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Research in Austria

Austria is known as a center for investment, innovation, and dynamic research. As a research hub, it is quite popular and benefits from many different factors such as direct research funding and a research tax credit. This has made the country a vibrant and attractive destination for different kinds of research and innovation.

Research Hub Austria:
Enthusiasm for Investment, Innovation
and a Dynamic Research Scene

Why should you conduct research in Austria? Because you will be successful here! This is not due to one but to several factors which together make the country so attractive for innovation. The combination of direct research funding and a 14% research premium is unique in Europe.

Still not convinced? Well, Austria, as a research hub, offers even more! Over the past two decades, the country has significantly advanced in the area of research and development. The research ratio, which was 1.53% in 1994, rose to 3.26% by 2023, positioning Austria's development dynamics in research and development among the strongest in Europe.

The Austrian Science Fund FWF just approved € 52 million in funding for basic research projects. Moreover, € 140 million annually will be distributed by the Future Fund of the Republic of Austria between 2022 and 2025 to tackle issues of the future such as pandemic preparedness, AI and radical innovation.

3.26 %

is Austria’s research ratio

excellent research facilities carry out non-university research

€ 15500000000

will be spent on research and development in 2023

€ 2220000000

are invested in research by subsidiaries of foreign companies

Research Tax Credit

The 14% research tax credit applies to costs incurred for research and experimental development. Funding is available for both the company’s in-house research and contract research - tax-free and without any cap.

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At a glance: This is how
Austria facilitates top research

01
Industry and commerce meets science

The business and scientific communities work extremely closely and successfully together. As a result, the country thus offers ideal prerequisites for open innovation. External partners such as customers, universities, research institutes, suppliers and startups are ideally integrated into the development process for new ideas, products and services.
02
Excellent specialists

The educational system in Austria is known for its high quality and practice-oriented training. Furthermore, numerous funding programmes also exist, linking scientists and companies, providing support with the onboarding of international staff and assisting with registration and tax issues.

03
Strong funding and attractive tax benefits

Companies operating in Austria benefit from the 14% research tax credit which they can claim for research and experimental development costs. The tax credit applies to both in-house and contract research. Furthermore, researchers moving to Austria also benefit from a 30% tax deduction on income from their research activities in Austria and abroad.
04
Austrian inventiveness

Austria is a country of inventors. In 2021, 2,480 inventions were registered with the Austrian Patent Office, enough for a 5^th place ranking in the EU.

Did you know...

As early as 1844, Jacob Christoph Rad developed the first sugar cube, in 1951 Carl Djerassi achieved a breakthrough to invent the birth control pill, and six years later Karl Kordesch and two other Austrians in his team invented the alkaline battery (alkaline manganese cell).

...that the sugar cube, the contraceptive pill and the alkaline battery were invented by Austrians?

Research Hub Austria:
A strong ecosystem

Excellent education and training complement the optimal collaboration between the research community and companies. In 2020, more than one-third of all Austrians had completed a tertiary education.

However, companies not only find highly qualified employees here but also strong scientific cooperation partners. 22 public universities, 17 private universities and 21 universities of applied sciences offer more than 3,600 courses of study. 390,000 students are currently finishing their education. The non-university research sector also enjoys a global reputation.

Austria as a research hub also ranks among the European leaders when it comes to the collaboration of higher education institutions and the corporate sector. Highly specialized and extensively networked clusters have been set up in Austria, for example in the mobility, green tech, life sciences, food, aviation and aerospace, design and wood sectors. These efficient networks in technological and economic areas of expertise enhance the national and international competitiveness of their participants based on innovation and collaboration, regardless of whether small, medium-sized or large companies are involved.

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