24.06.2020

TECC 2020: These 3 ideas emerged from the entrepreneurship programme

At the Training On Entrepreneurship & Company Creation (TECC), three new business ideas were developed, which have now been presented at a final pitch event.
/artikel/tecc-2020-these-3-ideas-emerged-from-the-entrepreneurship-programme
(c) TECC/AVL/Katrin Wrulich

The Corona crisis taught that the environment around us can change very quickly and we need to be more flexible and to constantly adapt our mindset to different situations, trying to catch new opportunities.

In such a complex environment, educational institutions and organizations are today closer than ever. They are working together to train young students, providing them with the skills and competences necessary to face the challenges of the future.

TECC – Training On Entrepreneurship & Company Creation – is an example of how universities and organizations can cooperate through innovative training formats which ehance the transfer of knowledge and the development of both hard and soft skills.

Students develop their own startup ideas with TECC

At the beginning of March 2020, the Institute for International Management at FH JOANNEUM together with its partners AVL List, Raiffeisenlandesbank Steiermark and 360Lab launched TECC (Training On Entrepreneurship & Company Creation), a new training program focused on the development of entrepreneurial skills and practical knowledge within the university.  

„With the TECC training programme, we want to give students, together with our partners, both the theoretical basics as well as the mindset and our entrepreneurial spirit, so that they develop the tools they need to react flexibly to future challenges and find innovative solutions as founders or entrepreneurs in the company,“ says AVL at Raiffeisen Landesbank Steiermark again emphasises the concern to promote creativity and innovation in the Styrian economy: „Qualities that are in great demand – in times of crisis all the more so. Young people who invest their energy in innovation are shaping the world of tomorrow and contribute with their ideas and implementation to the future of Styria as a business location“.

During these months, the teams have worked hard on the development of their projects, facing always new challenges and issues related to their potential markets. Partners have supported each team through coaching and mentoring sessions where students had the chance to get some practical insights about the startup and corporate’s world.

„We are very proud to be able to implement this entrepreneurship training at FH JOANNEUM together with our corporate partners“, says Doris Kiendl, FH JOANNEUM, about the programme: „The general conditions are of course difficult at the moment, but it has been shown that even in virtual space thoughts can sparkle and that entrepreneurial ideas can be worked on with fun and energy. This gives our students very important additional skills.

„Especially in challenging times, innovative ideas and passionate people are needed to make them become reality. We are very pleased to support students within the framework of TECC, together with our partners. With proven tools, our experience and expertise we want to prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs for this journey“, says also the team of the 360 Innovation Lab

Three business ideas as a result of TECC

The project involves students from different courses of study who have the motivation to develop their own business ideas and to acquire the necessary skills. During the program, students have attended online lectures and meetings with professors and experts in the fields of business development, business modeling and business planning. As result, they came up with three business ideas in different sectors and with the creation of multidisciplinary teams.

These are the three Teams

  • Manuel Karner, Fabienne Burger, Sara Maria Oberleitner, Andreas Kollmann:

 „We are DigiBills, a startup which aims to revolutionize receipts and digitalize them. We wanna create a more sustainable everyday life and improve the availability and categorization of receipts. Our app will provide a throughout solution for customers and businesses alike. Our team appreciates especially the possibility and guidance throughout the testing phase and selection of possible MVPs.“

  • Sandra Fröhwein, Anton Heidinger, Carolin Kobierski, Stefanie Lukas, Christina Niederl:

„We are BAUERPUMPkin and our mission is to offer local produced protein bars to health-conscious people. We want to create a fitness snack that does not only support local farmers but also offers a tasty alternative to artificial shakes. TECC helped us to realize that any idea can lead to great success. You just need to believe in your dreams and be agile – because the first idea does not have to be the last one! Constant changing and adapting is key and what we also learned: it is ok to fail – because you will come back stronger.“

  • Ivana Civsa, Collasius Yannick, Rothschädl Markus, Schadinger Julia, Waltenstorfer Tobias:

„Our project is called afloAT and it’s a platform that connects companies with highly skilled individuals who do not speak the local language. What’s in it for them? For the companies we are filtering out the best candidates for the job posted, and for candidates we are providing consultancy services in terms of reviewing the application documents, CVs etc.; What TECC told us (amongst so many things!) is that even when nobody believes in your idea at first, you can work on it and prove everyone wrong because you adapt it your potential customer’s needs and show that any idea can be feasible.“

Presentation of the start-up ideas at a pitch event

The first semester was closed with the Final Pitch Event which took place on 23rd June 2020 at FH JOANNEUM. During the final event, each team had around 5 minutes to pitch its business idea and to convince guests that it could become a business opportunity.

