea/hypothesis contains relevant critical uncertainties.

How do we assess?

Once we receive the applications, we review them. We screen out any applications that are incomplete or do not meet our eligibility requirements.

The applications that are correct and complete are distributed among different evaluator and assessed in competition with each other. The evaluators are appointed by us based on their expertise in the field. Each proposal is assessed by at least three evaluator.

Once the evaluators has reviewed the applications, we have an assessment meeting where the evaluators recommends which applications should be granted.

How does it affect an organization's financial status?

Before we decide on funding we also make a comprehensive assessment of the organizational and financial status of those who receive funding.

We use information we receive from credit reports, currently from Dun & Bradstreet.

In our assessment we check this:

• Organisations who are granted funding for salary costs must be registered as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency. If such registration does not exist when we make a decision, you must be able to show that a notification has been made. We do not approve retroactive registration.
• Organisations must not be insolvent, or undergoing liquidation or corporate restructuring. They must also not have any significant unpaid debts with the Swedish Enforcement Authority.
• The project manager must be employed by the coordinating party.
• Limited liability companies must not have used up half or more of their share capital.

We can also ask small and medium-sized companies to demonstrate that they have the financial capacity to carry out the project.

Once we have assessed all applications, we will send you a decision either granting or rejecting your proposal. Since applications are assessed competitively, you may be rejected even though you meet all eligibility requirements and criteria.

In the decision, we state how large a proportion of the costs we cover for each organisation.

You cannot appeal our decision, but you are welcome to apply to us again at another time.

What happens if you are granted funding?

If we grant you proposal you must follow our general terms and conditions for funding. The terms include, among other things:

• That you will sign a special document in which you approve your participation and commit to carrying out the project.
• That you report how things are going, your costs and achievements to us during the project period.
• If you are multiple parties, you must have a written project agreement that regulates your mutual rights and obligations in the project. All parties must sign the agreement before you submit your first progress report. Since it can take time to develop and negotiate an agreement, we recommend that you start this as soon as possible.
• How the results will be used and that scientific publication will be open access so that the results are made freely available to everyone.

See our general terms and conditions

You also need to follow the special conditions that apply to this the call for proposals:

• When providing information about the project and when publishing project results, it must be stated that the work was carried out with support from Vinnova and the Swedish Armed Forces within the Aviation engineering research (NFFP). In English, Vinnova is referred to as "Sweden's Innovation Agency"" and the Swedish Armed Forces as "Swedish Armed Forces"." Publication refers to, for example, publication, regardless of medium, and oral presentations.
• The project must be represented at the seminars or program conferences that Vinnova will organize during the project period. Costs for participation in such a seminar or program conference are an eligible cost.

Vinnova may also decide to add supplementary special conditions for individual project. In that case, they will be stated in the decision.

Could you have to pay back funding?

If you have received more money than you are entitled to or if you do not follow our term, you may be liable for repayment.

To apply funding you fill out a proposal in our e-service. In proposal you answer questions about the project, participation organisations and budget.

Please also attach these attachments to proposal:

• Project description according to template and eligibility requirements on content as specified in section 11. Maximum five pages with 11 point font size excluding cover page, summary and table of contents.
• CV attachment according to template containing relevant CVs for project manager and all key personnel. Maximum one page per CV allowed.
• Effect logic according to template.
• Model declaration if a participant is a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME). Link to the model declaration can be found here
• For organisations applying for “Support of minor importance” a signed certificate must be submitted stating how much support of this type the organisation has been granted over the past three years.

Link to form for certificate of support of minor importance can be found here

This is how you fill in proposal in our e-service

How to apply and report

How does the application process work?

The project application refers to stage 1 but should also briefly describe the ideas envisaged for the implementation of stages 2 and 3. More information about these stages and what proposal these stages are expected to contain can be found in section 11.

Granted project in stage 1 will be offered the opportunity to apply to stage 2. Granted project in stage 2 will be offered the opportunity to apply to stage 3.

How long does proposaltake?

Keep in mind that it takes time to make a proposal. Filling out templates can take several days, as it is based on analyses you will do.

In our e-service you can start filling in information and then continue at a later time. You can also distribute permissions to others who you want to contribute in proposal. When proposal is finished, mark it complete.

You can unlock proposal at any time and make changes, right up to the last application date. If you unlock proposal, you must then mark it ready again for it to be registered when the call for proposals closes.

When the call for proposals closes, your proposal will be registered as. We will then send an email confirmation to the person responsible for the user account, as well as to the project manager and the signatory. If you have not received a confirmation within 24 hours of the call for proposals closing, please contact us.

When the call for proposals is closed, you cannot change anything in proposal. Then you can only supplement if we ask you to.

