Innovationsscheck: Up to €10,000 for Your First Research Collaboration

What to expect in this issue

• Deep Dive - Up to €10,000 for your first research collaboration
• StartMatch News - BERGFÜRST is now working with StartMatch
• FörderRadar - New and expiring grants

🤿 Deep Dive: FFG Innovationsscheck 2026 - Up to €10,000 for Your Research Collaboration

In the Deep Dive we regularly present a financing or funding topic in detail. Today: the FFG Innovationsscheck 2026, up to €10,000 for your research collaboration.

You have an innovative idea but no research staff of your own? That is exactly what the Innovationsscheck mit Selbstbehalt is for: the FFG pays 80% of the costs when you bring in know-how from universities, universities of applied sciences or non-university research institutions. Open to any topic, any technology and any industry.

What Do You Get?

• Up to €10,000 as a non-repayable grant (funding rate max. 80%)
• For the full voucher you need €12,500 in eligible project costs, smaller projects are funded pro rata
• Continuous assessment, submission possible at any time

What Can You Pay For With It?

Eligible costs are the services of the research institution, for example: research-based feasibility studies and concept development, preparatory work for an R&D project, the development of novel algorithms and methods, the preparation of patentable developments, scientific support during prototype development or concepts for technical innovation management.

Handy: the FFG provides a researcher database in which you can find the right research partner by industry, type of organization and region. You submit their quote together with your application in the eCall.

Who Can Apply & By When?

SMEs and commercially active associations with a place of business in Austria (up to 250 employees, max. €50 million in revenue, participation of a large company below 25%). Important: you must not have received the Innovationsscheck in the past 12 months, and the de minimis ceiling of €300,000 over 3 years has to leave room. You can submit at any time until 31.12.2026, decisions are made on a rolling basis on a first come, first served basis.

Why Is This Relevant?

The Innovationsscheck is the perfect entry into the world of grants: no fixed deadline, no consortium to build, a manageable application. And it is a springboard: the results of a feasibility study or concept development can feed straight into larger applications, such as the FFG Basisprogramm. First validate the concept with €10,000, then go for the big grant.

All information is available here: FFG Innovationsscheck mit Selbstbehalt on StartMatch

🗞️ StartMatch News: BERGFÜRST Is Now Working With StartMatch

Big news from the team: BERGFÜRST, one of the leading German platforms for digital real asset investments with more than 132,000 investors and around €194 million in brokered capital, is now using our AI solution.

Unlike general-purpose chatbots, our AI is tailored to the financial industry: it researches company and market data on its own, knows the regulatory requirements and supports the writing of texts and reports, without any elaborate prompting. BERGFÜRST uses the tool to speed up recurring processes and turn days into hours.

After CONDA, BERGFÜRST is already the second major crowdinvesting platform in the DACH region to work with StartMatch. For us, that is welcome proof that our technology proves its worth well beyond grant applications. 🚀

📡 FörderRadar: New and Expiring Grants

These Grants Can Be Submitted Now

FFG Multilaterale Eureka Leichtbau Ausschreibung
Transnational R&D in lightweight construction, in Austria only with a mobility focus. Up to €750,000, funding rate up to 80% for startups and small companies, submission until 12.10.2026, the international Eureka application must already be on file by 08.10.2026.

FFG Go!Tech Praktika
Lump-sum funding for internship placements for high school graduates in scientific and technical fields. €3,800 for three months, €7,100 for six months, continuous submission until 04.11.2026 at 12:00 noon.

FFG AI Ökosysteme
Cooperative R&D in the focus areas Hybrid AI and Green AI, a cooperation between the partners is mandatory. Up to €1 million, submission until 06.10.2026 at 12:00 noon.

FFG Energieforschung
R&D around generation, storage, hydrogen, CCUS and flexible energy systems, open to companies of all sizes, startups and research institutions. Up to €2 million, submission until 30.09.2026 at 12:00 noon.

FFG Mission Klimaneutrale Stadt
R&D and demonstration projects for climate-neutral, resilient cities, districts and buildings. Up to €2 million for demonstration projects, submission until 01.10.2026 at 10:00.

These Grants Are Expiring Soon

AI-BOOST AI Challenge Competition
EU competition for GenAI projects in robotics, engineering, clinical data and mobility. Five Spark prizes of €28,500 per challenge plus a €100,000 main prize. Open to individuals and startups as well. Submission deadline only until 25.08.2026 (challenges 1+2) and 08.09.2026 (challenges 3+4).

FFG Mobilitätswende: Mobilitätstechnologie
Vehicle technology, automated mobility and digital solutions in line with the Mobility Master Plan 2030. Up to €4 million for flagship projects. Submission deadline only until 30.09.2026 at 12:00 noon.

FFG Energieforschung
R&D around generation, storage, hydrogen, CCUS and flexible energy systems. Up to €2 million. Submission deadline only until 30.09.2026 at 12:00 noon.

Best of luck with your projects!

Best regards,
Robert & your StartMatch Team 👋