Research & Technology Development - Quality (NÖWTF)
Funding program of the State of Lower Austria to support R&D projects starting from €50,000 with high market implementation potential. Applications are continuously possible for companies, and for research institutions by the next technology deadline. Funding is available for both commercial enterprises and university and non-university research institutions.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
Support for research and technology development projects at the Niederösterreich location to strengthen innovation capacity, resource efficiency, and know-how development. Funding is provided for experimental development, industrial research, and feasibility studies to promote networking between industry and research and to foster sustainable business growth.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel costs for research staff
- Costs for R&D instruments and equipment (proportional depreciation)
- External services (contract research, patents, consulting)
- Feasibility studies
Non-eligible expenses
- Invoices under €200
- Cash payments over €5,000
- Costs for land acquisition
- Financing costs
- Value-added tax with input tax deduction
Eligible to apply
- Companies
- Founders
- Educational Institutions
- Public Institutions
- Non-profit Organizations
Funding requirements
- Permanent establishment or research institution in Lower Austria
- Project costs ≥ €50,000 (companies) or ≥ €200,000 (research institutions)
- Application must be submitted before project start
Documents required for application
- Project description
- Project cost breakdown
- Application form
- Curricula vitae and job descriptions of project staff
- Annual financial statements and balance sheets for the last 3 years
- Overview of corporate affiliations
- Quotes for external services
Evaluation criteria
- Scientific novelty
- Location development
- Utilization potential
- Performance capability of the applicants
Description
The funding program "Research & Technology Development – Quality" of the State of Lower Austria supports R&D projects with high market implementation potential at the Lower Austria location. Eligible applicants include commercial enterprises, start-ups, educational institutions, public and non-profit organizations, and research institutions (both university and non-university), including their cooperations. Funding is provided for experimental development, industrial research, and feasibility studies starting from project costs of €50,000 (companies) or €200,000 (research institutions). The funding rates vary depending on the company size and type of project between 25% and 60%, plus an environmental bonus of up to 5%. The duration is generally twelve months; applications from companies can be submitted continuously, while research institutions must apply by the next technology deadline. The project must commence from January 1, 2026, after submission of all required documents (project description, cost breakdown, annual financial statements, CVs, external service offers, etc.).
Eligible costs include personnel expenses for research staff, proportional depreciation for R&D instruments and equipment, as well as external services (contract research, patents, consulting) and feasibility studies. Ineligible costs include, among others, cash payments over €5,000, land acquisition costs, invoice amounts under €200, financing costs, and VAT where input tax deduction applies. Evaluation is based on scientific novelty, regional development, utilization potential, and the applicants’ performance capability. The funding aims to strengthen innovation capacity, resource efficiency, and sustainable business growth, as well as to promote close networking between industry and research. Applications are submitted exclusively via the Lower Austria Business Agency portal; the deadline is December 31, 2026.
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