To support research activities in Azure, the ZID is again offering financial assistance for 2025. The funding pot contains a total of 20,000.00 euros. The ZID awards up to 5,000.00 euros per project. Priority is given to projects that:
- combine Azure services with local infrastructure
- use Azure services with artificial intelligence
- use Azure services for which the ZID does not offer alternative IT services
The exact conditions can be found at Funding for research with Azure services. Employees can use this web page to apply for funding between 28.10. and 31.12.2024.
The success proves that the funding is worthwhile
Fabian Jusufi works in the Digital Transformation Coordination staff unit, which is responsible for the Azure service. He explains: “This year’s funding has met with great interest. It has also shown the variety of projects that can benefit from Azure services. We would like to continue to expand the circle of Azure users in the coming year. That’s why we are particularly inviting those researchers to apply who have not yet done so.”
Of course, employees who were already considered for the last funding round can also submit an application. However, a new, significantly different research project is required, in the context of which Azure services are to be used.
Lessons learnt
The researchers’ feedback on the funding was consistently positive and the first interim reports have already been received. However, there will be changes to the process next year.
Fabian Jusufi explains: “This year’s funding stipulated that the research projects had to be completed by the end of July. However, the complexity of Azure should not be underestimated; it takes time to familiarise yourself with it. In addition, the researchers experienced time bottlenecks, for example due to trips abroad. That is why we have extended the project period until the end of the year. The point of funding is not to create time pressure, but to use Azure productively in research.”
For the upcoming funding round, it has therefore already been determined that research projects can run until the end of 2025. The team at the Digital Transformation Coordination staff unit hopes that this will enable them to encourage even more researchers and is looking forward to receiving numerous applications.