This scientific award aims to highlight innovative projects, strengthen knowledge transfer between science and society, and encourage other researchers to adopt OIS methods.

The Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG) is a pioneer in developing and implementing OIS strategies. With the LBG OIS Center, which has been active for ten years, it brings together its expertise and supports open and participatory research in Austria with national and international partners from science, industry, and society.

The following three research awards will be granted to individual recipients:

• Open Innovation in Science Award (€2,000) For a project that innovatively and effectively implements OIS methods.
• A WKÖ Foundation Prize for Knowledge Transfer & Application (€2,000)This prize is sponsored by the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) and is awarded to a project that, alongside OIS, has a strong focus on the transfer and/or practical application of research results.

• A Support Package for an OIS Project with Development Potential A support prize will be awarded to a project whose OIS approach is still under development. The project will benefit from targeted consulting and mentoring on the implementation of OIS methods in research projects, provided by experts from the OIS Center.

Submission & Evaluation

• Who can apply? Individual early career researchers from LBIs and KFGs (those in the following career stages: doctoral phase, immediate postdoc phase, or transition to independent research).
• Submission format: An innovatively designed, representative poster draft that clearly and comprehensively presents the research project (including OIS aspects).

Evaluation Criteria: Research project quality, including OIS methodology, methodological implementation, stakeholder involvement and societal impact, knowledge transfer aspects, and potential for application.

In addition to the prize money, the winners will receive professional communication support (e.g., video, social media) to broadly disseminate their research. The winning posters will be presented at the OIS zam: Forum in Vienna (October 9–10, 2025).Please send the following documents to adis.serifovic@lbg.ac.at:

• Curriculum vitae of the submitting person (as PDF, max. 3 MB)
• Poster: We do not require a finished poster, but a developed draft with an OIS component, a text and a visualisation (as PDF; A0 format, max. 10 MB)

Submission Deadline: May 30, 2025