For several years, Vienna has hosted a thriving start-up scene. Initiatives such as the Pioneers Festival, one of the largest international start-up shows in Europe, and the event “Gründen in Wien” organized by the Vienna Business Agency that has welcomed some 3,000 visitors in 2015, are part of this dynamic. A growing number of co-working spaces also indicate that a lot is going on in Vienna at the moment.
This pioneering spirit is actively supported by the Vienna Business Agency. Initiatives and companies are networked at all levels, knowledge is transferred and funding opportunities for start-ups are offered!
As part of the funding competition “Start Tech Vienna 2016”, the Vienna Business Agency will grant up to 500,000 euros for R&D projects from start-ups in Vienna that offer cutting-edge technology.
With the new funding competition, the Vienna Business Agency creates opportunities for start-ups to “think big” in a city that belongs to the top 5 of Europe’s ICT metropoles. Companies that are interested in taking this chance can submit their projects by September 14, 2016, at wirtschaftsagentur.at.
“We know that ideas and know-how exist in the city, but risky projects often fail because of a lack of funding. This is exactly where we step in with the new funding for technology start-ups. Half a million euros can set a lot into motion and I am convinced that we will succeed in tapping a part of the high potential in the city”, says Gerhard Hirczi, Managing Director of the Vienna Business Agency.
3 success stories in the life sciences
The Vienna Business Agency’s portfolio includes a large number of start-ups covering an incredibly wide spectrum of topics. These three young companies are examples to all of those whose business concepts succeeded in convincing renowned juries.
Origimm Biotechnology GmbH
Sanja Selak, CEO
Origimm (‘Origins of Immunity’) is an Austrian biotechnology company that specializes in discovery of antigens and functional drug targets for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and dermatological conditions associated with various microbial species. The company uses its proprietary ProVaDis technology to identify highly protective antigens by reverse functional screening and significantly improves the success in the selection of the most protective antigen candidates. Origimm’s lead program is a vaccine against Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) to prevent and treat acne vulgaris and to prevent implant-associated P. acnes infections.
ProFem GmbH
Marion Noe, Founder and CMO
ProFem is a Vienna-based pharmaceutical company founded in 2012 with a focus on the clinical development of innovative drugs for the treatment of gynecological diseases. Our main focus, especially with the lead candidate “Candiplus®”, is on infections of the lower urogenital tract, diseases which are frequently associated with the growth of so-called biofilms. This group of infections represents a huge and so far unsolved medical problem in gynecology.
Attoquant Diagnostics GmbH
Marko Poglitsch, Geschäftsführung
Attoquant Diagnostics is a Vienna-based service provider specialized in the quantification of peptide hormones in complex biological samples based on a proprietary technology platform. The novel technology has a broad field of application as a tool in research and drug development and allows for accurate measurement of a variety of low-abundance peptides in plasma and tissue samples. Our focus is currently set on angiotensins being the effector hormones of the renin angiotensin system. We offer the proprietary RAS-Fingerprint™ as a novel multiplex parameter for the detailed biochemical characterization of the renin angiotensin system. The RAS-Fingerprint™ is available for plasma and tissues and allows a better understanding of prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and renal diseases and can be used as a diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker.
About the Vienna Business Agency
The Vienna Business Agency is the first point of contact for national and international companies. It offers financial support, real estate and urban development incentives as well as free service and advice. The objective is to strengthen Viennese companies and their innovative force. As a result, the business location is sustainably developed and strengthened in international competition. In 2015, the Vienna Business Agency supported 560 companies and other organizations in Vienna in advancing their projects with a total of some 40 million euros. Additionally, the Vienna Business Agency’s experts conducted some 4,900 individual consultations last year.