2024 Houska Prize

Call for entries

2024 Houska Prize

Established in 2005, the B&C Private Foundation’s Houska Prize was set up to promote commercially relevant research and innovation in Austria. By awarding the prize, B&C’s goal is to help strengthen Austria as a business location and express its appreciation for the outstanding research work that is carried out in the country. Innovation performance and economic impact are key criteria in the selection process. With a total prize fund of EUR 750,000, the Houska Prize distributes more prize money than any other privately-financed awards for application-driven research in Austria.

Visual Houskapreis 2024

Submissions now closed

The deadline for submissions for the 2024 Houska Prize was 30 November 2023. A total of 73 projects were submitted, 28 of which were in the category "University Research", 25 in the area of "Non-University Research" and 20 in the category "Research & Development in SMEs". The submitted research projects will now be evaluated in a two-step process by high-profile advisory boards and an internationally recognized expert jury. The five nominees per category will be announced by the end of February 2024. The award ceremony will take place in Vienna on 25 April 2024.

Thank you for the numerous submissions!

If you have any questions, please contact 
B&C Private Foundation | Doris Mayr | T: +43 (0)1 531 01-502 | E: d.mayr@privat-stiftungen.at
Here are guidlines for creating and processing online submissions. 

University Research category

This category recognises the economic significance of applied research for Austria as a business location. It is open to state and private universities including universities of applied sciences as well as the Christian Doppler Laboratories, the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria).

For more information please refer to the following documents:

Prize money
1st place
EUR 150,000
2nd place
EUR 160000
3rd place
EUR 20,000
2 remaining finalists
each EUR 10,000

Non-University Research category

The category is open to non-university research institutions which are able to demonstrate a combination of exceptional research performance and research findings with economic significance for Austria as a business location. Institutions according to the Eligible Non-University Research Institution list below are invited to make submissions in this category.

For more information please refer to the following documents:

Prize money
1st place
EUR 150,000
2nd place
EUR 60,000
3rd place
EUR 20,000
2 remaining finalists
EUR 10,000 each

Research&Development in SMEs category

Exceptionally innovative research achievements with a lasting economic impact by small and medium-sized enterprises in Austria are highlighted in the Research & Development in SMEs category by the Houska Prize. The prize money is intended to give the recipients the greatest possible freedom and flexibility when it comes to their future research activities.

For more information please refer to the following documents:

Prize money
1st place
EUR 150,000
2nd place
EUR 60,000
3rd place
EUR 20,000
2 remaining finalists
EUR 10,000 each

Two-step selection process

The three categories of Higher Education Research, Non-University Research and Research & Development in SMEs are evaluated independently of one another. Submissions are evaluated by a carefully selected advisory panel and subsequently by a judging panel of internationally respected experts. The advisory panel engages external experts to assist with the evaluation of submissions and ensure a robust process. It proposes an initial ranking, which is provided to the judging panel, who make the final decisions. The judging panel selects five finalists in each category. The 2024 Houska Prize winners will be announced at the awards ceremony held on 25 April 2024.

01.09.
2023
Beginning of submission period for the 2024 Houska Prize
30.11.
2023
End of submission period for the 2024 Houska Prize
01.12.
2023
Project evaluation by an advisory board and an expert jury
21.02.
2024
Announcement of nominees
25.04.
2024
Award Ceremony 2024 Houska Prize
Houskapreis Gala

Press & News

Contact

Doris Mayr  |  +43 1 53101 502  |  d.mayr@privat-stiftungen.at
B&C Privatstiftung  |  Universitätsring 14  |  1010 Vienna, Austria

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2024 Houska Prize - Submissions nicht sichthbar

Established in 2005, the B&C Private Foundation’s Houska Prize was set up to promote business-related research and innovation. By awarding the prize, B&C’s goal is to help strengthen Austria as a business location while expressing its appreciation for the outstanding research work carried out in the country. In addition to the innovation performance, the economic effect is an essential criterion in the awarding of the Houska Prize. With a total endowment of EUR 750,000 shared between the winners, the Houska Prize is Austria’s largest privatly-awarded prize for application-driven research.

Visual Houskapreis 2024

2023 Houska Prize: Submission is now closed

A total of 67 projects were submitted, 24 of which were in the category "Higher Education Research", 20 in the category "Research & Development in SMEs" and 23 in the area of non-university research, the newly introduced third category. The deadline for submissions for the 2023 Houska Prize was 30 November 2022. The submitted research projects will now be judged in a two-stage process by high-profile advisory boards and an internationally recognized expert jury. The five nominees per category will be announced by the end of February 2023. The award ceremony will take place in Vienna on 27 April 2023.

Thank you for the numerous submissions!

Submit here

If you have any questions, please contact 
B&C Private Foundation | Doris Mayr | T: +43 (0)1 531 01-502 | E: d.mayr@privat-stiftungen.at
Here are guidlines for creating and processing online submissions. 

 

2023 Houska Prize - submission nicht sichtbar

Established in 2005, the B&C Private Foundation’s Houska Prize was set up to promote business-related research and innovation. By awarding the prize, B&C’s goal is to help strengthen Austria as a business location while expressing its appreciation for the outstanding research work carried out in the country. With a total endowment of EUR 750,000 shared between the winners, the Houska Prize is Austria’s largest private award for application-driven research.

Submissions until 30 November 2022

The Austrian research Oscars will be marking its 18th iteration next year with a new development: the 2023 Houska Prize will be extended to include a third category – Non-University Research – which will complement the existing categories Higher Education Research and Research & Development in SMEs. Submissions for the 2023 Houska Prize are online only and open between 1 September and 30 November 2022. Please note that the submission form is in German only.

