How do I find out whether my development proposal is eligible for funding?

Your funding expert can advise you on whether your project formally meets the funding criteria. Rupert Bittmann will be happy to assist you with details of the COMET funding programme.

What's the procedure for receiving Comet Funding?

To receive COMET funding, you have to submit a funding application in accordance with FFG requirements . FFG funding also requires co-financing from the federal provinces. Applicants based in Vienna should apply for co-financing from the Vienna Business Agency. Schedule an appointment with your funding expert and present your project. Then submit your CORE form to the Vienna Business Agency. If the Vienna Business Agency recommends your project for funding, it will issue a letter of interest, which you will need in order to submit your funding application via the FFG eCall system.

COMET funding supports consortia made up of research institutions and companies. These must consist of at least one scientific institution and at least five independent companies from Austria and abroad.

COMET funding covers costs relating to personnel, materials, facility use, third-party costs, travel expenses and overheads according to the FFG Cost Guidelines .

When will I find out whether my development proposal will be funded?

Submitted applications will be reviewed in writing and recommended for funding by the review panel. The FFG makes the funding decision. The Executive Board of the Vienna Business Agency decides on regional co-financing for Vienna. It typically takes around eight months from the date of submission to determine whether your project will be awarded funding.

What is the maximum amount of funding I can receive?

You may be awarded up to €12 million per project. Ask your funding expert about funding details before you submit your application.

What is a funding rate?

The funding rate is the percentage of a proposal’s costs that may be funded. The funding rate varies depending on the type of funding. For example, if the funding rate is 50% and we recognise €24 million as your project costs, the federal provinces and the FFG will pay up to €12 million. The maximum funding rate for COMET funding is 50%.

Where do I submit my application for COMET funding?

You should submit your full application via the FFG 's eCall system. Co-financing by the provinces is provided at a ratio of 2:1 (Austrian federal government : province) and must be applied for in advance from the responsible provincial agencies . In the case of Vienna, this is the Vienna Business Agency.

What documents do I need to apply for COMET funding?

You must submit a completed CORE form to the Vienna Business Agency. Our experts will review the information that you have provided. Successful projects will receive a letter of intent from the Vienna Business Agency, which you will need to submit as part of a full application to the (FFG).

Can partnership applications be submitted for Comet Funding?

Yes, joint applications are mandatory for COMET funding. Research institutions collaborate with companies on research projects at COMET Centres. The applicant is usually a research institution that invites companies to participate in the research programme. A COMET Centre consists of at least one scientific institution and at least five independent companies from Austria and abroad.

COMET funding

Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies

Are you part of a consortium of Austrian companies and research institutions that is jointly looking to bring new production processes, operational procedures or services to market? We provide COMET funding to support research projects. Get in touch to book a consultation.

What is funded?

In conjunction with FFG, the national funding agency for industrial research and development in Austria, we provide COMET funding (Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies) for researchers looking to implement their findings in prototypes at partner companies. You can apply for COMET funding for:

Facility utilisation costs
Personnel and travel costs
Material and equipment costs
Third-party costs

Facts about COMET Centres

Maximum funding amount:	€ 12,000,000 euros per project (funded by the Austrian government and the province of Vienna)
Funding rates:	50%
Maximum project value:	€ 24,000,000 per project Additional funding from academic partners (5%); at least 40% from participating corporate partners
Who is eligible?	Consortia with at least one academic partner and at least five corporate partners from Austria and abroad, as well as existing COMET projects. If funding is approved, COMET Centres must establish their own legal entity.
Business sectors:	All sectors
Eligible costs:	Personnel, materials, facility utilisation, third-party costs, travel expenses and overheads, according to the current version of the FFG cost guidelines
Maximum project duration:	8 years (4+4)
Documents for your application to COMET funding	Consortia may only submit an application if they are able to provide letters of interest (LOI) from one or more provincial authorities confirming their willingness to provide co-financing. The province-specific CORE form, which consortia can use to apply for an LOI, must be submitted to the Vienna Business Agency at least ten days before the FFG submission deadline.
Upfront payment:	A start-up payment equal to one annual tranche may be issued up front.
Assessment:	Submitted applications will be reviewed in writing and recommended for funding by the review panel. The FFG is responsible for the funding decision. The Executive Committee of the Vienna Business Agency approves regional co-financing for Vienna.
Legal basis under European state aid law:	Pact on Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI Pact), under the RTI Pact structure, issued by the Austrian Federal Minister for Transport, Innovation and Technology and the Federal Minister for Science, Research and Economy in agreement with the Federal Minister of Finance.
Submission deadlines:	8 November 2025 Vienna Business Agency CORE form 18 November 2025 FFG