aws Seed - Deep Tech
About this good practice
Start-ups develop in preseed and seed stages. Innovations are often made in the deep tech sector and can be linked to sustainability. For that reason, there is a funding system that covers the preseed and seed stage for (sustainable) deep-tech solutions at aws (Austria Wirtschaftsservice).
The ‘Seed Deep Tech’ funding program was established in 1989. Deep tech businesses in seed stage face the problem that the development of innovative solutions are very expensive. Therefore, aws funds innovative deep tech solutions in seed stage.
The max. funding amount is 800.000 € per project (if a woman is part of the founding team) and max. 700.000 € per project (if a woman is not part of the founding team). R&D costs, operating capital costs, personnel costs, material costs, travel costs etc. get funded. The aws IP department provides IP coaching to support innovation protection.
Beneficiaries are innovators in seed stage from the following branches: deep tech industries like digitalization, ICT, physical science, Green Tech, quantum technology, life science (pharma/Biotech, MedTech incl. Digital Health).
Deep tech solutions that support the EU Green Deal (e.g. businesses/services that contribute to European climate neutrality by 2050) are addressed as well.
The supplementary funding programs are 'aws Preseed Deep Tech' and 'aws Green IP'.
Resources needed
The funding of the program is provided by the Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology and Ministry of Labour and Economy. The average annual budget is 20.000.000 €.
For the program management 2-3 employees (full-time) are needed.
Evidence of success
25 new projects can be funded (average funding of 800.000 € per project). Grantees are attracted by the high funding amount.
Potential for learning or transfer
The funding system covers the stages preseed, seed and SME. Preseed funding is the complementary funding program to seedfunding. Seedfunding can result in SME funding.
Seed funding covers the cost-intensive seed stages of a company and can contribute to (EU) sustainability goals.
A maximum of 800.000 € per project is granted if a woman is part of the founding team. This works as a lever to support equal rights for women in the working sector.