Pushing Innovation in Manufacturing Through Different Approaches

“Production of the Future” is a national Austrian funding scheme that aims to promote cooperation between business and science, build up human resources and develop research infrastructure. The production of competitive products and the increase in productivity to secure economic growth in Austria are the funding scheme’s goals. Projects with a particularly high innovation content and increased development risk are the focus of funding.
There are two opportunities for receiving funding from “Production of the Future”: National submission opportunities are regularly offered for funding regular R&D projects, lighthouse projects, and R&D services. Furthermore, endowed professorships and research infrastructure projects such as “Industry 4.0 pilot factories” were funded in order to make innovative production technology and ICT accessible to both scientists and companies. Transnational submission opportunities exist via the European Research Area Network M-ERA.NET “ERA-NET for research and innovation on materials and battery technologies, supporting the European Green deal”. Bilateral submission opportunities have existed with China since 2014.