Budapest, 26 June 2025 – Through a total of HUF 3.45 billion in funding, 15 technology transfer companies (TTCs) linked to universities and research institutes will be able to implement promising, marketable projects under the Proof of Concept (PoC) call. A strategic goal of developing the Hungarian research and innovation ecosystem is the practical application of the knowledge produced at domestic universities and research institutes – in other words, ensuring that as many projects as possible result in marketable products, technologies or services.

In December last year, the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NRDI Office) launched the PoC call with a total budget of HUF 3 billion. The programme serves a dual purpose: firstly, to bridge the most high-risk phase between basic research and commercial exploitation; secondly, to strengthen the domestic deep tech ecosystem by increasing the number and value of deep tech companies.

The programme supports, in particular, but not exclusively, developments aimed at commercialising research results originating from previously funded and implemented research projects. Within the framework of the call, university or research institute TTCs were eligible to apply. Thanks to the PoC call, TTCs now have the opportunity to support their own projects with amounts ranging from HUF 5 million to HUF 50 million during the implementation period.

By the submission deadline of 10 April 2025, a total of 15 proposals had been received, reflecting a level of interest even greater than expected. Given the outstanding quality of the submitted concepts, the Ministry of Culture and Innovation raised the budget from HUF 3 billion to HUF 3.45 billion in order to ensure that all high-quality proposals could receive funding.

“The significant number of proposals submitted for the PoC call confirms our ambition to foster an entrepreneurial mindset at universities and research institutes. The implementation of these economically viable projects will not only help our universities advance in international rankings but also enhance the competitiveness of our country,” emphasised László Bódis, Deputy State Secretary for Innovation at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.

The government has given special support to the establishment of technology transfer companies that help utilise university knowledge, and their professional coordination has been overseen by the Hungarian Innovation Agency (NIÜ). In 2024, TTCs were established at five universities (Debrecen, Szeged, Győr, Óbuda and Semmelweis), with Pécs joining since then, and more institutions are planning to establish similar companies. This momentum is driven by the success of TTCs, which, within just one year, have attracted significant capital from both funding schemes and investors to support the commercialisation of university projects.

The winners of the PoC call are expected to present their projects at an event organised by NIÜ in Budapest on 7 July 2025.