netidee: 2025 grants awarded!

The grant program of Internet Stiftung has been in existence for 20 years. This year, 18 projects, 10 scholarship recipients, and one scientific research project were selected to receive grants.

The advisory board of netidee grants, Austria's major Internet funding initiative, selected 18 projects and 10 scholarship recipients from 138 applications, which will receive a total of around 1 million euros to promote the Internet in Austria.

The funded projects deal with topics such as the EU's Digital Services Act to combat illegal content on platforms, the development of drone-based open-source communication systems, the efficient and privacy-friendly application of AI models, a whistleblower platform for child protection in organizations, AI-supported learning environments, high-performance processing and display of information on the web, and an e-book reader for the deaf.

The topics covered by the scholarship recipients include quantum computing, increasing the efficiency of cybersecurity testers using AI, the Internet of Things ecosystem, and the use of AI in public procurement.

The special prize for “Data Integrity on the Internet” went to an ÖIAT project on the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). The project is developing a knowledge and analysis hub for evidence-based DSA enforcement. The prize is endowed with 3,000 euros.

The Martin Prager Integration Prize went to the “eqREADER” project by equalizent Media. This project is developing an e-book reader that supplements texts with sign language tooltips. The prize is also endowed with €3,000.

The netidee Science grant of €400,000 went to a research project by the Complexity Science Hub. The grant is endowed by the Internet Foundation and awarded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). The funded research project is dedicated to the skills and geography of software startups.

November 2025

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