The students showed to the audience how they have structured their business models and how they have built and validated their first MVP (Minimum Viable Product). The pitches were evaluated by a jury of four experts. At the end, the students received a feedback on the basis of the criteria of value proposition, market potential, innovation, business model, design of the presentation and pitch.

The event was also an opportunity to exchange valuable experience concerning the collaboration between corporates and institutions as way to enhance innovation and to spread the entrepreneurial culture.

Slideshow: The highlights of the TECC closing event

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01.04.2025

Call for international innovators: Turn your business idea into reality with aws First Incubator

The new program year for aws First Incubator has started! The first call is open until April 3rd and has a special focus on securing international founders, providing financial support, mentoring, and valuable networking opportunities to help new businesses thrive. Success stories like the startups "RacePace" or "nexus. Group AI" prove just how impactful the aws First Incubator program is for new businesses.
/artikel/call-for-international-innovators-turn-your-business-idea-into-reality-with-aws-first-incubator
01.04.2025

Call for international innovators: Turn your business idea into reality with aws First Incubator

The new program year for aws First Incubator has started! The first call is open until April 3rd and has a special focus on securing international founders, providing financial support, mentoring, and valuable networking opportunities to help new businesses thrive. Success stories like the startups "RacePace" or "nexus. Group AI" prove just how impactful the aws First Incubator program is for new businesses.
/artikel/call-for-international-innovators-turn-your-business-idea-into-reality-with-aws-first-incubator
The founders of © nexus. Group AI (left): Orion Forowycz and Andrei Cursaru; founder-team of © RacePace (right): Guillermo Alamán Requena, Lee Barad and Ido Dassa.

Are you in the early stages of founding your company or do you have an innovative business idea? All you need now is a project description, an application video, and a budget plan to apply for the aws First Incubator. The application deadline for the first call is open until April 3rd at 12 noonapply here! This call is specifically looking for international individuals or teams.

Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) is starting with its annual First Incubator program once again. They are looking for innovative minds with an entrepreneurial spirit who are either planning to start a business or have recently founded one and are still in the early stages. The program helps participants take their first steps into the market – from developing a business model to gaining the necessary know-how. brutkasten spoke with two best practice examples that are currently part of the First Incubator program.

Funding up to €55,000 possible

The aws First Incubator offers coaching and mentoring from experienced experts and founders. The funding program also includes a wide range of workshops on startup-related topics, team-specific mentoring, training sessions on business model development, and coaching sessions. Its goal is to help participants develop their business idea and make it market-ready within one to two years.

In addition, aws supports participants financially, including personnel cost subsidies, a project budget, and access to a coworking space. They also gain access to a valuable network of innovators, founders, and entrepreneurs. Projects can receive up to €55,000 in funding – click here for more details. These resources ensure that startups receive not only financial support but also strategic and operational guidance.

Selected projects are invited to the „First Startup Camp“ by aws. There, a jury of experts will decide which teams will be accepted into the First Incubator program.

Success Story: DeepTech-Startup nexus. Group AI

One of the startups currently participating in the aws First Incubator program is nexus. Group AI. The funding-program was a „game-changing moment for us, as we scale our operations and continue the development“, said the CEO. Founded by Andrei I. Cursaru (CEO) and Orion Forowycz (CTO), this DeepTech-startup develops cutting-edge AI solutions designed to strengthen societal resilience. Its flagship product, IRIS, is an AI-powered risk intelligence platform that helps governments, organizations, and enterprises navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape by providing the intelligence needed to reduce risks and enhance security.

The founders Andrei Cursaru and Orion Forowycz announced their participation at the aws First Incubator. © Screenshot/LinkedIn Andrei I. Cursaru

“Joining aws First Incubator is a dream come true“, said Cursaru. “This support will allow us to stay focused on our mission“. The funding helped nexus. Group AI on the operational and technical level, allowing them to further develop their AI system. Besides the workshops and the financial support, the founders especially praise the mentorship. “It was great to have a mentor with experience in AI startups. The mentorship is very personal.” Since then, the startup has been able to scale its product, Iris, further, and the founders have gained new entrepreneurship knowledge. The startup recently announced the launch of its pre-seed funding round.