SUBMIT HERE

If you have any questions, please contact
B&C Private Foundation | Doris Mayr | T: +43 (0)1 531 01-502 | E: d.mayr@privat-stiftungen.at

Nominees for the 2023 Houska Prize

13 projects were nominated for the 2023 Houska Prize in a two-stage process by internationally recognised experts.

Category Higher Education Research

Alphabetical order by university

Project lead

TU Wien - Ao. Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Michael Harasek

Project

1st Prize: Separation and Compression of Hydrogen for Fuel Cells

Project lead

University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna - Priv.-Doz.in DI.in Dr.in Sabine Brandt

Project

3rd Prize: Immunotherapy of Papillomavirus-Induced Skin Cancer in Horses

Project lead

University of Vienna - Univ.-Prof. Dr. Mag. Robert Konrat

Project

2nd Prize: Computer-Assisted Structural Biology

Category Non-University Research

Alphabetical order by university

Project lead

Austrian Institute for Applied Telecommunications (OIAT) - Mag.a Louise Beltzung

Project

Nominated: Real-Time Detection of Fake-Shops through Machine Learning

Project lead

RCPE Research Center Pharmaceutical Engineering GmbH - Dr.in Simone Eder, MA,  Dr. Martin Spörk, MA

Project

Nominated: Personalized Pharmaceutical Inserts via 3D-Printing

Project lead

Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH - DI.in (FH) Elisabeth Häusler

Project

1st Prize: Sensor-based feedback and mobile analysis for optimised alpine skiing

Category Research & Development in SMEs

Alphabetical order by university

2022 Houska Prize All Stars - Nominees nicht sichtbar

The B&C Private Foundation has announced a special prize for 2022: the 2022 Houska Prize All Stars. This award will recognize the achievements of projects nominated for the Houska Prize between 2005 and 2020 which have gone on to achieve the greatest commercial success.

Logo Houskapreis 2022 All Stars

Five projects nominated for the 2022 Houska Prize All Stars

The deadline for submissions for the 2022 Houska Prize All Stars was 30 November 2021. The projects entered have been evaluated in a two-phase process by the members of the a high-level Advisory Commitee and an internationally respected expert jury. Out of 28 submissions the best 5 projects were selected for the final. The winners will be announced at the Houska Prize award ceremony taking place on 28 April 2022.

2022 Houska Prize All Stars - Submission open nicht sichtbar

The B&C Private Foundation has announced a special prize for 2022: the 2022 Houska Prize All Stars. This award will recognize the achievements of projects nominated for the Houska Prize between 2005 and 2020 which have gone on to achieve the greatest commercial success.

Submissions open until 30 November 2021

Submissions for the 2022 Houska Prize All Stars are online only and must be entered between 1 September 2021 and midnight on 30 November 2021 at the latest. Please note that the submission form is in German only.

Submit here

Houskapreis Preisverleihung
Houskapreis 2018: Preisverleihung

Registration for the Award Ceremony

In the 2022 Houska Prize All Stars, the B&C Private Foundation will be paying tribute to the nominated projects submitted between 2005 and 2020 which have gone on to achieve the greatest commercial success. Austria´s top researchers will be awarded with the prestigious Houska Prize at a festive award ceremony.

Thursday, 28 April 2021, 7:00 p.m. CET
Museumsquartier, Museumsplatz 1, A-1070 Vienna

Please note, that only persons who have been sent an invitation with a registration code can register to attend the award ceremony. The event will be streamed online on our website to enable anyone to see the ceremony. The event will be held in German.

register here

The event is organized according to the criteria of the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Events. Please support our green event and use public transport when you arrive.

Nominees 2022 - offline

Winners and Nominees

Project lead

University of Innsbruck, Department of Mechatronics - Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Clemens Zierhofer

Project

1st Prize: Design and Realisation of a Cochlear Implant System for Fine Structure Simulation

Project lead

Montanuniversität Leoben, Chair of Nonferrous Metallurgy - Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Stefan Pogatscher

Project

1st Prize: Manipulation of Aluminium Tempering Kinetics for Traffic and Transport

Project lead

University of Innsbruck, Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics - Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Armin Hansel

Project

3rd Prize: PTR-TOF trace gas analysis

Project lead

Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Technology - Univ.-Prof. Jürgen Stampfl, Univ.-Prof. Robert Liska, Univ.-Prof. Aleksandr Ovsianikov

Project

Nominated: 3D-Printing – Let there be Light!

Project lead

Marinomed Biotech AG - Dr.in Eva Prieschl-Grassauer

Project

Nominated: Carragelose – Prophylaxis and Treatment of Viral Respiratory Infections

Submission Criteria 2022 - offline

The 2022 Houska Prize was awarded in the form of a special All Stars prize. Participation was open to all nominated projects submitted by universities and small and medium-sized businesses between 2005 and 2020. The Advisory Committees and Expert Jury nominated five projects, which were in with a chance of winning the All Stars special prize.

 

List of eligible projects:
projects nominated from 2005 to 2020

Submission and evaluation criteria:
2022 Houska Prize All Stars terms of submission

The 2022 Houska Prize All Stars was endowed with total prize money of EUR 250,000. B&C increased the prize money to EUR 340,000 to provide the  two first place winners with vouchers with a value equivalent to EUR 150,000 each.

The prize was awarded in the form of continuing education/research vouchers for training and development spendings, infrastructure investments or research services.

1st prize: voucher with a value equivalent to €150,000
2nd prize: voucher with a value eqivalent to €60,000
3rd prize: voucher with a value equivalent to €20,000
2 nominees: vouchers each with a value equivalent to €10.000

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