Best Grants for Robotics

The AXA Chair Grant, initiated by the AXA Research Fund in 2007, aims to support groundbreaking research in Health, Environment, and Socio-Economics. This selective funding scheme facilitates the establishment of a permanent academic position within a host institution, fostering a significant advancement in that research area. It encourages researchers to share their findings publicly, enhancing societal progress and informed decision-making.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) supports outstanding graduate students pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in STEM fields. The program offers three years of funding over five years, providing a $37,000 stipend and $16,000 for educational costs annually. Designed to enhance the scientific workforce, it encourages applications from diverse and underrepresented groups, ensuring a rich community of innovators in science and engineering.

The Motorola Solutions Foundation Grant supports organizations that enhance safety and community well-being, focusing on underrepresented populations. With over $100 million in donations, the foundation prioritizes technology and engineering education, first responder programming, and blended initiatives. Eligible applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) organizations or school districts in the U.S. The foundation seeks partnerships that demonstrate strong financial health and data-driven evaluation methods, aiming to create safer cities and thriving communities.

The Intuitive Foundation is offering Clinical Research Grants focused on robotic-assisted surgery. These grants aim to support clinical research at non-profit institutions worldwide, addressing critical questions related to surgical care and patient outcomes. Eligible projects may seek funding up to $75,000, covering personnel costs and essential research expenses. Areas of interest include clinical outcomes, imaging technology, health economics, and new procedure development. Applications require a Letter of Intent prior to submitting a full proposal.

The Unity for Humanity Grant invites innovative creators to submit impact-driven projects that utilize real-time 3D technology. This annual grant provides funding, technical support, and marketing resources to help bring visionary ideas to life. Projects must align with UN Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrate measurable impact. Eligible submissions include prototypes across various genres, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable world. Join us in empowering changemakers to make a positive global difference.

The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program enhances research capabilities in minority-serving institutions (MSIs) by integrating education and research, focusing on STEM disciplines. The CREST-RISE component specifically aims to expand graduate programs and increase the production of research doctoral students from underrepresented groups. It supports various areas of national interest, fostering institutional research capacity and aligning with strategic plans to improve doctoral graduation rates.

The Bronchoscopy Research Grant, offered by the Intuitive Foundation, aims to support clinical research focused on the impact of robotic-assisted bronchoscopy in patient care. Grants of up to $75,000 are available for non-profit institutions, emphasizing areas like clinical outcomes, imaging research, and health economics. Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent before full proposals are considered. This initiative encourages innovative research to improve diagnostic and treatment pathways for pulmonary diseases.

The Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program (MMAP) aims to support small- and medium-sized manufacturers in modernizing their operations and adopting new technologies. This initiative, managed by the Mass Tech Collaborative, provides grant funding and accelerator support to help eligible businesses navigate the challenges of a rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape. By conducting thorough assessments, the program identifies effective capital investments to meet the specific needs of participating manufacturers, fostering economic growth and job creation in Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Robotics Digital Twin Initiative aims to enhance access to robotics technology and foster the robotics entrepreneurial ecosystem across the Commonwealth. This funding opportunity, issued by the Innovation Institute's Robotics Department, will provide competitive capital grants for innovative robotic designs and applications. Projects will focus on building both physical robots and their digital twins, ensuring the resulting digital resources are publicly available for use by researchers and entrepreneurs, thus promoting collaboration and technological advancement.

10th Anniversary Global Challenge

Ten years ago, we launched Solve on a simple bet: the best solutions to global challenges are out there —and it’s our job to find them, fund them, and help them scale.

Since then, the world has been reshaped. A pandemic exposed brittle systems, climate impacts are a daily reality, trust has eroded, and AI has both expanded what’s possible and raised questions about gaps in equity, power, access, and opportunity. In this new era, it is all the more urgent to close those gaps through innovation that scales, with broad adoption, wide distribution, and durability.

Over the past decade, Solve has become a global engine for that kind of innovation. We have launched over 100 challenges for which selected innovators, Solvers, have gone on to reach over 370 million lives and raise $1.1 billion to scale their impact. Solvers are our best bet in making a better future for all, and this year we’re doubling down on our support.

For our 10th Anniversary Global Challenge, we’re seeking 10 exceptional solutions built for the next decade: solving urgent problems and proving credible pathways to scale, whether through markets, policy, procurement, or platforms. We’re interested in innovations that put people first, and pair technological ingenuity with trust and durable economics.

