The funding is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have completed a successful FFG project in the last twelve months and now want to bring the finished prototype to the market.
Starting today, representatives from science, research, politics, as well as companies and investors will discuss the central importance of research, technology, and innovation for the competitiveness of Austria and Europe during the "Technology Talks Austria."
Key points: Greater cost transparency, one-time suspension of HGV toll valorisation for infrastructure component, and improved planning reliability when switching to electric lorries
After an intensive selection process, the 14 Austrian participants in the "Astronaut for a Day" initiative, jointly conducted for the first time by Austria, Luxembourg, and Estonia, have been decided. Originally, 13 slots were planned, but due to the high quality of the applications, 14 participants were ultimately selected. The last spot was drawn from the original five reserve candidates. Seven girls and seven boys, aged between 15 and 18, will have the unique opportunity to experience weightlessness on a parabolic flight on 15 October 2025. The group will be supplemented by four reserve astronauts: three girls and one boy.
Mobility Minister Peter Hanke is expanding his advisory circle to include Gerald Klug, the CEO of Graz-Köflacher Bahn and Busbetrieb GmbH (GKB). Klug will support the Ministry of Mobility in future as a special advisor for cross-border railway matters. This area is increasingly gaining importance due to the significance of international passenger and freight transport.
The AI-Mobile Austria brings Artificial Intelligence (AI) where it creates value: directly into the industry. In Austria's first mobile AI studio, real applications demonstrate how AI is already supporting quality assurance, production planning, document analysis, logistics, and occupational safety – practical, dialogue-oriented, and accessible.
The new call for proposals Talente regional — Children, Companies and the World of Research will begin next week. The initiative from the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) aims to ignite a passion for applied research among children and young people at an early age. This serves as a long-term strategy to counteract the shortage of skilled workers in Austria through practical, regional educational offerings in the fields of research, technology and innovation (RTI). The call for proposals is managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG. A total of nearly 3 million Euros is available for the initiative, with a maximum funding amount of 130,000 Euros per project.
In July, Mobility Minister Peter Hanke presented the new programme “eMove Austria” and outlined the future of e-mobility in Austria. A flagship project is the sightseeing provider Big Bus Vienna, where the transition has already begun. Ten e-double-decker buses are already in daily operation there, and by the end of 2025 the entire fleet will be expanded to 16 vehicles. The transition will save more than 4,000 tonnes of CO₂ over the next five years. The project “BigBus goes electric” was funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) with approximately 1.2 million euros from the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI), financed by the European Union through NextGenerationEU.
Semiconductor and quantum technologies are among the most important technologies of our time, offering enormous growth opportunities for the Austrian economy. The European Union has also recognized their importance, and is placing a conscious emphasis on further developing these key technologies.
Strengthening innovation, securing the location – these are the two major goals of the research initiative “Transformation of Industry”.
In the coming months, a joint basis for the future organisation and financing of Upper Austria's regional railways will be developed.
From Bregenz to Eisenstadt: All of Austria is on the move – on foot. Under the motto “Österreich zu Fuß” (Austria on Foot) the entire country is committed to promoting walking as a healthy, socially equitable, and environmentally friendly form of mobility for the future. With the recently adopted Walking Master Plan of the city of Linz, now almost all nine provincial capitals are implementing concrete measures to strengthen pedestrian traffic.
With the realignment of the 'Frontrunner' initiative, the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism (BMWET) are launching another impulse to strengthen Austria's innovation and industrial location. From now on, technology-oriented companies will be supported through a uniform funding scheme that specifically enables contributions to digital and sustainable transformation.
Austria ranks 8th in the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) published today. As this innovation ranking is being published this year with a revised methodology, this position is only comparable with that of previous years to a very limited extent. The ranking is headed by the group of ‘Innovation Leaders’ with Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland. This is followed by the group of ‘Strong Innovators’ with Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, France and Estonia.
With the "Connecting Europe Facility – Transport" programme, 74.4 million euros are being channelled directly into the domestic rail network. Hanke sees this as a "strong signal for sustainable mobility."
Especially in times of global upheaval, a fundamental industrial policy orientation is needed. In developing the industrial strategy, the federal government has precisely this in mind: strategic guidelines for Austria's location policy, which will give companies planning security and prepare the ground for a competitive, innovative and resilient industrial location in 2035.
The Republic of Austria – represented by Mobility Minister Peter Hanke – is handing over two special trains to the Ukrainian state railway company Ukrsalisnyzja (UZ) as a sign of the cooperation and long-standing partnership. Last Wednesday, the vehicles were handed over to the Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria, H.E. Vasyl Khymynets.
Against the backdrop of budgetary consolidation, the federal government and ÖBB have announced discussions with the state of Upper Austria regarding the future operation of the Almtalbahn, Hausruckbahn, and the northern part of the Mühlkreisbahn railway connections. At the heart of these discussions are questions of long-term financing and the adaptation of public transport services to passenger demand.
Starting signal for the next chapter on the way to the mobility transformation
Ensuring safe and efficient aviation is a common goal of the Austrian authorities, airports, airlines, handling services and the entire industry. Mobility Minister Peter Hanke and representatives of the aviation industry made this clear at a media event today. A ‘Joint Declaration on Unruly Passengers’ was signed before the start of the peak travel season. The aim is to consistently counter the increasing misbehaviour of a minority of passengers on board and on the ground.
Karin Puleo-Leodolter elected Chair of the European Directors General of the International Civil Aviation Conference (EUR/NAT-DGCA)
The ‘Astronaut for a Day’ initiative is a joint project between Austria, Luxembourg and Estonia to promote young talent in the fields of space, science and technology. The centrepiece is a joint parabolic flight on 15 October 2025 in Luxembourg, during which the selected students will experience weightlessness for a short time.
Semiconductors have long been an integral part of our everyday lives. Whether in communication, such as smartphones, tablets and computers, medicine, increasing energy efficiency or transport, for example in driver assistance systems, this technology plays a crucial role.