Fitness-Startup RacePace: „For us it was a dream“

Another startup that has already achieved big results with the support of the aws First Incubator is RacePace. The Viennese startup was founded in 2024 by Ido Dassa, Guillermo Alamán Requena and Lee Barad. It offers an all-in-one race day solution, providing personalized insights on pacing, nutrition, and training. The platform tracks your fitness and running route, creating a customized training plan tailored to your needs.

Back when the RacePace team applied for the aws First Incubator, they only had the idea for the platform. „For us it was a dream. We get financial support and expert guidance. And I think for us it sounded like: of course, we need to apply for it because why not? We literally have nothing to lose“, said Barad.

Advantages for foreign founders

In an interview with brutkasten, Barad pointed out how important the First Incubator is for foreign founders. “Sometimes when you’re in a new country and don’t speak the language, you can feel lost. For us, it was pretty obvious that if we wanted to continue here, we must get some kind of support and help. Also as a foreigner, you’re often not familiar with the laws in Austria. On top of that, this is our first startup, so of course it’s scary, and a lot of things can go wrong. What’s amazing is that the aws mentorship covers so many topics“, Barad said. „That is the thing that is super valuable, what’s so different in the aws First Incubator is that we actually get one-on-one support“.

Since joining the First Incubator, a lot has happened for the startup. “We really felt that someone believes in us,” said the co-founder. They launched the platform and now have hundreds of users helping them further develop the product.

Advice for applicants

Asked for one piece of advice to applicants for the aws First Incubator, Cursaru says: “Think big and act efficiently. The judges really want a startup that solves a real problem and has the potential to grow into a successful company in Austria“. Barad also has a similar advice: “First of all, don’t hesitate. Just do it. If you have an idea and a passion for building something, try to really solve a problem and do your research beforehand. I think it’s important to do your homework“.

Key requirements

To join the aws First Incubator program, applicants must meet a few key requirements. Here are the most important ones:

  • Who can apply?
    • Individuals and companies registered in Austria
    • Companies must be no more than 6 months old
  • Revenue must not exceed €10,000
  • Team size: 1 to 4 members
  • Residence status:
    • Valid residence permit with work authorization in Austria (from June 2025 to at least August 2026)
    • Applicant must have lived in Austria for no more than 5 years at the time of application
  • Nationality:
    • As an individual applicant, you must be a non-Austrian citizen
    • In a team, at least some members must be Austrian citizens
  • With a few exceptions, startups from all sectors are welcome. You can find the full eligibility criteria here.
  • By the way, additional points are awarded for projects with women in key leadership positions and projects that address socio-political challenges (SDGs).

01.04.2025

Call for international innovators: Turn your business idea into reality with aws First Incubator

The new program year for aws First Incubator has started! The first call is open until April 3rd and has a special focus on securing international founders, providing financial support, mentoring, and valuable networking opportunities to help new businesses thrive. Success stories like the startups "RacePace" or "nexus. Group AI" prove just how impactful the aws First Incubator program is for new businesses.
01.04.2025

Call for international innovators: Turn your business idea into reality with aws First Incubator

The new program year for aws First Incubator has started! The first call is open until April 3rd and has a special focus on securing international founders, providing financial support, mentoring, and valuable networking opportunities to help new businesses thrive. Success stories like the startups "RacePace" or "nexus. Group AI" prove just how impactful the aws First Incubator program is for new businesses.
The founders of © nexus. Group AI (left): Orion Forowycz and Andrei Cursaru; founder-team of © RacePace (right): Guillermo Alamán Requena, Lee Barad and Ido Dassa.

Are you in the early stages of founding your company or do you have an innovative business idea? All you need now is a project description, an application video, and a budget plan to apply for the aws First Incubator. The application deadline for the first call is open until April 3rd at 12 noonapply here! This call is specifically looking for international individuals or teams.

Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) is starting with its annual First Incubator program once again. They are looking for innovative minds with an entrepreneurial spirit who are either planning to start a business or have recently founded one and are still in the early stages. The program helps participants take their first steps into the market – from developing a business model to gaining the necessary know-how. brutkasten spoke with two best practice examples that are currently part of the First Incubator program.

Funding up to €55,000 possible

The aws First Incubator offers coaching and mentoring from experienced experts and founders. The funding program also includes a wide range of workshops on startup-related topics, team-specific mentoring, training sessions on business model development, and coaching sessions. Its goal is to help participants develop their business idea and make it market-ready within one to two years.

