Green Frontrunner - Funding, Guidelines

Support companies in their climate and environmental strategy

The Green Frontrunner programme is aimed at internationally active companies that hold a technological frontrunner position or are just about to reach them. R&D projects that are embedded in an offensive business field strategy and address the challenges of environmental and climate protection can be funded.

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The Green Frontrunner tender was closed as of February 23rd, 2023. There is a new Frontrunner tender since February 28th, 2023.
 

Green Frontrunner Strategy

The R&D project must be embedded in an offensive business field strategy. Two strategy dimensions are particularly relevant here:

  • Technology and innovation leadership: The business field strategy is geared towards the development of a new product, process or service innovations. The focus is on strategies that differentiate themselves from the competition, for example through higher quality. This results in high growth potential on the international markets.
  • Climate and environmental strategy: Alignment of the business area strategy with the European “Green Deal” or with the challenges related to environmental and climate protection. The focus here is not on strategies to save eg petroleum-based energy sources, but on new business strategies and models that differ fundamentally from existing approaches with regard to environmental and climate protection.

Eligibility criteria

All projects are analysed and assessed in terms of the technical and economic aspects for funding. Technical funding criteria include in particular the degree of innovation and the technical challenge of the planned project. The economic assessment focuses on the commerciali-sation potential and the applicant’s economic performance.

A further prerequisite for funding are positive effects of the project on climate and environmental protection. The evaluation point of the frontrunner positioning or the green frontrunner strategy is also specific for this initiative.

Funding

Funding takes the form of a non-repayable grant. The amount of the grant depends on the size of the company and is usually

  • large companies: 25 %
  • medium-sized companies: 35 %
  • small companies: 45 %

Cooperation

Green Frontrunner projects are usually "single firm" projects and therefore no cooperation bonus, as is the case for example in the General Programme.

The essentials in brief

Program Owner / Sponsor BMK - Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology FFG - Austrian Research Promotion Agency
Topic
Project type
Financing
national
Submission
Submission possible anytime
Target group The focus of the Green Frontrunner Programme addresses two target groups: 1. SMEs (especially scaleups), medium-sized companies and 2. Established frontrunner companies. Note: Small businesses (companies with up to 9 employees) or companies in the startup phase are not the focus of the Green Frontrunner programme.
Selection by Evaluations are conducted by experts of the FFG. The evaluation is carried out throughout the General Programme scoreboard and some additonal guidelines for Frontrunner funding.
What is being funded The funding quota is up to max. 25 % (major companies), max. 35 % (medium-sized companies), max. 45 % (small companies). Green Frontrunner projects are usually "single firm" projects and therefore no cooperation bonus, as is the case for example in the General Programme.
Min. / max. funding Green Frontrunner Guidelines (German only) / look up Guidelines / € 2 Mio. /
Which costs are eligible for funding? Guidelines (German only)
Min. / max. running time 24 - 36 months
Availability from 20.01.2021 - 23.02.2023

Contact

Additional Information