Across health, climate, learning, and economic prosperity, solutions must respond to rapidly changing realities and operate at the speed of need. We are particularly seeking innovations that advance:

• A zero-carbon, equitable world and practical adaptation for communities already living with climate impacts
• Economic opportunity, security and mobility through jobs and livelihoods, financial inclusion, and small business growth
• Better health outcomes and stronger systems-care delivery, workforce, supply chains, prevention, and resilience
• Learning for all—delivering measurable learning gains in a modern world, particularly for those with different learning needs
• Indigenous communities in strengthening sovereignty and meeting their social, environmental, and economic goals

Solve’s 10th Anniversary Global Challenge is designed to surface the innovations that can define the next decade. Together with our network of partners, resources, and connections, we’re betting big on the solutions that will solve complex global challenges and fix broken systems in order to reach millions more.

Benefits

What will winners receive? The ten winners get a big stage and serious support. They'll be featured at the Solve Challenge Finals in New York City during UN General Assembly and NY Climate Week in September 2026, with travel costs covered. There, they'll pitch their work directly to a room of Solve’s global community, including investors and funders — and each winner will receive at least $100,000 in unrestricted prize funding, meaning they can use it however they need.

But the funding is just the start. Winners will gain access to MIT's innovation ecosystem, including specialized mentorship, pro-bono legal support, discounted access to technology, and connections to the network of past Solver teams. Solve supports our portfolio for the long-term, with more funding opportunities, skills training, media exposure, and speaking engagements on an ongoing basis.

The Polyphonic AI Fund for Surgery QuickFire Challenge by Johnson & Johnson aims to revolutionize surgical care through AI and robotics. This initiative invites innovators globally to propose AI technologies that enhance surgical decision-making, data management, and operational efficiency. Selected applicants can receive up to $100,000 in funding, mentorship, and access to advanced computing resources. With the growing demand for improved surgical outcomes, this challenge is a significant step towards integrating AI into healthcare practices.

This grant aims to enhance safety and health in U.S. mining operations through research in automation, robotics, and intelligent systems. It addresses critical issues like emergency communication and self-escape reliability while supporting the development of field-ready solutions. By leveraging advanced technologies, the initiative seeks to improve miner safety and health, reduce hazardous exposures, and foster community engagement. Applicants must be U.S. academic institutions with accredited mining programs, linking project goals to documented health burdens.

Community College Grant for Development and Creation of an MTA

A. Program Description

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the "Department" or "DCEO") is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity ("NOFO") to support the design and construction of a 22,225 square foot facility, within the campus existing footprint, for the creation of a Manufacturing Training Academy (MTA) to provide workforce training programs.

The goal of this program is to support the design and construction of a 22,225 square foot, higher education facility for the creation of a Manufacturing Training Academy, within the campus' existing footprint. This grant will support a community college, located in Will County, Illinois, using capital funds to design and construct an MTA. The MTA will provide a flexible, district-wide training hub to support multiple employers, significantly expanding capacity in high-demand fields, including advanced manufacturing, welding, HVAC, electrical systems, and industrial maintenance, areas where employer demand continues to outpace available talent.

This Manufacturing Training Academy will represent a transformational investment in workforce development, economic growth, and educational access for Will County and the State of Illinois. Through community partnership, the MTA will deliver scalable, industry-driven training that meets immediate employer needs while building long-term career pathways for students.

In addition to grant funds, the awarded grantee must commit to project investment to ensure programmatic quality and long-term sustainability. The awarded grantee will be required to commit to hiring full-time faculty members to support increased enrollment and expand program offerings, curriculum development and implementation based on the needs associated with regional workforce institutions, and investing in the necessary specialized equipment for the MTA to be successful. Examples of the specialized equipment may include welding booths, CNC machining, robotics, and automation.

Apprenticeships on the Move

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) announces the availability of approximately $4,000,000 in funding for Apprenticeships on the Move: Advancing Pennsylvania’s Workforce. 

The purpose of this NGA is to support the development of new registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships, or the expansion of existing registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships that strengthen Pennsylvania's workforce and advance the Commonwealth's economic development priorities. Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed project addresses workforce needs within the industry or occupation served and supports the goals of Governor Shapiro's Ten-Year Strategic Plan for Economic Development and the Pennsylvania WIOA Combined State Plan.

The PLTW Gateway grant supports public schools in offering innovative STEM education. Grantees must provide at least one PLTW Gateway unit during the 2026-2027 academic year, with an additional unit each subsequent year. The total grant award is $20,000, distributed in two installments. Grantees are required to submit annual reports and assist in student and teacher surveys to ensure ongoing program improvement. Eligible districts span several states, including Arkansas, Georgia, and Texas.