---
title: "HOSTKEY GPU Grant for Scientific Projects"
slug: "hostkey-gpu-grant-scientific-projects"
provider: "HOSTKEY"
status: "verified"
verifiedAt: "2026-10-12"
listedAt: "2026-09-12"
canonical: "https://aifree.dev/offer/hostkey-gpu-grant-scientific-projects"
---

# HOSTKEY GPU Grant for Scientific Projects

> Free dedicated GPU servers for faculty-led research projects

- Provider: [HOSTKEY](https://aifree.dev/provider/hostkey-com)
- What is free: Startup program
- Status: verified by a person on 2026-10-12
- Credit card: not required
- Sign-up: required
- For: Startups
- Claim at: https://hostkey.com/about-us/grants-for-scientific-projects-and-startups/

## What you get

HOSTKEY awards free dedicated GPU servers to full-time faculty and research fellows acting as principal investigators, with winners selected per round from submitted research proposals.

## The catch

Winners must deliver a follow-up report, share annotations and results with HOSTKEY, allow publication of project annotations, and link HOSTKEY in publications; grants are limited.

## Eligibility

Full-time faculty or research fellows at recognized academic institutions acting as principal investigators on GPU-centric research or startup projects.
- Be a full-time faculty member or research fellow and the project's Principal Investigator
- Work must involve big data processing, AI/ML, big data analysis, or heavy graphics/video rendering
- Be a full-time faculty member or research fellow and the project's Principal Investigator
- Work must involve big data processing, AI/ML, big data analysis, or heavy graphics/video rendering
- Submit a 1-2 page proposal (max 1,500 words) with GPU configuration justification and a CV

## Limits

- Free GPU computing power for the declared project (not cash)
- Number of grants is limited
- One application per round for one GPU grant
- Proposal max 1,500 words plus GPU configuration justification and CV
- Deliverables: follow-up report, shared results, HOSTKEY link in publications

## Details

## Overview

[HOSTKEY](https://hostkey.com/about-us/grants-for-scientific-projects-and-startups/), a Netherlands-based bare-metal and GPU hosting provider, runs a recurring GPU Grant Program. The page states the objective is "to support basic scientific research and prospective start-ups", and HOSTKEY currently lists its status as "receiving applications".

## What You Get

- A **free dedicated GPU server** for the duration of the declared project. HOSTKEY states "HOSTKEY will provide the winners with computing power for the implementation of the work declared in the tender application".
- HOSTKEY does not publish a fixed grant configuration on the grant page; hardware is matched to the compute requirements justified in the proposal. Its GPU catalog includes NVIDIA Tesla A100 80GB, H100, RTX 5090 and RTX PRO 6000 servers.
- Grants are awarded by a panel of experts, and "the number of grants is limited".

## Eligibility

- "Applicants must be full-time faculty or research fellows at a recognized academic institution."
- "Applicants must be the Principal Investigator in the given project."
- Work must involve large dataset processing, AI, machine learning, big data, rendering or comparable compute-heavy fields.
- "Applicants may only submit one application per round for one GPU grant."
- A separate track exists for data science competition winners from platforms such as Kaggle, DrivenData, ZINDI and IDAO.

## Proposal Requirements

- A proposal of "1-2 pages, no more than 1 500 words" covering the research area, prior work, expected outcomes, timeline and a justification of the requested computing power.
- A CV of the applicant.
- "Links to publications about the project (if any)."
- Letters of recommendation may be requested during evaluation.
- Winners must "Submit a follow-up report on the research" and "post a link to HOSTKEY in publications".

## How to Get Started

Apply through the link on the grant page. HOSTKEY does not publish an application deadline or a review turnaround time.

## More

- HTML page: https://aifree.dev/offer/hostkey-gpu-grant-scientific-projects
- Change history: https://aifree.dev/offer/hostkey-gpu-grant-scientific-projects/history
- How it was verified: https://aifree.dev/offer/hostkey-gpu-grant-scientific-projects/verification
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