Josef Ressel Centres

Josef Ressel Centres are 5-year applied-research units (3–10 people) based exclusively at Austrian universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen / FH). The programme was created in 2012 when CDG took on management of it, specifically to build research capacity at FH institutions and connect them with regional SMEs. Like CD Labs, funding is split 50/50 between public sources and industry cash (40% if the partner is an SME). Annual budgets range from EUR 90k to EUR 460k; total per-centre maximum over 5 years is EUR 2.3M. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis within the current 3-year funding cycle (01 March 2024 – 31 December 2026), aligned with CDG's federal funding agreement. Evaluation criteria include application orientation and degree of innovation, scientific quality, anchoring in the FH environment, and sustainability of the cooperation. The programme uses a 2+3 phase structure with a mid-term evaluation. As of 2024, 18 JR Centres were active.

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