The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) fulfils a central public mandate: sharing the high scientific and technical risks inherent in deep-tech commercialization.
The FFG Basic Program (Basisprogramm) is the core of Austrian innovation funding. With an annual funding volume of around €190 million, it provides non-dilutive liquidity through five distinct instruments, bridging the path from concept to market launch.
The Five Instruments of the FFG Basic Program
To access FFG funding, founders and CFOs must assign their R&D project to the right instrument. A wrong assignment leads to rejection.
- Project.Start (the entry point): Up to €6,000 for the first feasibility and potential assessment of an R&D concept — capital to test viability before committing larger resources.
- Basic Program (the core): The central instrument. Up to €3 million in funding (usually a strongly subsidized mix of grant and loan) for larger experimental development projects aimed at commercialization.
- Small Project (for SMEs): Fast-tracked experimental development funding, specifically for startups and SMEs, capped at €90,000.
- Collective Research (for whole industries): Pre-competitive, collaborative industry research to solve sector-wide technical bottlenecks, up to €325,000 per initiative.
- Market.Entry (the step into the market): Up to €120,000, dedicated solely to marketing, certification and market launch of completed developments.
The Right Funding for Every Company Size
The FFG funds regardless of company size, but pursues a specific goal at each tier:
Startups & Founders
The goal is to accelerate innovation momentum and help new market entrants through the capital-intensive lean period before market entry.
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs are the backbone of the Austrian technology sector. FFG funding broadens their research base and shares the financial risks of testing new R&D paths and launching new products.
Large Corporations
For large companies, the FFG acts as a strategic co-investor. The goal is to consolidate research competence and secure international technology leadership. By sharing high-risk R&D within Austria, the state strengthens its competitiveness against the technology hubs of the US and Asia.
The Submission
The FFG operates on a continuous evaluation cycle—there are no fixed submission deadlines. All capital requests are routed exclusively through the digital eCall portal.
The documentation required for a successful submission is extensive:
- Project content: A precise account of the scientific baseline, the innovative leap and the technical hurdles.
- Work plan: Detailed work packages, binding milestones and a sound project management structure.
- Consortium: The technical expertise and operational capacity of all participants.
- Financial plan: A precise cost model and financing structure per partner.
- Optional Briefing: A maximum 5-page addendum for critical technical schematics or strategic context.
Submissions are processed in both German and English. The FFG does not fund routine engineering; it funds the technical leap — structure your application accordingly.