Project.Start 2025: Funding for Project Preparation Costs for Concrete R&D Company Projects
With Projekt.Start, the FFG funds personnel costs, external third-party services, and travel expenses up to 60% of the total costs (max. €6,000) for SMEs and startups. Submissions are accepted continuously until 31.12.2025.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
Funding of personnel costs necessary for project preparation, costs for external third-party services at market rates, and travel expenses for specific research and development projects of companies.
Eligible expenses
- Personnel costs
- Third-party costs
- Travel expenses
Eligible to apply
- Companies
- Founders
Funding requirements
- SME status (SME quick check)
- Start-up companies
Evaluation criteria
- Completeness of the required quality characteristics of the R&D project proposal
Description
Project.Start 2025 supports innovative small and medium-sized enterprises as well as business startups throughout Austria in preparing concrete R&D projects. The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) grants a non-repayable subsidy of up to 60% of eligible project costs, with a maximum of €6,000. Eligible costs include personnel expenses, market-standard costs for external third-party services, and necessary travel expenses. This offer provides startups and established SMEs with a clear financial foundation to structure project ideas, assess risks, and prepare a complete application for further FFG funding. Submissions are accepted continuously via the eCall system until December 31, 2025, 11:00 a.m.
The evaluation of Project.Start applications is based solely on the completeness of the defined quality criteria in the R&D project proposal. Applying companies benefit not only from the financial support but also from the expertise and networking of the FFG as the national funding institution. Project.Start 2025 is technology- and topic-neutral, giving research projects in all areas of research & innovation a chance. With a maximum recognized project amount of €10,000, initial feasibility studies, prototype concepts, or market analyses can be realized. This instrument offers especially young companies an efficient entry into research funding and strengthens the competitiveness of Austrian organizations in the international environment.