MARVIS – Space research with the SNSF

The definition of national importance of a project can be drawn from the Swiss Space policy. With the MARVIS call, the SNSF and the SERI want to promote multidisciplinary, applied research projects that can position Switzerland favourably in the European and international space ecosystem.

The Swiss Space Policy is outlined on the SERI website Schweizer Weltraumpolitik (admin.ch) and the reference document is linked here in German, here in French, here in Italian and here in English.

The MARVIS instrument will open on the mySNF Plattform on 16 September 2024, 3 months before the submission deadline.

There are no pre-defined topics for MARVIS, as long as the projects fulfil all criteria as outlined in the call document and have a clear link to space.

There is no similar funding scheme at ESA. To ensure appropriate coordination with ESA’s needs, ESA experts will also take part in the evaluation.

This is not explicitly defined. Projects have to comply with all the eligibility requirements as outlined in the call text. The resulting TRLs are therefore implicitly defined.

Yes, as long as they fulfil all the criteria as outlined in the call text.

MARVIS projects are distinguished from typical Innosuisse projects by their size, the number of required academic partners and the specific link to space.

The relevant document is the Swiss Space Policy on the SERI website. The document is available here in German, here in French, here in Italian and here in English.

No, the eligible higher education research centres are defined according to RIPA Art. 4c, paras. 1 and 2 (SR 420.1 - Federal Act of 14 December 2012 on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (RIPA) (admin.ch)). Individual institutes do not fall under this category. The collaborating institutes need to belong to at least two different higher education research centres.

In MARVIS, the companies and industries are not applicants, but partners. There will be no contract between the SERI and the companies involved. It is the responsibility of the consortium to establish a contractual framework with all partners. The same is true of IP agreements. All agreements may be reviewed during the step 2 evaluation.

Cantonal or federal offices can be project partners but not applicants, and they cannot receive funding. Some specific cases may need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, industry partners can be from abroad. For them, the same MARVIS rules and conditions apply as for Swiss industries.

Non-industrial partners that are not part of the consortium can get up to 20% of the total MARVIS grant (subcontracting of necessary services). As they are not part of the consortium, the do not get access to the generated IP.

Researchers from PSI and EMPA are eligible as applicants, as their institutions are higher education research centres according to RIPA Art. 4c paras. 1 and 2. (SR 420.1 - Federal Act of 14 December 2012 on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (RIPA) (admin.ch))

Researchers from research facilities of national importance (RIPA Art. 4c para. 3), as listed in Forschungseinrichtungen von nationaler Bedeutung (admin.ch), are not eligible to be applicants on MARVIS proposals. They may participate as project partners.

On mySNF, you will find the following:

• ‘Requested funding’ data container where the requested budget for the first 4 years should be added;
• ‘Supplementary document’ container where you can include co-financing documents;
• ‘Project Overview Budget Form’ container where you must upload your completed MARVIS budget table BudgetTable_MARVIS (Excel). Please complete the tables according to your needs. At the very least, the "MARVIS funding share" table must be completed. You can add the requested budget for the additional (maximum) 3 years. Please note that the project duration is between 1 and 7 years.

Matching funds must comprise own contributions in cash or in kind that are not earmarked for any purpose other than the MARVIS project. Eligible contributions are:

a) first party funding from the applicants’ institutions, including the salary of the applicants (in proportion to their involvement in the project);

b) other contributions in cash or in kind from the applicants’ institutions, participating organisations or external partners specifically and exclusively for the project;

c) in-kind contributions from external partners in the form of materials, equipment or services provided to and used by the applicants’ organisations;

d) indirect costs related to the MARVIS project up to a maximum of 15% of the contributions described in a) to c) above.

The matching funds must be 100% in total over the granted duration. It must not be 100% on each annual instalment.

Yes, the salaries of applicants (in proportion to their involvement in the MARVIS project) can be accounted for as matching funds. However, the salaries of applicants cannot be requested from MARVIS.

No, industry partners that are part of the consortium may not receive funding from MARVIS. They may benefit however from early access to intellectual property (IP) and technology and know-how transfer.

Non-industrial partners that are not part of the consortium can get up to 20% of the total MARVIS grant (subcontracting of necessary services). As they are not part of the consortium, the do not get access to the generated IP.

ESA funding can be recognised as third-party funding if it is allocated for the same project goal (material link between the MARVIS activities and the activities funded by ESA), and if it was awarded by ESA through a competitive process. The link and overlap of activities between an ESA project and the MARVIS project must be substantiated in the MARVIS proposal.

Without pre-empting the results of the evaluation during step 2, there is no guarantee that ESA funding in a specific MARVIS project can or will be recognised.

No, as long as the 10% rule is followed. Nonetheless, the splitting of the work, the consortium partners’ roles and the industry contributions are part of the MARVIS evaluation.

No, not formally. Nonetheless, the splitting of the work, the consortium partners’ roles and the industry contributions are part of the MARVIS evaluation.

The matching funds contributions from industrial project partners can be made in the form of services that would be in principle eligible to be paid under "subcontractors". At least 10% of the industry partners’ contribution must be made in cash, the rest can be in kind contributions.

The standard SNSF regulations apply, unless stated otherwise in the MARVIS call document.

All costs that would also be eligible for funding according to the MARVIS call and SNSF regulations. In addition, the salaries of applicants (in proportion to their involvement in the MARVIS project) as well as indirect costs related to the MARVIS project (up to a maximum of 15% of the own contribution) can be accounted for as matching funds.

Since MARVIS projects are co-funded, no overhead can be charged.

Only information submitted by the call deadline will be considered in the evaluation. No information provided later can be considered.

Yes

A draft IP agreement must be submitted for the second evaluation step. The final document (signed by all parties) must be submitted to SERI before the start of the project.

SERI only signs one contract with the main applicant’s institution. It is the responsibility of the consortium to establish a contractual framework with all partners (consortium agreement). The consortium agreement must be submitted to SERI before the start of the project.

Only the 4 years. The research plan for the years 5-7 must be submitted together with the request for extension of the project.

Yes