Who can read you proposal?

Your proposal will be read by employees at Vinnova and those evaluator who participate in this the call for proposals. Everyone works under a duty of confidentiality.

Applications submitted to us become public documents. This means that we must disclose them if requested. However, we keep certain types of information confidential if disclosure could be expected to cause financial harm to the individual. This applies to information about business and operational conditions, inventions or research results.

General documents and confidentiality

Aim with scenarios

Projects will select and address a challenge in one of the scenarios described in this section. Projects are expected to formulate an idea or hypothesis that could lead to a solution that addresses the chosen challenge. Projects will then continue to work on the solution to the chosen challenge through the stages.

If project has been granted funding through all three stages, the work in stage 3 will aim to develop and demonstrate the solution in a system context in the selected scenario to demonstrate the operational relevance of the solution in the selected scenario.

Scenario Framework

The scenarios and their challenges have been designed by allowing, or alternatively limiting, possible changes from the current situation in four areas:

• Flight envelope (F): includes expansion or change of available airspace, improved performance of aircraft involving higher altitudes, cruising speeds and angles of attack. This also includes weather conditions in the atmosphere.
• Human in the flight system (M): includes support systems, functions and the like for all human intervention in the flight system. Support to pilot, human reinforcement, support systems for ground service, etc.
• Revolutionized manufacturing (T): includes new, faster and more efficient manufacturing processes and methods that enable completely new production times.
• Resource availability (R): refers to access to raw materials and fuel.

Each scenario and associated challenge has been designed by combining different levels of possible change in the areas above, both in a positive and negative direction, as follows:

High: high degree of change from current state (current capability). Exempelvis Flygenvelopp – high could mean hypersonic propulsion is the new norm.

Medium: medium degree of change from the current situation (today's capability), clear improvement but nothing groundbreaking. Exempelvis Människan in the system - medium may mean that pilots use AI extensively for decision support systems.

Low: low or no change from today's situation (today's ability).

Scenario 1: The Extreme Zone - Extended Flight Envelope and Autonomous System Integration

Scenario Framework:

Climate change has contributed to increasingly frequent extreme weather phenomena in the atmosphere, while technological advances have enabled an expanded flight envelope.

The challenge lies in the fact that traditional aircraft design and function are considered obsolete. Autonomy and decision support together with groundbreaking manufacturing methods enable new types of vehicles for different purposes that can operate in and between different atmospheric layers. The conditions are there for innovative system integration, smart modularity of both hardware and software, and systems in collaboration.

Scenario 2: Maximum Performance - Flight Performance and Human–System Integration

Scenario Framework:

A performance-driven future with extreme flight operations eligibility requirements and a wide flight envelope with both lower and higher cruising altitudes. Revolutions in, among other things, hypersonic propulsion have opened up new possibilities.

Development has been limited from 2026's capability in manufacturing technology. Improved global cooperation and new discoveries of rare earth metals have somewhat improved the resources available for new manufacturing.

The challenge lies in the need for technological breakthroughs with a focus on human-machine interaction, studies of behavior, cognition, human augmentation and aviation medicine under extreme conditions. Also regarding support systems such as navigation and control under extreme conditions, challenging terrain and complex environments.

Scenario 3: Swedish wings - Resilient Swedish aviation industry and supply capacity

Scenario Framework:

Airspace is heavily regulated and several international courts have placed limits on autonomous control. This results in aviation being used more selectively, with humans still in the cockpit.

Groundbreaking innovation in advanced manufacturing combined with new discoveries of raw materials and advances in new fuels are enabling the return of aviation. However, the development of geopolitics has meant that the focus on national supply capacity has become entrenched and has become high on the agenda of all aviation nations.

The challenge lies in eligibility requirements the maximum content of Swedish raw materials and components in the technical design and new manufacture of aircraft. Materials and flexible manufacturing methods enable a competitive and resilient Swedish industry. However, this requires creative system integration through the connection of material development, product design, manufacturing, recycling and digital information flows.

Scenario 4: Air transformation - Environmentally friendly aviation systems and recycling

Scenario Framework:

CO2 emission regulations and resource scarcity have forced the aviation industry to innovate and adapt. New airspace regulations, environmentally friendly propulsion have opened the market to a wide variety of smaller aircraft with expanded functionality. As the world's resources continue to deplete, circularity, creative space management solutions and advanced repair capabilities have become both eligibility requirements and a necessity.

Challenge: The ambition is for old aircraft fleets to be repaired, reused or completely replaced by several new types of smaller vehicles. Thanks to a paradigm shift in manufacturing technology and new materials for aviation, new opportunities are opening up for services and goods to be transported by air. At the same time, aviation awaits technological breakthroughs in new, sustainable, scalable green fuels.