It is based on a diversified range of funding instruments, encompassing a research premium, tax advantages and direct funding granted by three institutions:
Research tax credit in Austria
The research tax credit has amounted to 14 percent since the beginning of 2018. Applications for the research tax credit can be submitted by every company investing in research, innovation and development, regardless of the company's size, sector or corporate structure. A company is also entitled to claim the research tax credit if it generates no profits or only a small profit. The payment takes place as a cash payment -quickly and relatively unbureaucratically.A company's in-house research as well as contract research are eligible within the context of the research tax credit. Moreover, the experimental development of models, products and processes beyond the current state-of-the-art technology is also taken into account. Frequently, companies fail to include all research and development costs for purposes of the research tax credit. These costs can be claimed regardless of the project's success. Loan costs arising before the beginning of the project can also be included as well as salaries and wages, capital investments in fixed assets and real estate as well as expenditures relevant to research such as purchased services, financing and overhead costs.
Read more about the Austrian research tax credit: Differences to research allowance in Germany, in our blog.
Florian Laure, Senior Tax Manager at Deloitte, explains Austria's research premium and its advantages.
Further funding opportunities
- The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) promotes R&D by companies along the entire innovation chain via research grants.
Funding volume in 2018: EUR 685 million (including EUR 123 million broad band infrastructure) - The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) is the country’s central body for the promotion of basic research. Approved funding volume in 2018: EUR 230.8 million
- Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH f(AWS) is the funding bank for corporate business development. Total funding in 2017: EUR 1,145.4 million
- The funding initiative COMET (Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies) promotes the cooperation between companies and scientific facilities within the context of a jointly defined but high-level research program. So far 5 COMET Centres(K2), 24COMET Centres(K1)and 63COMET Projects with the total volume of about 2.24billion EUR have been funded.
- The Christian Doppler Research Association sets up public sector-financed research units at Austrian universities for a fixed period of time. Scientific researchers work together with corporate partners to find a solution to their research questions. At present (2017), 76 Christian Doppler laboratories are in operation.
- The Wittgenstein Prize, featuring annual prize money of up to EUR 1.5 million, is also worthy of mention. It is the most highly endowed science award of the Republic of Austria. Information on the latest award winner is available on the FWF Website.
