The new proof of concept funding consists of a grant for the implementation of proof of concept projects in order to prove the feasibility of research and development results from Austrian research organizations that are patentable in principle, as well as optional on-top IPR advice from Austria Wirtschaftsservice.
Two modules are available to researchers. Proof of Concept KLEIN supports projects with a maximum grant of eur 20,000. The maximum duration of the projects may not exceed 12 months. The grant for Proof of Concept GROSS is a maximum of eur 80,000 over 24 months. The funding intensity is capped at 75%. The cut off dates for PoC GROSS 2025 are April 30 and October 30.
The funding measure supports researchers in systematically reviewing their research results and opening up potential areas of application in order to accelerate the transfer of knowledge and technology from publicly funded research and development. The “Proof of Concept” programme addresses the “gap” in the early phase of implementing academic research and development results, which is often a problem for research institutions, and aims to provide impetus for the first step towards more efficient technology transfer.
The program is financed by the Fonds Zukunft Österreich (FZÖ) and managed by Austria Wirtschaftsservice. Applications are possible from January 15, 2025.
All further information and the submission documents can be found at: https://www.aws.at/aws-proof-of-concept/