Innovation

"Fixing the Future": Austria's Foreign Ministry Searches For Innovative Ideas

Together with the cultural broadcaster Ö1, Austria's Foreign Ministry and its network of Austrian representations abroad is searching for innovative ideas that could solve global problems. The possible admissions can relate to various contexts, among them are problems in technology, environment, business, and social issues.

April 9, 2021

Austrian Government Gives Starting Signal for "Horizon Europe"

The Austrian government has set its political, social and economic goals for the new EU’s research and innovation framework programme "Horizon Europe". Several ministers and experts have met in order to discuss Austrian expectations from the EU's new program, which will be running from 2021 until 2027.

March 25, 2021

High-Level Exchange on the "European Battery Alliance" with Austrian Participation

Austria's State Secretary at the Ministry of Technology, Magnus Brunner, participated in a high-level discussion on the "European Battery Alliance", which focused on the goal of making Europe an important and global player for battery innovation. Austria will be investing EUR 45 million in the project, while Austrian companies add another EUR 110 million.

March 17, 2021

Austria Enters for the First Time as U.S. Exits Top Ten in Bloomberg's Innovation Index

Austria moves up one place to 10th place in the latest Bloomberg Innovation Index, while the U.S. dropped out of a top 10 that features a cluster of European countries. The Bloomberg index analyzes dozens of criteria using seven equally weighted metrics, including research and development spending, manufacturing capability and concentration of high-tech public companies.

March 2, 2021

Microsoft Investment in Cloud Data Center Adds €2 Billion in Value for Austria

The data center for Austria, which Microsoft announced last fall as a milestone, is taking concrete shape. Microsoft has acquired operational building land for this purpose. The data center ecosystem is expected to include more than 4,000 local partners and cloud-using customers. It also announced investments in a new Center of Digital Excellence and skills training for up to 120,000 Austrians by 2024.

February 5, 2021

European Innovation Council Funds Austrian Projects

Two projects with Austrian-based research are involved in a new funding project of the EU's European Innovation Council. A total amount of EUR 74 million is distributed among 18 projects that research in cutting-edge technologies. Additionally to the funding, coaching and business development supported is provided by the Council.

December 14, 2020

EU Ministers Issue Declaration on "Digital Government"

The EU Ministers responsible for Digitalization have agreed on a joint declaration that focuses on digital society and value-based digital government. Austria's Minister Schramböck sees Austria already on the right track with its various e-government tools and is delighted about the European plans.

December 9, 2020

Schramböck: Deepening Digitalization in the EU

The EU member states aim to create synergies between national research and investment initiatives and to ensure a coherent European approach with sufficient scope. Joint Support for European electronics value chains will try to establish leading capabilities in various digital competencies.

December 7, 2020

Europe-Wide Innovation Award Goes to Wiener Linien

The Europe-wide Innovation in Politics Award 2020 goes to the research project RemiHub, coordinated, among others, by Wiener Linien and the Vienna University of Technology. RemiHub focuses on the urban parcel delivery and was already tested for different delivery services in Vienna.

December 3, 2020

First Austrian Swedish Innovation Exchange Day

The Austrian and Swedish government have decided to hold their first ever Austrian Swedish Innovation Exchange Day, which will try to kick-off a lasting bilateral relationship with regard to innovation, business and industry. The event will be attended by Austrian and Swedish politicians as well as representatives of the economic sector.

November 23, 2020

International Mobility Days 2020 Held Virtually

The International Mobility Days of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce are held virtually. The mobility industry is one of the fastest evolving industries and the future of transportation, especially in growing cities, is a topic that has been dominating international entrepreneurial acton for years.

November 19, 2020

Austrian School Receives VET Innovators Award

The Higher College for Engineering Wolfsberg (HTL Wolfsberg) wins the prize as "entrepreneurial school" in the category VET Innovators Awards during the European Week of Vocational Training. The school has impressed with its sustainable business collaborations and its successes in innovation competitions.

