The aim of the Service Innovations Initiative, within the FFG's General Programmes, is to raise awareness of research and development in the service industry and for services as added value in traditional industries. Opening research funding to non-technological innovation is crucial for supporting R&D in services, helping to boost the competitiveness of companies based in Austria by funding the development of hybrid products, processes and services. 

Projekt.Start is an attractive funding instrument supporting the preparatory work for concrete research projects. Both internal preparation costs and external expenses and specialist, project-specific support can be funded.

Non-repayable subsidies; the total project costs of up to € 10 000 can be approved, whereby the external services must not amount to more than half of these costs. The funding level is 60 % and the funding is limited to maximum € 6 000.

Markt.Start is a substantial funding instrument aimed at helping small companies enter new markets through product/service innovations and developments in processes after successful R&D.

Funding is provided through low-interest loans (max. € 1 million each) for market transition, with the aim of growing small businesses into major players and market leaders.

Patent.Voucher helps SMEs, start-ups and inventors to check the patentability of their innovation and speed up preparation and submission of their patent application.

The FFG support covers up to 80 % of the total costs (max. € 12 500). 

Innovation Voucher, a key instrument within FFG's General Programme, offers funding to encourage SMEs to cooperate with and employ the services of research institutions. 

As non-repayable subsidies of up to €12 500 (minus 20 % retention rate = € 10 000) with a funding intensity of 80 %.

The Frontrunner scheme within Austria's FFG General Programme offers funding to companies with frontrunner strategies for their fields of R&D aimed at reaching or building on leading market positions (hidden champions). The funding model is open to all branches of industry, research topics and sizes of companies or projects. Non-repayable subsidies are available of up to maximum 25 % (major companies), max. 35 % (medium-sized companies), max. 45 % (small companies).

The Feasibility Studies scheme by FFG in Austria helps small and medium-sized companies develop feasibility studies through the services of research institutes and other qualified institutes, as well as company partners. Non-repayable subsidies are available covering up to 60 % of the costs (max. € 80 000 and not more than € 48 000 per project) of executing the study by universities, colleges of applied sciences, non-university research institutions, company partners, etc. In-kind costs up to max. 20 % are also acceptable.

The Energy Research Programme covers the entire energy chain from provision, energy conversion and transport to energy use. With this programme, the Climate and Energy Fund supports research projects in those areas in which Austria has a strong position, a high level of competence by international standards, and which can make a particularly effective contribution to climate protection and security of supply. 

COIN helps Austria to better translate knowledge into innovation.

The COIN 'Network' funding line encourages technology transfer within entrepreneurial cooperation schemes, thus raising the level of innovation within businesses and strengthening their cooperation capacities. It focuses on output-oriented cooperation projects to develop and improve innovative products and processes.

The funding of cooperative research projects within FFG's General Programme (sector projects) supports pre-competitive research projects which do not include any directly exploitable product and process or service developments. Funding is provided for up to 60 % of total eligible projects costs. Submission is possible at any time and funding is through non-repayable subsidies.