DSGVO-Verstöße: Soviel Strafe wurde bislang tatsächlich verhängt
Mehr als eineinhalb Jahre nach dem Inkrafttreten der EU-Datenschutzgrundverordnung DSGVO hält sich das Ausmaß der tatsächlich verhängten Strafen in Grenzen, wie eine Umfrage von DLA Piper ergibt. Österreich liegt relativ gesehen an der Spitze - mit nur einer relevanten Zahlung.
Groß war die Panik im Vorfeld des Inkrafttretens der EU-Datenschutzgrundverordnung DSGVO am 25. Mai 2018. Kein Wunder: Zehn Millionen Euro oder zwei Prozent des weltweiten Vorjahresumsatzes, in schwerwiegenden Fällen sogar 20 Millionen Euro oder vier Prozent des weltweiten Vorjahresumsatzes – das war bzw. ist das angedrohte Strafmaß für DSGVO-Verstöße. Dass dabei wieder einmal sprichwörtlich die Suppe heißer gekocht, als gegessen wurde, wurde schon schnell nach dem Inkrafttreten klar: In Österreich etwa wurde die Ahndung gleich im April 2018 massiv entschärft.
DSGVO-Verstöße: Nur 114 Millionen Euro Strafe seit Inkrafttreten
Nach etwas mehr als eineinhalb Jahren kann konstatiert werden: Das tatsächlich verhängte Strafausmaß hält sich europaweit in Grenzen. Das geht nun aus einer Hochrechnung auf Basis einer Umfrage der internationalen Kanzlei DLA Piper hervor. Demnach wurden bislang insgesamt Bußgelder in der Höhe von 114 Millionen Euro verhängt – davon alleine 50 Millionen gegenüber Google, an dem Frankreich 2019 ein Exempel statuierte.
Österreich wird mit einer einzigen Strafe zum relativen Spitzenreiter
Trotz der oben genannten Entschärfung war Österreich beim Strafausmaß, relativ zur Landesgröße gesehen, Spitzenreiter. Nur in Frankreich (51 Mio. Euro inkl. Google) und Deutschland (24,5 Mio. Euro) wurden insgesamt höhere Straf-Beträge verhängt, als hierzulande, wo man auf stolze 18 Millionen Euro kommt. Allerdings: Ähnlich wie in Frankreich handelt sich dabei um eine einzige verhängte Strafe: Jene gegenüber der Post nach dem Datenskandal vergangenes Jahr. Nur in Deutschland wird also tatsächlich flächendeckend und relativ konsequent gestraft.
Viele Meldungen – wenige Strafen
Dabei sind die insgesamt wenigen verhängten Strafen nicht auf zu wenige Anzeigen zurückzuführen. Mehr als 160.000 Meldungen über Verletzungen des Schutzes personenbezogener Daten (Data Breach-Meldungen) gab es laut DLA Piper in den 28 EU-Mitgliedsstaaten sowie in Norwegen, Island und Liechtenstein seit Einführung der DSGVO. Die meisten Meldungen gab es in den Niederlanden, Deutschland und Großbritannien. Österreich liegt mit 1644 Meldungen an 14. Stelle. Vergangenes Jahr gab es insgesamt im Durchschnitt 278 Meldungen pro Tag – mehr als in den ersten Monaten nach Inkrafttreten (durchschnittlich 247 pro Tag).
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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