November 13, 2020

First Microsoft Cloud Data Center in Austria

Microsoft has announced the establishment of Austria's first ever data center region. Chancellor Kurz says that this "represents a decisive competitive advantage" and thanks Microsoft for the commitment to Austrian companies and their employees.

October 20, 2020

Digital Days 2020 Reached Over 1,100 Registered Users

The Digital Days 2020 hosted by the City of Vienna as a hybrid event have welcomed over 1,100 users with more than 4,000 views in total. Digitalization in every business sector was discussed among politicians and experts from the business world.

October 5, 2020

European Capital of Innovation Award: Vienna Recognized as Runner-up

The Belgium city of Leuven was awarded the European Capital of Innovation Award 2020. Vienna, which was still in the race up until the final round, was recognized as runner-up city together with Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Espoo (Finland), Helsingborg (Sweden), and Valencia (Spain).

September 25, 2020

Vienna Aims for Champions League of International Start-Up Scene

The start-up event ViennaUP'21 will be at the center of the international start-up scene in the spring of 2021. Many well-known formats have already assured their participation and will move the spotlight to Vienna from April 27 to May 12 2021.

September 21, 2020

European Capital of Innovation Award: Vienna Still in the Race

The European Union will announce the European Capital of Innovation 2020 and will award EUR 1,000,000 to support innovation at the end of September 2020. Vienna is among the six finalists which also include Valencia, Helsingborg, Espoo, Cluj-Napoca, and Leuven.

September 14, 2020

Subsidies for New Investments in Austrian Economy

The Austrian government has put in place an investment subsidy in order to support the Austrian economy during the Covid-19 crisis. Business investments will be subsidized with up to 14% of the eligible costs.

August 17, 2020

Devastating - Austria is Only the 21st Most Innovative Country in the World

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) named Austria's neighbor Switzerland as the world’s most innovative country, during the launch of its latest Global Innovation Index. Austria isn't even in the top 20. Biggest issues are the stagnation of public expenditure on research and development and the increase of economic protectionism.

July 26, 2019

Cooperation of the Metropolises Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich

The three German-speaking cities of Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich want to cooperate more closely in their sustainable development within the framework of a city trialogue in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

June 12, 2019

Federation of Industries: “Industrial Compact“ for European Competitiveness

The Austrian Federation of Industries (IV) considers the EU entry of Austria as the basis of prosperty and economic growth in the past years. However, now reforms are required to catch up to a global level.

May 5, 2014

Vienna Drops in “Global Cities Index”

Vienna drops three places. Regardless of the financial crisis the largest global financial centers in New York and London are still the cities with the biggest influence world-wide.

April 16, 2014

Industrial Location Austria Losing Attractiveness

Among other things, labor costs and energy prices are too high, according to the Austrian Federation of Industries.

April 16, 2014

Austria: Reform Steps Very Modest

Austria, along with Germany and Switzerland, hardly put any economic reforms into realization. This is the conclusion of the annual “reform barometer” for the three countries.

March 20, 2014

Austria Losing in Innovation Ranking

The EU member countries are catching up with the US and Japan in regard to innovation. However, Austria is not among the top players.

March 4, 2014

“Polish Economy at Crossroads“

In an interview with Austrian daily “WirtschaftsBlatt“, Ryszard Petru, chairman of the Society of Policy Economists, sees high chances for the Polish economy; however, only if the country knows how to support innovation.

February 21, 2014

EU Needs Investments for Growth

Europe will not see any substantial growth without serious investment in research and innovation.

November 28, 2013

Southeastern Europe Initiates Common Economic Strategy

In Croatia´s capital Zagreb, the Southeast European countries agreed on putting more common effort into innovation based growth strategies.

October 26, 2013

Keuschnigg Advises Austria to be Patient

According to Keuschnigg it was not possible to increase the core capital quota of the banks to the level necessary or to reduce public debts by 120 percent in two years only.