In addition, aws supports participants financially, including personnel cost subsidies, a project budget, and access to a coworking space. They also gain access to a valuable network of innovators, founders, and entrepreneurs. Projects can receive up to €55,000 in funding – click here for more details. These resources ensure that startups receive not only financial support but also strategic and operational guidance.

Selected projects are invited to the „First Startup Camp“ by aws. There, a jury of experts will decide which teams will be accepted into the First Incubator program.

Success Story: DeepTech-Startup nexus. Group AI

One of the startups currently participating in the aws First Incubator program is nexus. Group AI. The funding-program was a „game-changing moment for us, as we scale our operations and continue the development“, said the CEO. Founded by Andrei I. Cursaru (CEO) and Orion Forowycz (CTO), this DeepTech-startup develops cutting-edge AI solutions designed to strengthen societal resilience. Its flagship product, IRIS, is an AI-powered risk intelligence platform that helps governments, organizations, and enterprises navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape by providing the intelligence needed to reduce risks and enhance security.

The founders Andrei Cursaru and Orion Forowycz announced their participation at the aws First Incubator. © Screenshot/LinkedIn Andrei I. Cursaru

“Joining aws First Incubator is a dream come true“, said Cursaru. “This support will allow us to stay focused on our mission“. The funding helped nexus. Group AI on the operational and technical level, allowing them to further develop their AI system. Besides the workshops and the financial support, the founders especially praise the mentorship. “It was great to have a mentor with experience in AI startups. The mentorship is very personal.” Since then, the startup has been able to scale its product, Iris, further, and the founders have gained new entrepreneurship knowledge. The startup recently announced the launch of its pre-seed funding round.

Fitness-Startup RacePace: „For us it was a dream“

Another startup that has already achieved big results with the support of the aws First Incubator is RacePace. The Viennese startup was founded in 2024 by Ido Dassa, Guillermo Alamán Requena and Lee Barad. It offers an all-in-one race day solution, providing personalized insights on pacing, nutrition, and training. The platform tracks your fitness and running route, creating a customized training plan tailored to your needs.

Back when the RacePace team applied for the aws First Incubator, they only had the idea for the platform. „For us it was a dream. We get financial support and expert guidance. And I think for us it sounded like: of course, we need to apply for it because why not? We literally have nothing to lose“, said Barad.

Advantages for foreign founders

In an interview with brutkasten, Barad pointed out how important the First Incubator is for foreign founders. “Sometimes when you’re in a new country and don’t speak the language, you can feel lost. For us, it was pretty obvious that if we wanted to continue here, we must get some kind of support and help. Also as a foreigner, you’re often not familiar with the laws in Austria. On top of that, this is our first startup, so of course it’s scary, and a lot of things can go wrong. What’s amazing is that the aws mentorship covers so many topics“, Barad said. „That is the thing that is super valuable, what’s so different in the aws First Incubator is that we actually get one-on-one support“.

Since joining the First Incubator, a lot has happened for the startup. “We really felt that someone believes in us,” said the co-founder. They launched the platform and now have hundreds of users helping them further develop the product.

Advice for applicants

Asked for one piece of advice to applicants for the aws First Incubator, Cursaru says: “Think big and act efficiently. The judges really want a startup that solves a real problem and has the potential to grow into a successful company in Austria“. Barad also has a similar advice: “First of all, don’t hesitate. Just do it. If you have an idea and a passion for building something, try to really solve a problem and do your research beforehand. I think it’s important to do your homework“.

Key requirements

To join the aws First Incubator program, applicants must meet a few key requirements. Here are the most important ones:

  • Who can apply?
    • Individuals and companies registered in Austria
    • Companies must be no more than 6 months old
  • Revenue must not exceed €10,000
  • Team size: 1 to 4 members
  • Residence status:
    • Valid residence permit with work authorization in Austria (from June 2025 to at least August 2026)
    • Applicant must have lived in Austria for no more than 5 years at the time of application
  • Nationality:
    • As an individual applicant, you must be a non-Austrian citizen
    • In a team, at least some members must be Austrian citizens
  • With a few exceptions, startups from all sectors are welcome. You can find the full eligibility criteria here.
  • By the way, additional points are awarded for projects with women in key leadership positions and projects that address socio-political challenges (SDGs).

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