Christian Doppler Laboratories

Christian Doppler Laboratories are compact, 7-year research units (3–20 people) embedded inside Austrian universities or non-university research institutions. Each lab is led by a highly qualified scientist and co-funded by one or more industry partners who must contribute 50% in cash (40% if the partner is an EEA SME). The public side covers the remaining 50% via BMWET and the National Foundation for R&D. There are no thematic restrictions — the programme is strictly bottom-up. Labs pass interim evaluations at the end of year 2 and year 5; a final evaluation closes out year 7. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. CDG's Scientific Board meets four times per year; submission must arrive approximately 5 weeks before a Board meeting. The process from submission to approval takes approximately 6 months and includes: preliminary review by the Scientific Board, external peer review, consultation on the reviewers' opinions, and a hearing before the Board. As of 2024, 103 CD Labs were active with a combined annual public budget of EUR 25.8M. At least one scientific partner OR one commercial partner must be located in Austria; both foreign universities and foreign companies may participate.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.