Innovation to Meet Opportunity at ViennaUP 2024

Conferences

In the heart of Europe, Vienna not only boasts historical charm but also serves as a thriving hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. The ViennaUP Startup Festival, running from June 6 to 9, 2024, encapsulates this spirit by bringing together bright minds from around the globe. Hosted by the Vienna Business Agency, this city-wide event transforms Vienna into a stage for startups, investors, and talent from diverse industries.

Spanning multiple venues across the city, ViennaUP invites participants to explore Vienna’s vibrant startup ecosystem. With over 35 program partners, the festival crafts a rich tapestry of events designed to foster networking and collaboration. Participants have the unique opportunity to dive into various sectors, discover emerging technologies, and exchange ideas with like-minded professionals.

Gabriele Tatzberger, head of Startup Services at the Vienna Business Agency, emphasizes the festival's global appeal: "With the ViennaUP Startup Festival initiated by the Vienna Business Agency, we position the qualities of Vienna as a business location throughout the world. This appeal of ViennaUP naturally also has an impact on talent scouting. The attention we generate for the city with ViennaUP attracts high talent, innovators, startup founders, innovation leaders from companies, and investors from all over the world. Here in Vienna, we bring them all together and make them accessible to the local economy."

Fostering Talent

The ViennaUP festival is pivotal in recruiting both local and international talent. Highlight events like the Tech Jobs Fair and various hackathons provide platforms for direct engagement and on-the-spot innovation. These events not only showcase talents but also bridge them with significant industry players.

"Every company needs fresh talent to remain successful in the long term. To create an entry point here, we have great events in our program," says Tatzberger. She highlights the diverse array of events, including the Tech Jobs Fair, InnoDays, and the Europe Tech Hackathon, as crucial elements of the festival that facilitate connections between emerging talent and established businesses.

The Austrian Business Agency (ABA), is another key player in fostering business talents across Austria. Birgit Reiter-Braunwieser, director Central and Eastern Europe at ABA noted that, "With its diverse program, ViennaUP offers the opportunity to present Vienna to international visitors as an attractive startup location on the one hand and to raise awareness of Vienna as a place to work and live on the other. ABA will be represented with a stand at the Connect Day on June 4 as part of ViennaUP. International startups looking to expand to Austria, as well as companies already operating here, will be informed about the free support services offered by ABA. An opportunity for companies and startups to get in touch with talent will be provided at the Tech Jobs Fair on June 6."

Vienna as a Startup Ecosystem

In recent years, Vienna has been aiming to attract skilled professionals and enhance its position as a technology hub. The city's initiative is reflected in its support for expatriates and its significant quality of life, making it an attractive location for prospective talent and startups.

Johannes Hörhan, the managing director of the event's partner IV Wien (Federation of Austrian Industries Vienna Section), says, "It is definitely an important contribution when Vienna uses formats such as ViennaUp to show internationally that our city is not only 'beautiful Vienna' with lots of art and culture, but also a very dynamic and innovative economic area. Vienna's great strength as a location lies in its balanced mix of established industrial companies, dynamic SMEs, and innovative startups. Vienna also has an excellent research community, with universities, universities of applied sciences, and research institutions as well as great research-based companies."

"These strengths of Vienna should be communicated more clearly to the outside world; we need to further strengthen our profile as a location. This is why we always like to talk about Vienna as a technology metropolis because we can already live up to this claim to some extent today - and we certainly see this as the path to a successful future," he adds.

As Vienna continues to strengthen its reputation as a business and tech hub, ViennaUP acts as a vibrant showcase of its innovative capabilities and a testament to its welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and experts from around the world.

Looking Forward

As ViennaUP 2024 approaches, the excitement builds for what promises to be an enlightening and inspiring festival. For anyone invested in the future of startups, innovation, or merely looking for a gateway into the European tech scene, ViennaUP provides a unique and comprehensive platform.

For more details on the festival and to register, visit the ViennaUP official website.

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