Meridian Labs · Funding Program 2025
Lean AI Startup
Funding
Six months. One vision. A direct bridge from research breakthrough to market presence. Meridian Labs provides the capital, structure, and mentorship to transform your AI research into an investable venture.
€75K
Total Package
6 Months
Full-Time Focus
92%
Graduation Rate
Program at a Glance
Engineered for momentum
We designed LAISF around a single question: what does a research team need to reach investment readiness? The answer is time, money, and a decision framework that removes ambiguity.
6 Months Funding
Full-time salary support for one founder, or half-time for a duo. No teaching, no admin — just unbroken focus on validation.
€30K Material Budget
Cloud credits, compute, sensors, data licensing, prototype fabrication — spend it where your research demands.
Mentorship & Investor Days
Direct access to Meridian's network of 40+ Deep Tech investors and quarterly pitch showcases.
Bridging Research & Market
Structured sprints that force business-model rigor without compromising research depth. The output: a defensible prototype and a pitch deck.
Our Mission
"Research-driven AI ideas die in the gap between the paper and the product. We build the bridge."
Meridian Labs operates a portfolio of 3 funding instruments across Europe. The Lean AI Startup Funding is our most direct: six months, a clear budget, and a jury of operators who have scaled AI companies from zero to Series B.
Choose Your Application Path
Two routes, one standard
Path 01 — Partnership
PhD Exemption at Partner Institutions
A member of the academic chair — typically a doctoral candidate at one of our 12 partner universities — is released from their contractual duties for six months to pursue the venture. The application flows through your research group leader.
- Eligible for PhD candidates at TU Munich, ETH Zurich, KTH, and 9 others
- Process managed by research group leader / PI
- No parallel funding for the same project
Path 02 — Scholarship
Open Scholarship Application
For researchers outside our partner network, apply as an individual or team. Conditions mirror national startup grants — qualifications-based, with the same funding volume and jury process.
- Applicants must hold permanent residency in the funding region (AT, CH, DE, LI)
- Detailed terms in the concept paper (EN & DE versions)
- Not applicable for teams with an existing employment contract
Ready to Apply? — Check Your Eligibility
Non-negotiables
Research-driven idea. Your IP, your experiments, your breakthrough. We judge on technical depth.
No incorporation. Your company has not yet been legally registered. Post-funding, we guide the spin-off.
No parallel funding. The same project can't draw from another grant simultaneously. Integrity first.
(Scholarship) Residency. At least one funded member holds permanent residency within the funding region.
Note: Pure AI consultancy concepts are not funded. We back product-driven research — not agencies.
Application Process
Three disciplined steps
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by an independent jury of four. Decisions every six weeks.
Contact the Team
Mandatory. Email ventures@meridianlabs.org for a 30-minute coach call. No call, no application.
We stress-test the idea's originality and fit.
Prepare Documents
Project description (max 3 pages), completed project plan, and a 1-page finance plan aligned to the €30K budget.
Use the templates below. They set the expectation.
Submit & Await Jury
Email PDFs to the same address. The jury shortlists within 14 days and invites you to a 45-minute pitch in week three.
Next deadline: May 15, 2025. Funding starts late June.
Important Downloads
The toolkit
German versions are legally binding where noted.
Meet the Jury
Operators, not spectators
Each jury member has founded, scaled, or exited a deep-tech venture. They read every application.
Dr. Anja Keller
Partner, Nordwind Ventures
Led 14 Series A rounds in European AI. Former research lead at DFKI.
LinkedIn →Dr. Mateo Petrov
CTO, Cytosense AI
Ex-DeepMind engineer. Holds 9 patents in neural network compression.
LinkedIn →Dr. Sofia Lindqvist
Professor, ETH Zurich
Director of the Trustworthy AI Lab. Sits on the EU's AI ethics board.
LinkedIn →From the Inaugural Cohort
"The structured sprints and the jury's operator mindset forced us to answer the hard questions in month one, not month five. We came out with a working prototype and a term sheet."
Dr. Anika Rath
Founder, Voxelose · LAISF Cohort 01
Questions, Answered
Before you ask
Still uncertain? Email the program team — we reply within 48 hours.
Final Call — Cycle 02
The next cohort
closes in 45 days
The deadline for Cycle 02 is May 15, 2025. Funding begins June 23, 2025. Eight teams will be selected.
Contact Us & Apply