Fast Track Digital – 1st Call

Target group:

The programme is aimed at stakeholders in science and business. The consortium consists of at least 2 mutually independent companies, one of which must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME). More information about company relationships and the SME definition can be found at the FFG website (information in German).

The project plan should include the following aspects:

• rapid implementation of new marketable and competitive digital solutions
• close cooperation between business and science
• early involvement of relevant stakeholders in the innovation process
• open innovation process (Open Innovation)
• build-up of expertise within the companies in the areas of digitalisation, ethics, law or sustainability 
• regulatory framework conditions and established European values and/or ecological sustainability

Funding conditions:

• Minimum total cost: EUR 100,000. 
• Maximum funding: EUR 450,000 in the form of non-repayable grants.
• The maximum funding rate results from the funding rates of the individual consortium partners.
• Project duration: 24 months (2 years).
• Possible start dates:
  - 01/09/2021
  - 01/10/2021
  - 01/11/2021

Submission:

• Projects had to be submitted electronically before the specified deadline via the eCall.
• The short description, which enables the FFG to select appropriate reviewers in good time, had to be submitted via eCall by 21/01/2021 at 12:00:00 (CET).
• The submission deadline for the full application was 18/03/2021 at 12:00:00 (CET).

Eligible organisations:

• Companies of any legal form
• Research and knowledge dissemination organisations
• Universities
• Universities of applied sciences
• Non-university research institutions
• Technology transfer institutions, innovation intermediaries and other research-oriented organisations such as associations with a relevant purpose 
• Other non-commercial institutions
• Local authorities and autonomous bodies (please note: activities of local authorities falling within their statutory mandate are not eligible for funding)
• Non-profit making organisations 

Eligible to participate, but not eligible for funding:

• Subcontractors:  They are not partners within the definition of a Cooperative R&D Project. They provide defined tasks for partners which are listed under the cost category “third-party costs“ and are not entitled to exploit the project results.
• Other participants: Persons or institutions that do not receive funding, but are mentioned in the funding contract, including the scope of their participation. Their rights and duties are also stipulated by contract. Their participation needs to be justified in the application. Potential “other participants” may also include persons or institutions of the Austrian federal administration.

Fast Track Digital is processed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, with kind support of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy (BMAW).