FFG AI Ecosystems 2026: Up to €1M for Cooperative AI Projects

What to expect in this issue

• Deep Dive - FFG AI Ecosystems: up to €1M for AI projects
• StartMatch News - What sets us apart from ChatGPT & Claude
• FörderRadar - New and expiring grants

🤿 Deep Dive: FFG AI Ecosystems 2026 – Up to €1M for Cooperative AI Projects

Since May 18, 2026, you can submit applications for the new FFG call "AI Ecosystems 2026: Hybrid AI & Green AI." A total of €8.4 million in funding is available, split between two focus areas with €4.2M each. The program is administered on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI).

Focus 1: Hybrid AI

Hybrid AI combines symbolic AI (rule-based, logical systems) with subsymbolic AI (deep learning, neural networks). The goal is to unite the strengths of both approaches: better explainability, higher reliability and the ability to incorporate prior and causal knowledge into model building.

Specifically, the focus is on the research and development of platforms, tools and methods for hybrid AI systems. An important aspect is the creation of human-centered AI systems that also meet the requirements of the EU AI Act.

Focus 2: Green AI

Caution: Green AI is not about using AI for climate goals. Instead, it is about making AI itself more sustainable and energy efficient. The growing energy consumption of AI systems, especially during inference, is a key ecological and economic challenge.

Funded projects address areas such as pruning (reducing model complexity), quantization (lowering numerical precision), knowledge distillation, neuromorphic computing, AI on the edge and embedded AI. In short: everything that makes AI models smaller, faster and more efficient.

Who Can Apply and by When?

• Eligible applicants: companies (including startups and SMEs), non-university and university research institutions
• Consortium: at least two companies must be part of the consortium
• Research category: industrial research only
• Funding: €100,000 to €1,000,000 per project, funding rate up to 85%
• Duration: maximum 36 months
• Submission deadline: May 18 to October 6, 2026 (12:00 noon)
• Language: applications must be submitted in English
• Total budget: €8.4M (€4.2M each for Hybrid AI and Green AI)

Why Is This Relevant?

First: a funding rate of up to 85% is exceptionally high. That makes cooperative R&D projects extremely attractive. Second: you have nearly five months to submit. Third: Green AI is a brand-new focus area that targets one of the most pressing topics in the AI industry. Being early here means strong positioning.

All information about the call: FFG AI Ökosysteme on StartMatch

Need support with your application? Write to us at robert@startmatch.ai

🗞️ StartMatch News: Your AI Agent for Grant Applications, Around the Clock

Friday evening, 10 PM. You're working on your research premium and asking yourself: "Can I submit these investments?" Your advisor? Already in the weekend. The FFG hotline? Monday from 9 AM. So you wait. Two days during which your application sits idle.

At StartMatch, you get the answer immediately. Our AI agent checks your cost items not only for completeness but also gives you substantive feedback. An example: you've entered lab equipment and a trade fair booth as investments. The agent recognizes that the lab equipment is generally eligible, but the trade fair booth is not, because marketing and sales costs are explicitly excluded from the research premium. That's the difference compared to a general AI tool: our agent knows the funding guidelines in detail and applies them to your specific data. No copy-paste from guidebooks, but feedback tailored to your application.

📡 FörderRadar: New and Expiring Grants

Important news about grants in Austria.

These Grants Can Be Submitted Starting in May

FFG Mission Klimaneutrale Stadt
Up to €1.5M for research and demonstration projects on climate neutrality of cities and districts. Submission period: 13.05. – 01.10.2026.

FFG AI Ökosysteme
Up to €1M for cooperative R&D projects in Hybrid AI and Green AI. Submission period: 18.05. – 06.10.2026.

FFG Mobilitätswende – Mobilitätstechnologie
Up to €2M for R&D projects in vehicle technology and automated mobility. Submission period: 27.05. – 30.09.2026.

FFG Energieforschung
Up to €2M for R&D projects on the green transformation – energy storage, hydrogen, CCUS and more. Submission period: 27.05. – 30.09.2026.

These Grants Are Expiring Soon

Wirtschaftsagentur Wien Tech4People
Up to €600,000 for R&D projects that develop technological solutions directly benefiting people. Areas: health, mobility, security, climate protection. Submission deadline only until 31.05.2026.

FFG Diversity Scheck
Up to €10,000 for diversity and inclusion measures in SMEs. Submission deadline only until 29.05.2026.

Best of luck with your projects!

Best regards,
Robert & your StartMatch Team 👋