Life Sciences in Vienna

A growing sector with scientific tradition

Vienna can look back on an excellent scientific tradition in the field of medical research. Semmelweis, Billroth and Landsteiner are part of this history. The outstanding reputation of the Vienna Medical Schools of the past is carried on today – in academia and on the business side. Vienna’s life sciences community has experienced significant growth for many years. In 2023, a total of 750 companies, research institutions and further core organizations were active in the life science sector in Vienna, having a combined workforce of 49,000 people.

Vienna’s outstanding geographical position and its top quality of life, make the city an ideal place for marketing products across Europe. All biopharmaceutical and medical device companies ranked in the top 20 worldwide by global annual sales have a presence in the Vienna region. In addition to the international companies, a dynamic start-up scene has been developing since the 1990s. Almost 650 biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies produce or develop products and processes in these fields in Vienna or are active as suppliers, service or sales companies. These enterprises employed 33,655 people and generated 22.7 billion euros in sales in 2023. Thereof, more than 260 companies carry out research or develop and produce innovative products. Dedicated life sciences companies invested over 350 million euros in research and development.

Besides the strong biotech departments of large companies, Vienna is proud of being home to about 120 younger dedicated biotechnology companies. Most of them focus on health issues: cancer, diseases of the blood, blood-forming organs and the immune system as well as infectious diseases are center stage. In addition, new frontiers beyond medicine are being addressed by Vienna’s vibrant biotech community.
Additional 79 dedicated medical device companies are located in Vienna. These have succeeded in establishing particular strengths in the areas of software and in-vitro diagnostics.

Vienna is clearly in first place in Austria when it comes to education and research in the field of life sciences. Six universities, two universities of applied sciences and eleven non-university research institutes employ about 12,600 members of staff. With roughly 34,100 students in the area of life sciences, Vienna educates more young scientists than the rest of Austria. A multitude of publications (8,800 in 2023) in international journals is evidence of the excellent research work in Vienna.

Vienna is Austria’s most important node for high-end medicine. Health professionals at 26 hospitals not only serve Vienna’s over 2 million inhabitants, but the whole Vienna region providing home to more than 3.9 million people. Experienced partners for clinical research push back the frontiers of knowledge to the benefit of patients. Commercial partners are welcome to join in. Conduct your clinical trials in Vienna!