The Collective Research program is now accepting grant applications to support cooperative research projects that strengthen Austrian industries and business clusters.
The focus areas and objectives of this program include industrial research, pre-competitive development, cross-company innovation, knowledge base strengthening, SME competitiveness, collaborative research, industry clusters, and the development of solutions to shared industrial challenges.
Collective Research 2026 is designed to support industry-relevant research projects whose results are made available to multiple companies within a sector. The program aims to increase the international competitiveness of Austrian industries and strengthen the knowledge base of small and medium-sized enterprises through collaborative innovation efforts.
Funding is provided for pre-competitive research projects that address industry-specific or cluster-specific challenges. Projects must focus on developing solutions of cross-company relevance rather than direct commercial product development. As such, direct development of market-ready products, processes, or services is not eligible under this program.
The program is targeted at cooperative research institutions, non-university research institutes, and industry associations in Austria that are well connected with the business sector. Projects are typically initiated by research institutions or industry associations and require co-financing from multiple companies or supporting organizations. Universities and universities of applied sciences may also participate through structured collaborative arrangements.
Companies generally contribute through financial participation, and in-kind contributions may also be recognized as part of the project support structure.
The funding rate is 65 percent of eligible costs. Maximum project costs are set at 500,000 euros per year, with typical project sizes ranging between 100,000 and 500,000 euros annually. The maximum project duration is 60 months. In addition to financial and material costs, eligible in-kind contributions may include personnel costs up to 15 percent of total project costs.
For more information, visit FFG.
