Austria's Standardization Organization Austrian Standards Selects Ten Gamechangers

Standards as game changers

Austrian Standards is proud to showcase its innovative winners in midst of the well-known 4GAMECHANGERS Festival. The Austrian organization for standardization and innovation promotes organizations and research projects that actively develop standards, apply them or disseminate them in a learning environment. “Our Award winners show how standards enable their success. In our global, digital world, standards are a frequently underestimated resource as their condensed knowledge can facilitate work processes and, as a result, save time because you do not have to reinvent the wheel when you use recognized solutions laid down in a standard – that is efficiency at a collective level,” says Valerie Höllinger, CEO and Managing Director of Austrian Standards, to explain the significance and effectiveness of standardization.

Living Standars Award with the new category "StandardsForEducation”

Standards do not only provide solutions for topical social and economic challenges but also facilitate access to new international markets and are drivers of innovation. In education, too, standards are essential as practice-oriented knowledge. Hence, the coveted prize was also awarded in the new category “StandardsForEducation” for the first time. Austrian Standards International President Anton Ofner considers the new category to be an important signal: “China sees standardization as a geopolitical instrument. They have realized that interoperability is of enormous significance for international compatibility, especially for exporting countries. As a result, university courses in the field of standardization are offered there. In Austria, we clearly need to catch up in this area. Standards have to be better integrated in curricula!”

Living Standards Award 2024 - the ten award winners

“It is particularly nice when previous laureates address new award winners as Mayor Michael Ludwig did. He himself is one of the first winners of the Living Standards Award that was launched in 2015. At that time, Mayor Ludwig was city councillor for housing construction and was among the first to receive the Award for his project ‘Viennese Standards Management’ that explicitly aimed at contributing to standards in order to ensure economical and efficient construction projects,” states Höllinger.

Here you will find the links to the video gallery of the award winners as well as to the statements of the congratulators. Media representatives are welcome to use sound bites without further approval processes. The picture gallery of yesterday's event can be found at the end of the text.

The winners of the Living Standards Award 2024 are:

1. BergWind Energy | category “Future Energy”:
   The Upper Austrian start-up offers customized wind energy solutions for ski resorts, enterprises and agriculture thereby promoting sustainable energy efficiency and environmental protection.
2. BirdShades Innovations GmbH | category “Future Environment”: 
   The Graz-based company makes a significant contribution to the protection of fauna with its transparent window film preventing bird collisions.
3. CIRCE Biotechnologie GmbH | category “Future Nutrition”:
   The Viennese firm produces alternative proteins for animal feeds by using innovative gas fermentation technology to reduce waste streams.
4. Holloid GmbH | category “Future Quality Assurance”:
   This Viennese start-up develops holographic imaging solutions for the pharmaceutical, chemical and food industry to allow for effective production monitoring.
5. Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH | category “Future Wood Industry”:
   The research centre based in Linz develops sustainable binders for wood products that have a low health risk factor and contribute to reducing CO2 emissions.
6. MATR by Circularful GmbH | category “Future Circular Economy”:
   With its MATR mattress, the Viennese start-up promotes waste avoidance in the mattress sector and offers an ecological solution for the hotel industry.
7. XREye | category “Future Simulating Vision”:
   The XREye research project, managed by Katharina Krösl of TU Wien, develops a modern eye-tracking technology simulating vision impairments in virtual and augmented reality and thereby supports accessibility in architecture and design.

Category “StandardsForEducation”

1. IMC Krems | Alfred Radauer: This university of applied sciences offers bachelor and master programs and raises awareness of standards and standardization among students.
2. HTL Linzer Technikum | Rainer Baumschlager: This secondary technical school based in Linz integrates standards into classes and ensures that students are aware of the importance of standards.
3. FH Wien der WKW | Melanie Klinger: Ms. Klinger’s master thesis in the field of law analyzes the application of standards in residential property management and proposes specific improvements in line with current case law and legislation.

The winners of our Living Standards Award together with the laudators. © APA/Fotograf Krisztian Juhasz

Printable photos can be downloaded from the photo gallery at: https://www.apa-fotoservice.at/galerie/37030
Photo credits: APA / Krisztian Juhasz

Medienkontakt

Mirjana Verena Mully
Head of Communications
Phone: +43 1 213 00 301
m.mully(at)austrian-standards.at