# SBO (Strategic Basic Research) projects

**Funder:** FWO
**Duration:** 4 years
**Consortium:** Optional — focuses on innovative research potentially with economic or societal applications, team-based application
**Frequency:** Annual
**Eligible countries:** BE
**Official call:** https://www.fwo.be/en/support-programmes/all-calls/senior-researchersresearch-teams/sbo-strategic-basic-research-projects/
**Last updated:** 6 Sept 2026

> **Recently updated:** catalog cleanup 2026-07-04: duplicate row (canonical sibling kept)

## Eligibility & scope

The Strategic Basic Research (SBO) programme funds medium- to large-scale research actions over four years focusing on innovative research which, if scientifically successful, will create prospects for economic or societal applications.

## Summary

FWO SBO (Strategic Basic Research) projects fund innovative fundamental research with clear economic or societal impact potential, up to four years, open to research teams at Flemish universities and research institutions. The call targets researchers pursuing ambitious basic science that bridges the gap between discovery and application. FWO runs this programme annually.

## Who should apply

- Research teams based at Flemish universities or recognised research institutions
- Researchers pursuing fundamental science with clear pathways to economic or societal benefit
- Projects that bridge innovative basic research and application potential
- Teams with collaborative strength and complementary expertise

## Key dates

- Annual call cycle; verify exact deadline on FWO website
- Four-year project duration

## Tips for applicants

- Position the research at the strategy-to-application bridge: FWO favours basic science that articulates a realistic route to economic or societal outcome, not pure discovery.
- Team composition matters, clearly define roles and complementarity among co-investigators; SBO panels assess implementation feasibility across the group.
- Include a structured impact pathway section: identify stakeholders, sectors, and a plausible 5-10 year application timeline.

## Frequently asked questions

### How long is an FWO SBO project?

Strategic Basic Research projects run for four years.

### Who can apply for FWO SBO funding?

Research teams at Flemish universities and recognised research institutions in Belgium are eligible.

### What kind of research does FWO SBO fund?

Innovative fundamental research with clear prospects for economic or societal application; not pure discovery or applied development alone.

### Is FWO SBO recurring?

Yes, FWO runs the SBO call annually.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/fwo-sbo-strategic-basic-research-projects-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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