330 Bewerbungen aus drei Kontinenten bei Wien Energie Innovation Challenge
Die Bewerberzahlen bei der Wien Energie Innovation Challenge konnten im Vergleich zum Vorjahr um 80 Prozent gesteigert werden. Vier von fünf Bewerber-Startups stammen aus dem Ausland.
Gerade einmal vier Tage ist es her, dass die Bewerbungsphase für die Wien Energie Innovation Challenge 2018 endete – der Brutkasten berichtete im Vorfeld. Nun präsentierte der Energiedienstleister bereits die ersten Zahlen zur aktuellen Runde. 330 Bewerbungen kamen beim Call herein. Die Zahl konnte damit gegenüber dem ersten Durchgang im Vorjahr um 80 Prozent gesteigert werden. Stolz zeigt man sich seitens Wien Energie ob der Internationalität der BewerberInnen.
“In der Startup-Szene als Partner einen Namen gemacht”
Denn vier von fünf Startups kämen nicht aus Österreich, so das Unternehmen in einer Aussendung. Explizit werden Einreichungen aus Indien, Israel, den USA, Deutschland und dem Vereinigten Königreich genannt. “Das ist ein großartiger Erfolg und zeigt auch, dass sich Wien Energie in den letzten Jahren in der Startup-Szene als Partner einen Namen gemacht hat”, wird Wien Energie-Geschäftsführer Michael Strebl zitiert. “Jetzt haben wir die Aufgabe, aus der Vielzahl von hochwertigen Einreichungen die erfolgversprechendsten zehn Ansätze auszuwählen”.
Video-Interview zur Wien Energie Innovation Challenge 2018:
Die angesprochenen zehn Startups werden im September zum “Innovation-Camp” eingeladen, bei dem sie mit ExpertInnen von Wien Energie drei Tage lang ihre Ideen konkretisieren und weiterentwickeln können. Fünf Projekte werden anschließend von einer Jury in die engere Auswahl gewählt. Sie können bis Jahresende gemeinsam mit MitarbeiterInnen des Unternehmens einen Prototyp entwickeln, der am Demo Day im Dezember präsentiert wird. Dort gibt es eine weitere Jury-Entscheidung.
Projekte aus dem Vorjahr bereits im Regelbetrieb
Ziel der Challenge, die dieses Jahr auf die Themen Smart Infrastructure, E-Mobilität, Arbeiten 4.0, Photovoltaik und intelligente Kundenlösungen fokussiert, sind langfristige Kooperationen. “Die Zeiten, in denen man sich im stillen Kämmerlein etwas austüftelt, sind vorbei”, sagte CEO Strebl dazu kürzlich im Interview mit dem Brutkasten. Vergangenes Jahr entstanden durch die Innovation Challenge drei gemeinsame Projekte mit vier Startups. Diese sind aktuell bereits in den Regelbetrieb integriert, oder auf dem weg dorthin – der Brutkasten sprach kürzlich mit den Gründern.
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.
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.”
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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