Austrian Life Sciences 2024 to 2026

Within the framework of the Austrian Life Sciences 2024–2026 initiative, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) is providing up to €3 million in grants across industries for companies, start-ups, universities, and research institutions. Funded are R&D projects in Industrial Research and Experimental Development as well as interventional clinical studies in phases I and II. The funding program aims to strengthen Austria as a Life Sciences location, expand national and international network structures, and support innovative products, processes, and services from ideation to market entry. The focus is on health-tech applications, high-quality pharmaceuticals and medical devices, as well as telemedicine and diagnostic solutions with high innovation potential.

Eligible recipients include Austrian SMEs, start-ups, large enterprises, and—in the case of flagship projects—university and non-university research institutions, universities of applied sciences, and technical colleges (HTLs). Each organization may submit exactly one project per research category, which must be situated within one of the specified thematic areas and achieve a defined Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Eligible costs include third-party costs, material and equipment costs, personnel costs, travel expenses, and facility usage fees. Project submissions are possible until December 18, 2026, 12:00 PM via the FFG’s eCall system. The evaluation of applications places decisive importance on alignment with the priority areas, fulfillment of project criteria, and the technology readiness level. Applicants must submit a project description, cost plan, German abstract, business plan, and CVs to sustainably promote the competitiveness and innovative strength of the domestic Life Sciences sector.