(c) Salamantex - ( v.l.n.r.) Markus Pejacsevich (COO), Niall Murray (Director Business Development) und René Pomassl (Gründer und CEO) steht ein Konkursverfahren bevor.
Im November des Vorjahres gab das niederösterreichische FinTech Salamantex auf seiner Website folgendes bekannt: “Ab dem 25. November 2022 deaktivieren wir die Euro-Auszahlungsoption in unserem System und stellen die Anbindung von neuen Akzeptanzstellen bis auf Weiteres ein.”
Salamantex: Erste Probleme deuteten sich im Vorjahr an
Damals hieß es, man tätige diesen Schritt mit dem Plan, das bestmögliche Krypto-Bezahlerlebnis für die eigenen Kund:innen und die Krypto-Community zu schaffen, um dies langfristig gewährleisten zu können. Ziel war es, den Markt effektiver und ganzheitlich zu bedienen: “Um dies zu erreichen, führen wir eine interne Generalüberholung durch: vor allem ‚Legal & Compliance‘ und ‚Verbesserungen am Bezahlprodukt‘ stehen hier im Mittelpunkt”, teilte man brutkasten auf Nachfrage mit.
Und gab an, sich konkret auf eine Aufgabe zu konzentrieren: die Wiedergeburt von Salamantex 2.0. “In Rücksprache mit der FMA (Anm.: Seit Jänner 2020 bei der österreichischen Finanzmarktaufsicht gelistet) haben wir uns deshalb dazu entschlossen, unsere Registrierung vorübergehend zurückzulegen und folglich unseren Service leicht einzuschränken: Wir deaktivieren die Option der Euro-Auszahlung für unsere Akzeptanzstellen für wenige Monate.
Rund zehn Monate später wurde laut dem Kreditschutzverbandes (KSV) am 22. September ein Konkursverfahren eröffnet.
Starker Start mit über 100 Kund:innen
Gegründet 2017 in Österreich, entwickelte und beriet Salamantex Kund:innen in den Bereichen IT-Services und Kryptowährungen, um moderne Lösungen in Form von Point of Sale Soft- und Hardware bereitzustellen. 2019 kooperierte man mit TEN3, FinTech-Arm der deutschen WEG Bank AG, um für Einzelhändler eine neue Form der Kryptobezahlung anzubieten.
Zwei Jahre danach gewann man mit dem deutschen Zahlungsdienstleister Concardis einen Partner, mit dem Vorhaben, Krypto-Zahlungen im Supermarkt zur Selbstverständlichkeit zu machen. Und konnte zu diesem Zeitpunkt über 100 Kund:innen sein Eigen nennen. Dann kam der Krypto-Winter.
Entgegen möglicher Annahmen, so die damalige Aussage, habe diese Krypto-Krise das FinTech nicht getroffen, “in ihm aber die Verantwortung geweckt, die breite Öffentlichkeit regelmäßig über Themen und Risiken der Branche zu informieren”, lautete das Statement im vorigen Winter.
Wie es nun mit dem Unternehmen weitergeht, ist vorerst nicht bekannt. Eine Anfrage des brutkasten blieb bisher ohne Antwort und wird hier gegebenenfalls nachgetragen.
Nachtrag: Laut Pomassl wird es bei Salamantex weitergehen. Nähere Infos folgen.
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.
Aktuelle Nachrichten zu Startups, den neuesten Innovationen und politischen Entscheidungen zur Digitalisierung direkt in dein Postfach. Wähle aus unserer breiten Palette an Newslettern den passenden für dich.
