SME PACKAGE

THE ROADMAP TO INNOVATIVE SMALL AND

MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

» Initial contact with research institute » Analysis of innovation potential » Generation of ideas for innovative projects » Development of initial concepts » Design of prototypes

INNOVATION VOUCHERCosts: € 5,000 Funding: € 5,000

INNOVATION VOUCHER PLUSCosts: € 12,500 Funding: € 10,000

Result: initial R&D experience

» Technical feasibility of concrete ideas » Identification/assessment of approaches » Questions about feasibility » Gathering of cooperation experience

FEASIBILITYCosts: € 80,000

Funding: € 48,000Internal costs max. 20%

Results: proven idea and approaches

» Evaluation of the potential of an individual project of experimental development within the General Programme

PROJEKT.STARTCosts: € 7,000

Funding: € 3,500Result: qualitative concept

for R&D project

» Research and development projects (experimental development)

GENERAL PROGRAMMEINDIVIDUAL PROJECT

(all project sizes)Result: functioning product,

process, service

» Loan for small enterprise start-ups » After successful completion of R&D project » Support with regard to market launch of a product

MARKT.STARTUp to

€ 1 millionResult: marketable

product

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THE FFG SME PACKAGE

» The path to structured R&D activities» No parallel funding

The SME Package provides relevant funding for small and medium-sized enterprises at every phase of their research and development activities.

The FFG recommends but does not require this procedure. Applications can be made to the different

funding programmes independently of one another.www.ffg.at/kmu-paket

SMEs play an important role in the Austrian economy and are an important target group for funding

provided by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). In recent years, the FFG has therefore

consistently increased and extended the range of funding programmes available to SMEs. In 2014,

SMEs were in receipt of over 40 per cent of the total funding awarded by the FFG (cash value) and

account for two thirds of funded companies. SMEs can submit funding applications to nearly all FFG

programmes and there are also additional specialised programmes. Depending on the particular

programme, SMEs can be eligible for higher funding rates.

In the Structural Programmes, funding is primarily focused on human resources programmes and

cooperation with research and university institutes. SMEs are also actively involved in Austrian

Competence Centres. The FFG’s Thematic Programmes focus on information technology, materials

and production, energy and environment as well as transport and mobility and aim to promote close

cooperation between companies and research institutes.

HORIZON 2020, featuring the new instrument “Innovation in SMEs”, as well as the Eurostars

Programme offer great opportunities for SMEs interested in international research cooperation.

The FFG complements its range of funding programmes for SMEs with related services such as

venture capital forums, technology transfer and coaching.

SUCCESS THROUGH INNOVATION

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a key role in the Austrian economy. Many of them are actively involved in research, development and innovation. And with very good reason - innovative companies grow faster, create and secure jobs thus strengthening Austria as a business location.

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INNOVATION VOUCHERThe Innovation Voucher funding instrument is a joint funding initiative supported by the Federal

Ministry for Science, Research and Economy (BMWFW) and the Federal Ministry for Transport,

Innovation and Technology (BMVIT). The Innovation Voucher helps to generate ideas and facilitates

the SME’s initial research and innovation activities. The funding options Innovation Voucher € 5,000

(without co-payment) and Innovation Voucher Plus € 10,000 (with co-payment) are designed to

encourage SMEs to develop and/or extend their innovation activities. SMEs that submit a complete

application to the FFG can (subject to formal approval) receive funding enabling them to purchase

research services from relevant research institutions.

www.ffg.at/innovationsscheck

FEASIBILITYThis instrument is designed to provide funding for the compilation of Feasibility Studies, which

are carried out by a research institute, another qualified institution or enterprise in cooperation

with the applicant company. The aim is to compile studies on technical feasibility and/or to

highlight technical solutions for new ideas. Ideally, this can pave the way for concrete R&D

projects as well as for future cooperations. As part of the SME Package initiative, the maximum

amount of funding for Feasibility Studies was increased to € 48,000.

www.ffg.at/feasibility

PROJEKT.STARTProjekt.Start supports preparatory work needed for a concrete research project. Funding can

be used to cover both internal costs of preparatory work as well as external costs of specialist

project-specific support (maximum 50% of total costs, maximum € 3,500).

www.ffg.at/projektstart

GENERAL PROGRAMME INDIVIDUAL PROJECTR&D project funding in the General Programme (Experimental Development) is open to

companies and projects of all sizes and from all fields of technology. Projects may also

be carried out in cooperation with other organisations. Key criteria for funding include the

innovation content, level of technical difficulty and commercialisation prospects of the

project as well as the prospect that the applicant’s research activity will be intensified by

carrying out the project.

www.ffg.at/basisprogrammprojekt

MARKT.STARTMarkt.Start supports start-up companies classified as small enterprises with headquarters

in Austria. Funding is provided with the aim of supporting commercialisation and marketing

of a product resulting from a successful research project carried out as part of the General

Programme and/or Experimental Development. The company has produced a marketable

product and aims to establish it on the market. Markt.Start removes the financial barriers to

growth often faced by such technology-oriented small enterprises in order to drive expansion -

particularly in organisation, marketing and sales - by providing loans of up to € 1 million.

www.ffg.at/marktstart

www.ffg.at/kmu-paket

Austrian Research Promotion Agency, FFG

Sensengasse 1

1090 Vienna

Tel +43 (0)5 7755 – 0

www.ffg.at

Innovation and applied research in Austria have a strong partner: the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). We can help you to make the most of your innovative potential and to exploit new market opportunities by putting new knowledge to work. FFG SME hotline: Tel +43 (0)5 7755 - 5000www.ffg.at/kmu-paket

FFG: PARTNER FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

4th EDITION 04/2015