Research into modern, effective medicines for psychiatric and gynaecological diseases, advancing renewable fuel production, and developing an AI-based system that enhances national security by predicting geopolitical crises – these and similar products and services, significantly improving people’s wellbeing and sense of security, will be created from the nearly HUF 15 billion funding framework announced at the end of last year by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NRDI Office) for the large enterprise sector.

The decision on the winners of the programmes implemented in cooperation with universities and research institutes was made this week.

Although only 15% of enterprises employing more than 10 people are large companies, 60% of innovative businesses come from this group. Large companies employ more than one third of the entire workforce of the business sector and account for over 30% of the total domestic R&D personnel. The top 100 large companies represent 52% of the total domestic R&D expenditure of the business sector

Given the importance of the Hungarian large company sector in domestic innovation, the NRDI Office announced a dedicated programme for them at the end of last year, under the name “Large Company Focus Area Innovation Programme”. The call encourages companies’ research, development and innovation activities by involving the actors of the Hungarian RDI ecosystem effectively: the six winners are working in close cooperation with a total of 10 Hungarian universities and three research institutes on their innovation projects.

“In addition to the intensive support of the SME sector, connecting Hungarian large companies with universities and research institutes is also key to improving the competitiveness of the Hungarian economy,” emphasised László Bódis, Deputy State Secretary for Innovation at the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, on the occasion of the results announcement. He added: “Our strategic goal is for Hungarian universities and research institutes to play a central role in solving economic and social challenges, which requires cooperation with the business sector. The supported developments are expected to generate significant economic impact and make everyday life easier for Hungarian people.”

Among the winning projects, Richter Gedeon Nyrt. focuses on effective drug therapies for psychiatric and gynaecological diseases, MOL Nyrt. on renewable and waste-based energy and chemical products, 3DHISTECH Kft. on modern, generative AI-based diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, GE HealthCare Kft. on tackling infertility, Mediso Kft. on creating a theranostic product family that connects diagnostics and therapy, while HM Elektronikai, Logisztikai és Vagyonkezelő Zrt. contributes with an AI-based model capable of effectively predicting geopolitical crises and with a self-learning drone detection and defence platform to improve security and address pressing societal challenges.

The large company call is highly significant in itself, but equally important is the multiplier effect by which the innovation programmes carried out by major firms can accelerate the development of other actors in the innovation chain and further strengthen the competitiveness of the entire ecosystem.

The list of funded projects is available on the NRDI Office’s website.
The winning projects of the call for proposals titled “Large Company Focus Area Innovation Programme”

Budapest, 15 September 2025