HEIST supports promising young researchers to be successful in their first steps of scientific independencewith the goal to facilitate their stay within the scientific system. HEIST assists young scientists havingcompleted their doctoral thesis within the RTG while they define new research fields that qualify them forindependent external funding and an independent research career. For this purpose, HEIST continues itsfellowship/grant mechanism starting after finishing the PhD. HEIST will award up to three grants via this program at 33.000 € each. This will fund 9 months at a post-doc level plus money for consumables andfurther costs to fully support the scientific project of the applicant. The criteria for these stipends areexcellence of the researcher and the quality of the independent scientific project proposal. Applicants will get advice by their mentors and the TAC. Formally, applicants submit a short-written research proposal(maximum 5 pages) and a budget plan to the HEIST steering committee. The applicant must also provide astructured plan describing the future scope of the project, a personalized career plan and the steps to securenational or international funding for the planned project. The applicant has to name a mentor who giveswritten consent to provide the required laboratory and office space to ensure successful work and two furthermentors for advice and coaching. Proposals are evaluated and funding will be decided by a committeeconsisting of the HEIST steering committee, members of the PhD committee of IGradU and one externalreviewer. Successful candidates are budget holders and responsible for the funds received. HEIST requests a final written report within three months after termination for all funded “Start-up” projects.