Austria offers universities, non-university research institutions and industrial research & development an effective funding system with clearly designated contact points for both basic and applied research.
Companies in Austria driving innovation through research, development and technology can benefit from direct funding and tax incentives which serve to significantly reduce investment risk.
Several contact points have been established to facilitate access to research funding for RTI initiatives and projects. The key contact points are:
Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)
The FFG is the central contact point for application-focused RTI projects. More than half of project funding managed by the FFG goes to industrial research.
Austrian Science Fund (FWF)
The FWF is Austria's central body for the promotion of basic research.
Austrian Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (aws)
The aws is the development bank for the Republic of Austria. It supports the RTI agendas of start-ups, SMEs and large established enterprises in the form of subsidies, low-interest loans, liabilities and guarantees.
Austrian Business Agency ABA
The ABA is the first point of call for foreign companies wishing to establish research units in Austria. The ABA itself does not provide funding.