Frontrunner - Funding, Guidelines
"Frontrunner" is aimed at internationally active companies that hold a technological frontrunner position or are on the verge of achieving it. Funding is provided for research and development projects that are embedded in an aggressive business field strategy. "Green Frontrunner" projects also address environmental and climate protection challenges. "Transformative Frontrunner" projects should make a substantial contribution to the digital and sustainable transformation of the economy. Submission is possible at any time. "Frontrunner" is aimed at internationally active companies that hold a technological frontrunner position or are currently on the verge of achieving it. Funding is provided for research and development projects that are embedded in an aggressive business field strategy. "Green Frontrunner" projects also address environmental and climate protection challenges. "Transformative Frontrunner" projects are intended to make a substantial contribution to the digital and sustainable transformation of the economy.
Frontrunner strategy
The research and development (R&D) project must be embedded in an aggressive business unit strategy.
- Technology and innovation leadership: The business unit strategy focuses on the development of new products, processes or service innovations. The focus is on strategies that differentiate themselves from the competition, for example, through higher quality. This results in high growth potential on international markets.
What are the goals of Frontrunner support?
- Green Frontrunner: Internationally oriented R&D projects with a focus on climate and environmental protection.
- Transformative Frontrunner: Internationally oriented R&D projects with a substantial contribution to the digital and sustainable transformation of the economy.
| Variants | Green Frontrunner | Transformative Frontrunner |
|---|---|---|
| What characterizes the R&D projects? | The projects
| The projects
|
Eligibility criteria
For the evaluation of Frontrunner projects, the criteria of the guideline for projects of experimental development apply. Submitted research and development projects (R&D projects) are expected to meet high standards in terms of innovation content, technical risk, and the benefits of the development. A high economic risk of the project is evaluated positively in terms of the Frontrunner call. The evaluation point of the Frontrunner positioning or the Frontrunner strategy is also specific to this initiative.
Funding
Funding takes the form of a non-repayable grant. The amount of the grant depends on the size of the company and is usually
- large companies: 25 %
- medium-sized companies: 35 %
- small companies: 45 %
Cooperation
Frontrunner projects are usually "single firm" projects and therefore no cooperation bonus, as is the case for example in the General Programme.
The essentials in brief
| Program Owner / Sponsor |
|
| Topic |
Bottom-up, Circular Economy, Climate-Neutral City, Digitalisation & Broadband, Energy Transition, Further research areas, Innovative & Competitive Companies, Life Sciences & Health, Mobility Transition, People, Qualification & Gender, Production & Materials, Quantum: Research & Technology, Society & Security, Space & Aviation, Wood: Research & Knowledge Transfer
|
| Project type | |
| Financing | National
|
| Submission | Submission possible anytime
|
| Target group | Focus on SME, large enterprises (JV) |
| Selection by | Evaluations are conducted by experts of the FFG. |
| What is being funded | Company projects in experimental development |
| Min. / max. funding | 0 / 3.000.000 |
| Which costs are eligible for funding? | Information on the eligible costs is available in the guidelines for Frontrunner and in the current version of the FFG Cost Guide. |
| Min. / max. running time | 24 - 36 months |
| Availability from | 23.02.2023 - constantly |
Contact
