1.5-Millionen-Investment für Wiener Startup GoStudent
Das Wiener Startup GoStudent erhält in einer Finanzierungsrunde 1.5 Millionen Euro Kapital, 500.000 Euro stammen von Speedinvest. Insbesondere eine hohe User Attraction und schnelle Wachstumsraten in einer vergleichsweise frühen Phase konnten überzeugen.
GoStudent, das Wiener Startup von Felix und Moritz Ohswald, Gregor Müller und Ferdinand von Hagen, hat ein Investment von 1.5 Millionen Euro bekommen. Die größten Anteilseigner sind Gregor Müller und Felix Ohswald mit je etwas über 20 Prozent. Durch das Kapital von Speedinvest hält das Wiener VC laut öffentlich einsehbaren Firmeninformationen einen Anteil von 12,7 Prozent. Für Speedinvest war für das Investment in Höhe von einer halben Million Euro ausschlaggebend, dass GoStudent eine hohe User Attraktion aufweist und diesbezüglich in einem sehr frühen Stadium ein hohes Wachstum vorlegte. Auch Pioneers Ventures und die deutsche Econnext sind durch frühere Investments – derBrutkasten berichtete – dabei.
Vom WhatsApp-Dienst zur eigenen App
Ursprünglich startete GoStudent als WhatsApp-Dienst zum Austausch für Schüler. Inzwischen ist daraus eine App für mobile oder browserfähige Endgeräte geworden. Im kostenlosen Bereich steht Schülern eine Plattform zur Verfügung, auf der sie Fragen zu Schulstoff stellen können, den sie nicht verstanden haben. Diese Fragen werden dann von anderen Schülern bzw. Tutoren beantwortet. Zusätzlich hat GoStudent “Prof. Brain” entwickelt, einen intelligenten Chatbot. Dieser nimmt im Facebook-Messenger Fragen entgegen, die er dem passenden Tutor zuweist und die Antwort an die Fragenden zustellt. Bereits 100.000 Nutzer habe es nach wenigen Monaten gegeben, heißt es. Kostenpflichtig hingegen sind Videochats mit Nachhilfelehrern.
Täglich 4000 Fragen auf GoStudent
In nächsten Schritten wolle man den Dienst technologisch weiterentwickeln und auch international ausdehnen. So gebe es auch bereits erste Tests in englischer Sprache. Von offizieller Seite heißt es, man habe bereits 250.000 aktive Nutzer, die am Tag 4.000 Fragen stellten. 30 Prozent der Nutzer entfallen hierbei auf Österreich, 70 Prozent auf Deutschland.
Die Co-Founder Felix Ohswald und Gregor Müller im Video-Interview mit dem Brutkasten
Felix Ohswald und Gregor Müller, zwei von vier GoStudent-Gründern, über ihre Peer to Peer Plattform für Schüllerfragen, die heutige Erweiterung um den Videounterricht mit qualifizierten Experten, den Auftritt in 2 Minuten 2 Millionen, die große Vision uvm.
Gepostet von DerBrutkasten am Mittwoch, 4. April 2018
aws First Incubator: Austria as a Launchpad for International Startup Teams
Austria is becoming a hub for international startup teams. The aws First Incubator, starting again in spring 2025 with a special focus call for international founders, offers financial support, mentoring, and networking to help them succeed — as proven by success stories like the Styrian startup Redeem Solar Technologies.
aws First Incubator: Austria as a Launchpad for International Startup Teams
Austria is becoming a hub for international startup teams. The aws First Incubator, starting again in spring 2025 with a special focus call for international founders, offers financial support, mentoring, and networking to help them succeed — as proven by success stories like the Styrian startup Redeem Solar Technologies.
The team around Redeem Solar Technologies Co-Founder Florian Ehrlich-Sommer benefited from the aws First International Incubator
Austria is increasingly positioning itself as an international hub for innovative entrepreneurs. A significant contributor to this development is the aws First Incubator, which will kick off a new round with a special focus call for international founders in spring 2025. This program, run by the Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws), is designed for startup founders and founding teams, and students who want to establish a startup in Austria or have recently done so.
The aws First Incubator offers a combination of financial support, targeted mentoring, and a dynamic network – a package that helps international founders integrate into Austria’s vibrant startup ecosystem.
Financial Support for Early-Stage Startups
Financial barriers are among the biggest challenges for early-stage founders. The aws First Incubator addresses this by providing monthly personnel cost subsidies and grants for project, rental, and travel expenses. This financial support allows founders to focus fully on developing their business ideas.
However, the program goes beyond financial aid. It offers a comprehensive package of workshops, project-specific mentoring, and specialized coaching sessions. These resources ensure that startups receive not only financial support but also strategic and operational guidance.
Knowledge Transfer Through Practical Workshops
The program’s workshops deliver targeted knowledge on topics critical to startups, such as business model development, marketing strategies, patent law, and funding planning. The practical approach ensures that the content is directly tailored to the needs of the founders.
A key highlight of the program is the direct access to experts and mentors who share their years of experience in the startup and business world. This individualized support helps participants overcome specific challenges and refine their business ideas.
Success Story: Redeem Solar Technologies
An example of the program’s success is the startup Redeem Solar Technologies. Founded by Florian Ehrlich-Sommer (COO) and his international team, the company develops photocatalytic reactors for sustainable hydrogen production. Ehrlich-Sommer explains how the program helped his team sharpen their vision and gain new perspectives: “Interacting with founders from different industries and countries gave us fresh perspectives and helped refine our business model. As engineers, we tend to communicate in technical language. Through the program, we learned to present our idea clearly and understandably.”
The international team of Redeem Solar Technologies | (c) Redeem Solar Technologies
Redeem Solar Technologies uses light energy to enable chemical reactions, in order to produce hydrogen in an environmentally friendly way. The startup’s solutions are particularly relevant to the pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries. Through the aws program, the team not only secured financial support but also made valuable connections in the Austrian startup scene.
Interdisciplinary and International Exchange
One of the most significant benefits of the aws First Incubator’s special international call is the interdisciplinary and international exchange. The participating teams come from various industries – from software startups to sustainability technologies and innovative food products. This diversity allows founders to gain insights beyond their own fields and learn from each other.
Ehrlich-Sommer highlights this exchange as a critical factor: “It was fascinating to talk to founders developing completely different solutions. This helped us question and improve our own approaches.”
Program Structure
The program lasts up to 12 months and includes regular workshops and coaching sessions. Participants meet in Vienna to attend these sessions and learn from experts. Teams rooted outside the city will need to commute to attend the program. This, however, is far worth the effort, as co-founder Ehrlich-Sommer emphasizes: “Being in Vienna helped us get to know the local startup scene and establish valuable connections.”
An essential part of the program is the intensive selection process. During this phase, founders work with mentors and experts to refine their ideas and prepare for the program. This preparation is crucial for consecutive success.
Austria as a Startup Hub for International Founders
The aws First Incubator plays a significant role in positioning Austria as an attractive destination for international founders. The combination of financial support, targeted knowledge transfer, and a dynamic network creates optimal conditions for innovative business ideas.
The program not only supports the individual development of participating startups but also strengthens Austria’s startup ecosystem as a whole. International founders bring new impulses, ideas, and perspectives to Austria, helping to enhance the country’s innovation potential.
Applications for 2025
The next round of the aws First Incubator’s international call starts in spring 2025. Founders with an international team who want to establish their startup in Austria or have recently done so should not miss this opportunity. Applications will soon be open – a chance that could be a crucial step for a startup’s future.
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