aws Seedfinancing – Innovative Solutions
Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) · Seed grant
$464KNon-repayable grant up to €356,000 (80% of costs); up to €400,000 (~$464k) at 90% with gender bonus
Austrian federal seed grant for young, highly innovative non-deep-tech startups with a verified prototype and scalable model, paid in milestones over up to 2 years plus consulting and IP advice.
Key terms
- Micro or small enterprise (EU SME definition) up to 5 years after incorporation at award
- 80% funding rate; at least 10% of costs from shareholders (gender bonus: 90%, if women own >25%)
- Non-repayable, paid in instalments on milestones; project max 2 years
- Must show impact in areas such as climate, health, education, mobility, diversity or housing; deep tech excluded (see Deep Tech module)
- Quarterly jury; stated success rate ~10%
Eligibility
- Where
- Austria
- Stages
- pre-seed, seed
- Max company age
- 5 years
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- Yes
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Prototype/first applications already developed
- Not for deep-tech projects
How to apply
Submit via the aws Fördermanager with a ~25-page business plan, structured pitch deck, integral cost/work-package plan, IDs and team CVs; info sessions are listed on the page.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Rolling (quarterly jury decisions)
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10 · source