CALL CLOSED FOR 2026
NEW CALL: TO BE ANNOUNCED
About the EAA Seed Funds
The EAA Seed Funds initiative is designed to support innovative, collaborative and co-creative research ideas in the field of acoustics across EAA member countries.
The programme aims to position the EAA in an active role by providing tangible support to Early-Stage Researchers, particularly by encouraging them to act as Principal Investigators. Through this initiative, the EAA fosters new research collaborations, strengthens existing networks within its member societies, and promotes interactions with industry, associations and other stakeholders.
The Seed Funds are intended to initiate structured research paths leading to pilot studies, proof-of-concept projects, software or device development, collaborative workshops, or dissemination activities. The ultimate goal is to enable applicants to leverage this support towards securing substantial external funding (e.g. Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, or national funding schemes).
Funding available: up to €10.000 annually.
Goals of the Program
- Support Early-Stage Researchers (post-doc, max. 10 years after PhD)
- Promote multidisciplinary and cross-country collaboration (minimum two EAA member countries)
- Foster innovation in pure and applied acoustics
- Stimulate long-term collaborations within the EAA network
- Encourage engagement with industry and external stakeholders
- Support the development of follow-up proposals for major funding schemes
Eligibility Criteria
- Involve researchers from at least two EAA member countries
- Be coordinated by a post-doctoral researcher without tenure track position (max. 10 years after PhD)
- Include a mentor (reference person)
- Demonstrate tangible outcomes (pilot studies, proof of concept, dissemination activities, workshops, etc.)
- Include Supporting Letters from the National Societies
- Include Commitment Letters from all participants
Project duration: 6–15 months.
Funding & Budget
- Maximum EAA contribution: €10.000
- Maximum 50% of the budget may be allocated to one partner
- Overheads are not eligible
- PhD or Post-doc stipends are not eligible
- Co-funding from external partners is encouraged (in-kind contributions allowed)
Key Dates
2026 Call
Applications are now closed.
2027 Call
Information about the 2027 EAA Seed Fund call will be announced in due course.
EAA Seed Fund Awardees
EAA Seed Fund 2026: Project MIMAS
The European Acoustics Association is pleased to announce that MIMAS – Multiscale Inverse Modelling of Acoustic Structures has been selected for the 2026 EAA Seed Fund.
Coordinated by David Ramírez Solana, with Alessandro Ricciutelli as project participant, MIMAS aims to develop a new framework for the design of acoustic metamaterials by combining numerical modelling, machine learning and experimental validation.
The project will explore how uncertainties related to material properties, manufacturing and experimental conditions can be incorporated into the design process, with applications including transport noise mitigation and acoustic energy harvesting.
The EAA Seed Fund will support research visits, experimental calibration activities and the development of a structured collaboration between the participating groups in Spain and Italy. The project is also intended to provide a basis for future joint research activities and funding proposals.
Over the 15-month project, the team will develop calibrated simulation and measurement datasets, surrogate models and an inverse-design workflow, followed by experimental validation of proof-of-concept acoustic metamaterial demonstrators.
Congratulations to the team, and we look forward to following the development of MIMAS.
We look forward to sharing updates on the project and its outcomes as the work progresses. (we should also make a sentence that they can use to recognize the support from the Seed Fund in their project dissemnitation/publications)
The project team is expected to acknowledge the support of the EAA Seed Fund in publications, presentations and other dissemination activities resulting from the project.
Project at a glance
- Project: MIMAS – Multiscale Inverse Modelling of Acoustic Structures
- Coordinator: David Ramírez Solana - Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Spain / Spanish Acoustical Society (SEA)
- Participant: Alessandro Ricciutelli - University of Chieti-Pescara, Italy / Italian Acoustical Society (AIA)
- Duration: 15 months
- Collaboration: Spain - Italy
- Main areas: Acoustic metamaterials · Inverse modelling · Machine learning · Experimental validation.
