The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) is an important partner for life sciences in Austria, for universities, non-university research institutes and for companies. Every year, an average of between ten and fifteen per cent of FFG funding is spent on projects in this promising area.
In the period between 2000 and 2009, the FFG provided funds amounting to around 290 million euro for life science projects. Around two thirds of this was spent on individual projects funded under the FFG’s General Programmes. Additionaly SME can apply for funding of Clinical Studies (KLIPHA) since 2012. The life sciences also play a major role in other generic programmes such as the Structural Programmes. This includes a range of competence centres and K projects under the COMET Programme, projects funded under the COIN programme and the human resources programmes offered by the FFG.
The Austrian Genome Research Programme GEN-AU is a generously funded and very successful programme that promotes the development of fundamental knowledge in the life sciences by investigating the genetic material of humans, animals and plants. The aim is to enhance and consolidate the competitiveness of top-level Austrian research in this area. Funding for life science projects is also available from the NANO-Initiative and other thematic programmes, depending on the subject area of the project, e.g. bioinformatics, materials or the environment.
European and International Programmes include EUREKA and Eurostars and in particular the Health theme, the Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology theme as well as other generic funding options available under the 7th EU Framework Programme (FP7). Please check funding services within ERA-Net Initiatives such as EUROTRANS-BIO.