Who should apply

This program isn’t for everyone, and that’s by design. Below are some key traits of ideal candidates:

• You already have a project started or a clear idea you want to launch, this isn't about finding you a project; it's about funding the one you're already passionate about.

• AI agents struggle with your codebase : when you try to use LLMs to assist, they hallucinate, produce broken logic, or require 10+ iterations to get anything usable. (If your features get built in “one-shot” with autocomplete, your project is likely too simple for this program.)

• You code primarily by hand, using AI only for minor autocompletion, not as a co-pilot for core logic or architecture. The goal is human-original reasoning, not synthetic data.

• You’re committed to 10–15 hours per week over the next 6–12 months to advance your project. Not as a freelancer-for-hire but as a passionate builder solving a problem you deeply care about.

• You retain full ownership of your code, but are willing to grant a license so we can turn your work into rigorous, private benchmarks for top AI labs

• Your project is closed source (for now), you can open source it later (ideally after 12 months), but it needs to stay private during the grant period

• You’re not in it just for the money: the €30k/year grant (paid quarterly) is meant to enable your vision, not replace a salary. We fund builders, not contractors.

If this sounds like you, or if you’re unsure but your code regularly makes AI “give up”, apply anyway. Many of our strongest candidates initially thought, “My project isn’t hard enough.” Spoiler: it probably is. Don't self reject.