Austria, Europe and Technological Sovereignty: Technology Talks Austria 2026 Are Coming to the MuseumsQuartier
From September 10 to 11, 2026, the MuseumsQuartier Wien will become the epicenter of the European research and innovation landscape. Under the theme “Empowering Europe: Technological Leadership for a Resilient Future,” approximately 800 experts and more than 25 leading international speakers will come together to develop action strategies for Austria and the European Union.
Under the theme “Empowering Europe: Technological Leadership for a Resilient Future,” workshops on September 10 and 11, 2026, will provide opportunities for professional exchange, networking, and insights into current technology topics. / Picture: © Technology Talks Austria/Valerie Maltseva
The main goal of this event, organized by the FTI Community, is clearly defined: In the future, scientific excellence is to be translated much more quickly into industrial strength, strategic autonomy, and technological leadership. The conference follows directly on from the traditional FFG Forum, which takes place on September 9.
Twelve Specialized Workshops in Focus
In addition to the plenary discussions and keynote addresses, the program for the afternoon of September 10 features twelve in-depth, hands-on workshops. These are divided into two time slots and address key issues for the future:
1st Afternoon Slot (2:00 – 3:30 p.m.)
- Quantum Technology & Industry: The Federation of Austrian Industries will explore ways Europe can translate its scientific leadership in quantum technology into competitive, scalable products.
- The Future of Mobility: JOANNEUM RESEARCH will address cross-national and cross-sector approaches for the automotive, aviation, and rail sectors.
- Health Data Space: Under the leadership of the Ludwig Boltzmann Society (LBG), Siemens Healthineers, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Volkshilfe, the focus is on the implementation of the European Health Data Space and data-driven medicine.
- AI Transfer to Practice: AI Factory Austria (AI: AT) demonstrates concrete pathways for companies—from initial computing infrastructure to a market-ready proof of concept.
- Excellence and Basic Research: The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) discusses the framework conditions for scientific breakthroughs and provides insights into European clusters of excellence.
- Collaborative Research: Together with the Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy, and Tourism (BMWET), Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR) demonstrates how SMEs and startups can reach the market faster through shared test environments.
2nd Afternoon Session (4:00 – 5:30 p.m.)
- Strategic Procurement: Using Finland as an example, the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility, and Infrastructure (BMIMI) will discuss how the public sector (with an annual volume of approximately 70 billion euros in Austria) can act more effectively as a driver of innovation.
- Deep Tech & Startups: Austria Wirtschaftsservice (AWS), TU Wien, AIT, and ESA Phi-Lab Austria will analyze pathways to European autonomy in areas such as space, defense, and dual-use technologies.
- Hospital@Home: Salzburg Research and Innovation Salzburg will discuss the framework conditions for decentralized, remote, and AI-supported patient care at the hospital level.
- Digital Humanism & Democracy: The Federal Ministry for Women, Science, and Research (BMFWF) presents human-centered approaches to AI and algorithms with a view to preserving democratic values.
- Digital Sovereignty for SMEs: The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO) uses Sweden as an example to examine how SMEs can achieve broad digital independence.
- Quantum Technology & Dual-Use: The Federal Ministry of Defense (BMLV), together with the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the AIT, focuses on the civilian and security-related use of quantum security systems.
Integration into the Ecosystem and Tickets
Technology Talks Austria is organized by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology in close coordination with the federal ministries BMIMI, BMFWF, BMWET, as well as the FFG and the Federation of Austrian Industries. Scientific partners such as acatech, ISTA, TU Austria, and the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) ensure the high quality of the content.
Tickets for the two-day conference at the MuseumsQuartier Vienna are now available online. The regular price is 250 euros; a reduced rate of 125 euros applies to students.