2005

Tomorrow sees the start of the third round of tenders under the A3 “Austrian Advanced Automotive Technology” technology programme, focusing on the topic “Austrian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Initiative”. This latest round of tenders will make around EUR 5 m in support available for highly innovative R&D projects by syndicates of Austrian car component suppliers.

The Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology, which is responsible for the programme, has awarded ETECH Management Consulting GmbH with a mandate for the operational management of the A3 technology programme. ETECH CONSULT is a consulting subsidiary of Investkredit Bank AG, specialising in market surveys as well as consulting on technology and grants.

The increasing significance of the A3 technology programme to Austrian car component suppliers can be clearly seen in the way the programme line has developed: on the occasion of the first tender in 2002, 25 project proposals were submitted, of which 18 were selected to receive grants; the second tender in 2004, with 51 projects submitted and 21 subsidised projects, demonstrates the significant increase in demand by the Austrian automotive industry for specific subsidy tools to realise innovative project ideas.

The aim of the A3 technology programme is to improve the competitiveness of Austrian car component suppliers, a key industry of the Austrian economy with above-average growth rates. It currently has around 700 companies with some 170,000 employees generating sales of around EUR 20 bn.

Up to 25 July 2005 co-operative R&D projects may be submitted under the following three categories:

• Alternative drives and fuels
• Alternative materials and manufacturing processes
• Vehicle electronics

The research projects between industrial, university and non-university researchers should be targeted at the development of innovative approaches and genuine leaps in technology in the Austrian car component sector. It is a matter of early recognition by the Austrian automotive industry of incipient technological breakthroughs. A realistic time horizon for technology developed under the A3 technology programme to be ready for commercial production is between 2015 and 2020. This gives the projects under the A3 technology programme a strongly pre-competitive flavour. Nevertheless, the wide range of innovation policy subsidy tools to be used under A3 extends from studies through to demonstration projects.
Within the three categories listed above, the following types of projects may be submitted:

A. Technology-oriented part of the programme

• Studies (basic and feasibility)
• Business-related basic research
• Technological and component development (pre-competitive development)
• Demonstration projects

B. Support and assistance measures

• Support for training initiatives
• Internationalisation and securing of Austria’s position in the European research area
• Support measures for SMEs

The support or finance quota, depending on the kind of project, is between 25% and 100% and the maximum amount of support or finance between EUR 150,000 and EUR 1.5 m per project.

The tender is directed equally at Austrian players from industry, SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and university as well as non-university research institutes that carry out joint co-operative research and development projects with a high development risk. A syndicate must consist of at least three partners. The tender is specifically aimed at players in industry and research that have not yet worked in or for the automotive industry but that – because of their specialist technical knowledge (e.g. material sciences, simulation, electronics, polymer and electrochemistry, etc) – can make a valuable contribution to innovation in this sector.Increased participation by SMEs is particularly welcome and will be supported by a special SME bonus.

ETECH CONSULT assists companies in obtaining technology subsidies in Austria and Europe, in trading in CO2 certificates (in connection with Kyoto) as well as in preparing market surveys relating to the strategic direction of business segments and the identification of new markets.

For further information contact:
ETECH CONSULT – A3 Programme Management
Marisa Sebald, Tel: 01/531 35 –212
http://www.a3-programm.at/
http://www.etech-consult.at/