In 2020, an exceptional research funding call for target grants related to solving the problems caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection was opened. A total of 2.24 million euros was distributed to fund applied research and experimental development projects for developing the prototypes for innovative solutions, products, and services in five thematic areas:
- materials and surface treatment agents inhibiting the spread of the virus;
- new types of personal protective equipment;
- technological solutions for the reduction of virus particles in indoor air;
- technological solutions to reduce the workload on the health care sector;
- solutions based on data analysis to assess the spread of the virus and to predict the impact of the measures.
The thematic areas of the call were defined by the Ministry of Education and Research, based on the outcomes of the idea collection organised by the Estonian Research Council.
The interim results of the funded target grant projects were presented in two parts in the PROTO Invention Factory in Tallinn and in the Science Centre AHHAA in Tartu. Afternoon Tea in the style of a researchers’ café took place in the frame of the Researcher’s Night Festival (mainly in Estonian).