„The current Life Science Report shows the sustained attractiveness of Austria as an exciting life science location. This success model is based on the close links between solid academic research and innovative companies as well as the broad offering of tailor-made financial aids“ summarizes aws Managing Director Edeltraud Stiftinger.
New companies with increased turnover
The development of the sector between 2012 and 2014 is remarkable: compared to the last report, the number of companies has increased by 13,8 percent. In 2014, a total of 823 companies were active in biotechnology, pharma or in the medical device business. The sector is composed of the medical device area (487 companies) and the biotechnology and pharma industry (336 companies). It is very promising that in 2014, there were 116 dedicated biotech companies which means a plus of 22 percent.
The biotechnology and pharma sector generated a total of 11.65 billion euros in turnover, compared to 7.46 billion euros in turnover for the medical device sector. Taken together, life science companies generated a total turnover of over 19.1 billion euros in the life sciences, which represents a plus of 7.8 percent compared to 2012.
Excellent academic performance
A total of 55 institutions were active in the field of academic life science research and education. Approximately 20,000 people were working in universities, universities of applied sciences and nonuniversity research institutes, of which 57 percent were women. In 2014, the life science budget amounted to 1.44 bn Euros. About 73 percent of the budget stems from institutional funding, whereas 27 percent represent third-party funds.
The success moves on
Today State Secretary Harald Mahrer presented in a top-class setting the new future strategy life sciences and medical location Austria. The strategy should cover the full span of Austrian activities within the value chain and will be developed in an intensive dialogue with the stakeholders until spring 2016. Life Sciences and medical devices are the key technology for the 21st century. They establish on the knowledge from the society, but have to prove oneself in the global competition. „Now is the right moment to further develop the framework of biotech companies, pharma and academia science“, welcomes aws Managing Director Edeltraud Stiftinger the new strategy.
About the Life Science Austria Report 2015
Austria’s life science industry as well as its research institutions have together established a fast growing sector. Biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical devices are evaluated for the third time within the „Life Science Report Austria 2015“. For the first time the academic life science research and education sector is presented in this report. The report was designed through the program aws Life Science Austria (LISA) with the support of the life science clusters Human.technology Styria GmbH, LISAvienna, MedTech-Cluster, Standortagentur Tirol/Cluster Life Sciences Tirol, Technopol Krems ecoplus.The Business Agency of Lower Austria and as well as the industry organizations Austrian Biotech Industry - ABI, Austromed and Pharmig. The compilation of the report was carried out together with BIOCOM AG.
The report is available for download on www.lifescienceaustria.at
Financial aid program tailored to the needs of life science companies
With aws LISA - Life Science Austria, aws provides a comprehensive program to support life sciences, which is funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Economy. aws PreSeed provides support to companies in the pre-formation phase in the form of a non-repayable subsidy in the amount of Euro 200,000, while aws Seedfinancing provides financing to life science start-ups during the formation phase with a conditionally repayable subsidy in the amount of up to Euro 800,000. Additionally, other equity and loan instruments are available to life science start-ups. The funding is complemented by a non-monetary support program, assisting companies through internationalization, qualification and networking measures.
About Austria Wirtschaftsservice GesmbH (aws)
Austria Wirtschaftsservice GesmbH (aws) is Austria's government promotional bank. As a specialist bank under public ownership it is geared towards corporate finance with a focus on "start-ups" and "growth and industry". By providing low-interest loans, guarantees, subsidies and equity capital, it supports companies with the implementation of their innovative projects, especially when the necessary funds cannot be adequately raised through other means. Support and guidance play particularly important roles in this. Specific research, collaborative development of mechanisms for protecting property rights, licensing and the use of technology round off the broad range of activities.