Financing Innovation: From Research to Reality
Financing Innovation: From Research to Reality
On November 20th 2025, BDO Hungary FDI Advisory hosted its “Financing Innovation – From Research to Reality” conference at the Radisson Budapest BudaPart Hotel with approximately 60 participants. The event provided a comprehensive overview of domestic and EU-level funding, offering both strategic insight and practical guidance for organizations engaged in research and development (R&D) activities.
Across Europe, innovation is increasingly seen as the cornerstone of long-term competitiveness. While Hungary’s R&D expenditure remains below the OECD average with 1.5% of the GDP, the country has strong fundamentals: talented researchers and an increasing number of innovative companies. There is significant potential to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem and turn research outcomes into real competitive advantage. The conference aimed to advance this progress by promoting collaboration, sharing knowledge, and providing practical guidance on financing opportunities. It brought together professionals from the business, academia and the government sector to explore how innovative ideas can be transformed into real-world impact.
Throughout the day, the conference offered a programme of presentations and interactive sessions. In the morning, speakers from the Ministry for National Economy, National Research, Development and Innovation Office and HUN-REN provided valuable insights into Hungary’s industrial strategy and the national R&D ecosystem, exploring ways to bridge industry and academia and sharing guidance on successful R&D applications. Attendees gained insights into a variety of funding opportunities described by BDO team, including direct and indirect R&D grants as well as Hungarian state subsidies. The conference also featured an engaging roundtable discussion with CEVA, Infineon and Ligthware on building and sustaining a competitive R&D team in Hungary.
In the afternoon, participants took part in an interactive workshop focused on direct EU funding opportunities, analyzing a real-world case study. They also acquired knowledge about patenting processes and their importance for securing funding.
The event not only emphasized collaboration and knowledge sharing but also provided a platform for networking and partnership building across sectors. Attendees noted that the insights and connections gained would directly support their future innovation and development efforts.
Should you need any further information on the topic above or would like to participate on the next event, please contact us.
Across Europe, innovation is increasingly seen as the cornerstone of long-term competitiveness. While Hungary’s R&D expenditure remains below the OECD average with 1.5% of the GDP, the country has strong fundamentals: talented researchers and an increasing number of innovative companies. There is significant potential to strengthen the national innovation ecosystem and turn research outcomes into real competitive advantage. The conference aimed to advance this progress by promoting collaboration, sharing knowledge, and providing practical guidance on financing opportunities. It brought together professionals from the business, academia and the government sector to explore how innovative ideas can be transformed into real-world impact.
Throughout the day, the conference offered a programme of presentations and interactive sessions. In the morning, speakers from the Ministry for National Economy, National Research, Development and Innovation Office and HUN-REN provided valuable insights into Hungary’s industrial strategy and the national R&D ecosystem, exploring ways to bridge industry and academia and sharing guidance on successful R&D applications. Attendees gained insights into a variety of funding opportunities described by BDO team, including direct and indirect R&D grants as well as Hungarian state subsidies. The conference also featured an engaging roundtable discussion with CEVA, Infineon and Ligthware on building and sustaining a competitive R&D team in Hungary.
In the afternoon, participants took part in an interactive workshop focused on direct EU funding opportunities, analyzing a real-world case study. They also acquired knowledge about patenting processes and their importance for securing funding.
The event not only emphasized collaboration and knowledge sharing but also provided a platform for networking and partnership building across sectors. Attendees noted that the insights and connections gained would directly support their future innovation and development efforts.
Should you need any further information on the topic above or would like to participate on the next event, please contact us.
