Moving European research
to the market
RTDS Group is a multidisciplinary competence centre for applied innovation research, supporting the design and implementation of publicly funded academia-industry collaboration under Horizon Europe to:
- Strengthen the EU’s scientific and technological basis and the European Research Area
- Boost Europe’s innovation capacity, competitiveness and jobs
- Deliver on citizen’s priorities and sustain our socio-economic model and values
Our mission is to support and accelerate transformation of the European economy by aligning sustainability, digitisation and social economics in collaborative research and innovation projects; contributing to Europe’s Triple Transition: integrating green, digital and socio-economic transformation. RTDS Group implements this transition around five burning challenges, as addressed in the New European Innovation Agenda:
Reducing reliance on fossil fuels
strengthening global food security
Mastering digital transformation
Advancing healthcare
Achieving circularity
These challenges align with our five areas implemented through Horizon Europe, and associated programmes: Circular-Biobased Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE-JU), the Innovation Fund and European Innovation Council programmes such as EIC Pathfinder and EIC Strategic Technologies for European Platform (STEP) Scale Up scheme.
Our Research
RTDS Association is a private, non-profit innovation research institute advancing applied social and economic sciences to promote academia-industry collaboration, accelerating technology and knowledge transfer to create scientific, economic and societal impacts.
Our Services
innovation strategy
proposal development
project implementation
training & workshops
Our work maximises the societal, economic and scientific impact of research, ensuring that results deliver lasting value for both industry and society.
EXCELLENT TRACK RECORD
Founded in 2003, RTDS has built an outstanding track record in European research and innovation programmes. From its first participation in FP6, RTDS became Austria’s leading SME in FP7 with 15 projects, three as Coordinator.
Building on this foundation, RTDS Association was established in 2015 to apply social and economic science methods and tools. RTDS participated in 12 Horizon 2020 projects (4 as Coordinator) and 8 Horizon Europe projects (5 as Coordinator), taking key roles in Dissemination, Exploitation, Communication and Innovation Management.
RTDS was the only organisation in Austria to have coordinated three Bio-Based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI-JU) projects and in 2025 launched its first CBE-JU project as Coordinator, reaffirming excellence in applied innovation research in the circular and bioeconomy.
CROSS-SECTOR INSIGHTS
With 20+ years of experience in EU-funded collaborative research, RTDS combines social and economic sciences with industry insights and policy expertise to complement technical partners.
We collaborate with leading European companies and research organisations to advance innovation across sectors – from the circular and bio-based economy to decarbonisation, energy systems and digitalisation. These efforts support Europe’s triple transition by linking technological advancement with sustainability and socio-economic resilience.
RTDS develops strategies for dissemination, exploitation and science communication to enhance knowledge transfer, foster stakeholder engagement and create measurable scientific, economic and societal impacts.
FROM IDEA TO IMPACT
RTDS is driven by the belief that research should create real-world value. Researchers and industry partners approach us with ideas and technologies aimed at tackling global challenges.
Our innovation strategy support transforms these ideas into scalable innovations by building sustainable value chains and business models across the innovation lifecycle, ensuring research-driven innovation contributes to Europe’s green, digital and socio-economic transitions.
From project conception to final report, RTDS collaborates closely with partners and stakeholders to co-develop circular value and business models, creating the framework conditions that ensure research results reach the market and society.
