Vienna (OTS) - "With Spin-off Fellowships, we are specifically strengthening the exploitation of innovative ideas and promoting entrepreneurial spirit at universities and research institutions. In recent years, we have been able to steadily improve the framework conditions and support services for academic spin-offs, as evidenced by the continuously growing number of spin-offs. I am delighted about the launch of the call for applications and look forward to many more enthusiastic founders of spin-offs," said Science and Research Minister Martin Polaschek.
In the last two submission rounds (2022 and 2023), a total of 70 projects were submitted, 22 of which were selected by a jury from the German-speaking region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The majority of the projects are based at universities, but there are also projects at non-university research institutions, universities of applied sciences and competence centres. The projects are spread across the federal states of Carinthia, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, Tyrol and Vienna. The projects cover topics such as wireless sensor systems for building monitoring, a sustainable biocide and the development of quantum amplifiers. The life sciences sector is particularly well represented.
The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) is providing a further 15 million euros until 2026 for the programme, which was designed in 2017 based on the ETH Zurich's ‘ETH Pioneer Fellowship’ programme with a programme volume of 15 million euros. The 22 projects will receive around 9.75 million euros in funding. The next round is now open. Funding applications can be submitted until 17 September 2024.
FFG Managing Director Henrietta Egerth emphasises:
The programme creates a win-win situation for universities, research institutions, researchers and industry. The third call paves the way for many more projects that are not only innovative but also disruptive. We are delighted that the Expedition Future initiative is being launched this year together with the Spin-off Fellowship.
In the new programme “Expedition Future”, the FFG is promoting groundbreaking innovations for a better future – financed by the Austrian Future Fund.
‘With the joint call for proposals, we expect to see new companies with forward-looking innovations over the next two years. These are needed to ensure that Austria remains a sustainable and resilient business location,’ Egerth continues.
About the ‘Spin-off Fellowship’ programme
The Spin-off Fellowship programme aims to support the commercialisation of intellectual property at universities and research institutions at a very early stage in order to enable the establishment of a company after completion of the fellowship. During the term of the Spin-off Fellowship, fellows must focus exclusively on this task and may not engage in any teaching or other research activities. In order to learn entrepreneurial thinking and acting, fellows receive accompanying training, coaching and mentoring through the FFG network.
The call for applications is aimed at interested parties with at least a bachelor's degree from a university or research institution. The maximum funding amount is €500,000 with a funding rate of 100 per cent and is provided in the form of non-repayable grants. The costs of the fellow, as well as development costs and third-party services, are covered. The maximum duration of a spin-off fellowship is 18 months. Applications must be submitted to the FFG via the respective university or research institution, and the fellow is responsible for project management.
About the ‘Expedition Future’ initiative
The call for applications Expedition Future SPINOFF is aimed at scientists who dream of implementing their own research projects with the potential for significant social, environmental or economic change and of founding a spin-off. The same conditions apply as for the Spin-off Fellowship Programme. The focus is on projects with the potential for significant changes in technologies, markets or society, as well as a willingness to tackle obstacles and risks beyond purely technological challenges, such as legal uncertainties or the adaptation of user behaviour. Fellows should have the ambition and potential to achieve a major impact for a broad target group, including international implementation.