What Are TRAILs
Task Related Activities for Implementation and Launch of Services
TRAILs (Task Related Activities for Implementation and Launch of Services) are a central instrument within NFDI4Objects. They are designed to implement innovative and practical projects that develop and test new solutions for managing object-related research data.
The starting point is the needs of the community. TRAILs address specific challenges and work on them in time-limited projects. The goal is to sustainably strengthen both scientific work and the infrastructure of NFDI4Objects.
The First TRAIL Phase (since 2023)
Since 2023, a total of 18 projects have been funded in the first phase, with durations ranging from six to 24 months.
Funding was primarily awarded to projects that:
- Develop new approaches and tools for managing research data,
- Create concrete solutions to meet the needs of the specialist community,
- Produce long-term usable results.
The outcomes of these projects are integrated as services or contributions into the NFDI4Objects Commons and are permanently available to the community.
What Have We Learned?
An evaluation of the first phase showed that TRAILs provided important impulses and spurred academic innovation. At the same time, it became clear that many projects addressed very specific issues.
For the next phase, funded projects will be more closely aligned with common, overarching goals to better contribute to the overall development of NFDI4Objects.
The Second TRAIL Phase (from 2025)
The second TRAIL phase began in autumn 2025. Due to reduced funding, the call for proposals was limited to within the consortium.
Funding is awarded to projects that make a clear contribution to the strategic goals of the Task Areas and whose results can be directly integrated into the overall context of NFDI4Objects.
An overview of all TRAILs and further information can be found here: