On June 4, 2024, the excursion started directly for some with various ViennaUp events. These activities offered a wide range of insights into the latest trends and innovations.
The official start was at ViennaUp in Resselpark, Karlsplatz. There, the participants were warmly welcomed by Dudu Gencel and Petra Eckhart from the Vienna Business Agency. They are the brains behind the Startup Festival. In addition, insightful discussions were held with other people working in the startup industry and contacts were made. These included Kambis Kohasal Vajargah, Head of Startups WKO, Lisa Rupp from i2B and Michael Obrist from Pioneers Ventures.
In the afternoon, the program continued at the Austrian Wirtschaftsservice (aws). There, Luc Pfefferkorn and Aridon Smajlaj shared their expertise on loan and co-financing programs as well as artificial intelligence initiatives.
The day concluded with a fireside evening with Alfred Lugner, former co-founder of Runtastic and partner at Calm/Storm VC, followed by a networking dinner at the Schweizerhaus in the Prater.
The next day was a visit to Austrian Startups and the Startup House. This program point enabled a meeting with Manuel Gahn, founder of the Startup House, and Hanna Wundsam, CEO of Austrian Startups, which deepened the understanding of the local startup ecosystem.
In the afternoon, they were guided through WeXelerate, Austria’s largest innovation hub. During the tour of the hub, they had a meeting with the entire team from Uniqua Ventures and listened to first-hand insights from the CEO Georg Ioannidis.
This excursion was a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry leaders, gain new insights and expand our professional network.