October 4, 2013

EU Commission: Poland Lacks in Innovation and Work Efficiency

According to the EU Commission’s annual report on the competitiveness among the EU member countries, which was released on Wednesday, Poland has been improving its competitiveness.

September 26, 2013

Slovenia: Economic Outlook Deteriorates

Slovenia has slipped back into recession as its real GDP declined by 2.3 % in 2012.

September 26, 2013

Croatia: Major Reforms Required for Economic Upturn

Croatia continues to suffer from recession - its economy has not grown since 2008, contracting in 2012 by 2% and in 2013 by 1%.

September 26, 2013

Austria Placed 9th in Competition Ranking

According to the latest EU Competition report 2013, Austria ranks ninth among 28 member states. The leaders in the ranking are Sweden, followed by Germany and Denmark while Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania are at the lowest positions.

September 25, 2013

Leitl: “Grand Coalition Did Not Fulfill Expectations“

Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), favors a change in the governing parties as the grand coalition has not realized the necessary reforms.

September 24, 2013

Austria: WKO Demands Impulses for R&D

Deputy President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), Martha Schultz, demands new impluses for research and innovation in the years from 2014 to 2020.

September 19, 2013

Romania: West Region to Catch Up Economically

Romania's West Region aims to catch up with its more developed peers in the European Union.

September 9, 2013

World Economic Forum: Competitiveness of Western Balkans

Former Yugoslav countries and their competitiveness according to the World Economic Forum annual report.

September 6, 2013

President of Ukraine Presses for Faster Progess

President Yanukovych urges the parliament to adopt laws for a faster progress to the country’s European integration

September 5, 2013

Vienna among Top 10 of Internet Cities Worldwide

According to Mercer, Vienna is the town with the best quality of live. According to Co.Exist, Vienna is one of the leading Smart Cities worldwide. Now a survey by British enterprise UBM shows that Vienna is amongt the “Top 10 Internet Cities”.

August 28, 2013

Spindelegger: Fitness Program for Austria

Austrian economy supposed to be boosted by reforms of “Unternehmen Österreich 2025, and a rejection of new taxes.

July 10, 2013

Austria: How to Finance Future Innovations

„Austria’s Future Needs Innovation” was the title of a discussion organized by the Research Council, the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV).

April 9, 2013

New opportunities for Lithuanian and Turkish business

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė together with Turkish leader Abdullah Gül opened the Lithuania-Turkey business forum.

April 4, 2013

Austria: Number Nine in Innovation Ranking

On the EU innovation ranking list Austria loses points and slips back on ninth place.

March 26, 2013

Vienna: One of the Most Innovative Cities

According to a ranking by the Australian agency 2thinknow, Vienna is the most innovative city in Europe and scored 3rd place in the cities worldwide, succeeding Boston and New York.

March 22, 2013

CESEE Region Still Has Enormous Growth Potential

“CEE growth drivers intact but innovation is needed to start convergence 2.0” Erste Group says.

February 20, 2013

World Economic Forum: Austrian Competitiveness Moves Up

In the World Economic Forum Competitiveness Ranking, Austria ranks 16th and could move up three places. The public debt quota, the tax quota and the investor protection are the main weaknesses of Austria.

September 5, 2012

Education: Vranitzky Shows Dissatisfaction with Austrian Government

The former Austrian Federal Chancellor Franz Vranitzky criticizes the Austrian government sharply. For him, the university sector is a “very bad example of inequality between the generations”.

August 29, 2012

Pioneers Festival 2012: Vienna is Hotspot for Innovative Companies

The place for more than 2,500 pioneers from all over the world as well as web, technology and mobile start-ups to network, present their innovations and exchange experiences.

August 29, 2012

Ametsreiter Calls for Activity

On the occasion of the Alpbach Forum 2012, Telekom Austria´s CEO Hannes Ametsreiter underlined the necessity of implementing reforms in Austria.

August 29, 2012

Austrian Enterprise Creation Slightly Up

2010: 26 172 start-ups, enterprise creation rate 6.5%; more than 19 000 new employer enterprises.

August 7, 2012