Short description
The call for proposals addresses research into sustainable and resource-conserving materials that contribute to making the value chains of the future safe, sustainable and efficient in the sense of a circular economy.
We create an open environment for scientific breakthroughs
in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Since 2007, we have supported
5
projects and invested
5
in funding.
Ongoing call for application
Programme: CZS Breakthroughs CZS Breakthroughs 2026: Sustainable material innovations
Programme: CZS endowed professorships at universities of applied sciences CZS endowed professorships HAW 2026
Short description
The call for proposals supports research professorships in the three CZS focus areas of Artificial Intelligence, Resource Efficiency and Life Science Technologies.
CZS Science Communication
Short description
As part of this Call for applications, funding for science communication measures can be applied for. Precondition is an existing funding from the Foundation.
Programme: CZS Plus CZS Plus: Call for application for CZS Alumni
Short description
Alumni of the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung can apply for funding for outreach, communication and exchange projects throughout the year to accompany their research and teaching activities.
Programme: CZS Wildcard CZS Wildcard 2026: Programme to encourage unconventional ideas
Short description
With this call for application the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung provides maximum freedom. The funding enables interdisciplinary research groups of three to five scientists to pursue with radically new, unusual, and therefore particularly bold ideas.
The Carl Zeiss Foundation promotes research on cutting-edge topics at universities in an impressive and consistent way. This support helps these mostly interdisciplinary research groups be recognised as leaders, both nationally and internationally. It’s a very exciting task for me to contribute to their success.
To the best of my knowledge, this is the first and only endowed professorship in Germany – and one of the first in the world – to deal exclusively with the interface of AI and law. I really appreciate being able to focus entirely on these research questions in my chair – and to have a great team of young researchers doing research on similar topics.
The Carl Zeiss Foundation is a blessing for science. It provides funding precisely where usual funding instruments stop, where taking chances at the highest risk level can lead to breakthroughs at disciplinary boundaries, and always with a view to young scientists – with a great deal of freedom and in an uncomplicated, transparent fashion.
The Foundation considers itself to be a partner for people engaged in visionary and outstanding academic work in the fields of natural science and engineering.
Our funding goals
We provide funding for research and teaching in the STEM fields. In this way, we continue our founder’s mission in a contemporary form, following four guiding principles.
