Asean Science, Technology and Innovation Fund (ASTIF) Call 2026
The ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI) invites institutions from ASEAN Member States (AMS) to submit project proposals for funding under the ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Fund (ASTIF) Call 2026, with a total budget of USD 1,200,000, to catalyse collaborative research and innovation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the region, in line with the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2026–2035.
1. Theme and Priority Areas
Proposals must fall under one of the following four priority categories:
| Category | Priority Area |
|---|---|
| Category 1 | AI for Health, Bioeconomy and Food Security |
| Category 2 | AI for Space, Earth, Ocean and Climate Intelligence |
| Category 3 | AI for Advanced Materials and Energy Transition |
| Category 4 | AI for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Productivity and Workforce Development |
Proposals should clearly define the regional problem being addressed and demonstrate relevance across multiple AMS.
2. Eligible Activities
Eligible activities under this Call include:
i) Collaborative research or development of models or AI-enabled tools or solutions;
ii) Technology demonstration or proof-of-concept of AI solutions;
iii) Development or enhancement of shared infrastructure and data systems for AI research and development.
3. Funding Tracks
Proposals may be submitted under one of two tracks:
i) Open Competitive Call Track – Open to higher education institutions, public research organisations, government agencies, non-profit organisations, private sector companies, start-ups, and other legally registered organisations engaged in science, technology and innovation (STI) activities in AMS.
ii) COSTI Sub-Committee Track – Open to entities serving as national focal points for COSTI Sub-Committees in each AMS. Proposals under this track must be endorsed by the respective COSTI Sub-Committee prior to submission. research and development.
4. Eligibility
Mandatory Requirements (Both Tracks)
i) Applicants must be legally registered entities based in an ASEAN Member State. Individual applicants are not eligible under either track.
ii) The project team must comprise members from at least two ASEAN Member States (AMS).
iii) All proposals must be submitted through the National COSTI Focal Point of the AMS serving as the project lead.
iv) Maximum project duration: 24 months.
v) There is no fixed budget cap, but requested budgets must be limited to eligible expenditure categories (see Section 6).
Encouraged Elements (Not Mandatory)
i) Proposals involving more than two AMS in the project team are encouraged.
ii) Projects that include team members from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam, and Timor-Leste (CLMV-TL) serving as co-leads alongside non-CLMV-TL AMS.
iii) Collaboration with Dialogue Partners (through co-funding, technical expertise, infrastructure sharing, capacity-building support, data contributions, or other forms of collaboration) is encouraged.
iv) COSTI Sub-Committee Track only: Proposals involving collaboration among two or more COSTI Sub-Committees are encouraged, with one Sub-Committee identified a Lead Sub-Committee and one or more Co-Implementing Sub-Committees.
5. Documents Required with the Proposal
All applicants must submit the documents under (i) and (ii), together with the additional document required for their applicable track under (iii) or (iv).
i) The proposal, prepared using the Standard ASTIF Call Template. Proposals submitted using any other template will not be considered.
ii) A formal letter from the applicant’s institution, signed by its authorised representative (e.g., Head of Institution or a duly delegated officer), confirming that the proposal is submitted on behalf of the institution.
iii) Open Competitive Call Track: a valid certificate of registration or equivalent legal document confirming the applicant’s legal status.
iv) COSTI Sub-Committee Track: a formal letter of endorsement from the relevant COSTI Sub-Committee, signed by the Chair of the Sub-Committee.
Where any original document under (2), (3), or (4) is not in English, it must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
6. Eligible Expenditures
Budgets must be prepared in accordance with the following categories of eligible and non-eligible expenditures, adapted from the ASTIF Grant Guideline.
7. Key Dates
| Activity | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Proposal submission window | 1 August – 16 October 2026 |
| Evaluation and selection (by the Project Appraisal Group) | 1 November 2026 – 31 January 2027 |
| Announcement of selected projects on astnet.asean.org/astif/ | 15 February 2027 |
| Agreement signing | 1 – 31 March 2027 |
| Project implementation period | 1 April 2027 – 31 March 2029 |
| Mid-term review | 1 April 2028 |
| Final reporting and dissemination | 31 March 2029 |
8. How to Submit
Proposals must be submitted through the National COSTI Focal Point of the AMS serving as the project lead, for onward submission to the ASEAN Secretariat.
9. Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed by a Project Appraisal Group (PAG) based on:
i) Relevance to the Call theme, priority categories, and APASTI objectives
ii) Clarity of the regional problem to be addressed
iii) Regional collaboration and impact
iv) Degree of cross-sectoral and cross-Sub-Committee collaboration
v) Technical and financial soundness
vi) Clear contributions from AMS and/or partners
vii) Clear deliverables
viii) Sustainability
10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
i) Can Dialogue Partners receive ASTIF funding directly?
No. Only ASEAN-based institutions may receive and administer ASTIF funds. Dialogue Partners may still participate in and add value to a project through co-funding, in-kind support, technical expertise, infrastructure or data sharing, or capacity-building support, but ASTIF funds themselves must be received and managed by an ASEAN-based lead or participating institution.
ii) Is there a cap on the Contingency Fund?
The ASTIF Call 2026 does not impose a fixed percentage cap on the Contingency Fund. As a general reference, past ASTIF guidance has typically limited contingency requests to around 10% of the combined Programme and Activity Costs and Operational Costs subtotal. Regardless of amount, any request to utilise the contingency fund must be justified and consulted on in advance, and may only be used for expenditures arising from unexpected events.
iii) Does the Call support proposals of different scales?
Yes. To promote inclusive participation, the Call will support proposals of varying scales, including large-scale regional initiatives, medium-scale multi-AMS pilot projects, and small seed grants under the COSTI Sub-Committee Track.
iv) Can capacity-building activities be proposed as standalone components?
No. Capacity-building activities (e.g., training, workshops, and personnel exchanges) may be proposed, provided that they are integrated into Eligible Activities (i), (ii), or (iii) under Section 2, rather than submitted as standalone components.
11. Enquiries
For any enquiries regarding the ASTIF Call 2026, please contact the National COSTI Focal Point of your country, using the email subject line “[ASTIF Call 2026]”.