Package of measures for Startup Location Austria

Austria is an attractive location for startups. Company founders benefit from extensive support services and funding, amongst other advantages. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2022, Austria is ranked first in an international comparison when it comes to startup funding.

In order to further promote innovation and the founding of startups, a comprehensive package of measures - the new Startup Package - is currently being subject to a formal evaluation procedure. It brings significant improvements and thus strengthens Austria’s attractiveness for startup founders. The draft legislation stipulates the creation of a new type of corporation. The so-called flexible corporation (German: “Flexible Kapitalgesellschaft” or FlexKapG) targets startups as well as innovative SMEs and leads to simplifications with respect to formalities and written voting or circular resolutions. Furthermore, entrepreneurship is promoted by reducing the minimum share capital to € 10,000 for limited liability companies (GmbHs) and for the FlexKapG.

Another important step is the frequently demanded measure of establishing a legal foundation for employee participation programmes based on corporate and tax law and complemented by tax relief. This is considered to be a crucial labour market initiative to retain highly qualified skilled workers. In this way, selected employees can receive employee stock options in the form of enterprise value shares in addition to their regular salaries. The advantage is that this will not only be offered in line with company law with few formal requirements, but also result in substantial relief with regard to duties and taxes.

Learn more about startup-founding in Austria

Takeover of TU Wien spin-off Cubicure by Align Technology confirms Austria's research spirit and attractiveness as a high-tech location

11. April 2024

Cubicure is a true pioneer in the development of advanced 3D printing systems which also enable the manufacturing of medical devices. The two founders - Robert Gmeiner and Jürgen Stampfl – explain how the successful spin-off Cubicure emerged in March 2015 from a research idea at the Vienna University of Technology and why Austria was the perfect location for establishing the company.

Austria’s Medical Technology Sector on the Upswing

11. April 2024

In an era featuring rapid technological progress, the medical technology industry in Austria has proven to be a key factor underlying innovation, economic growth, and social progress. Austria is a key player in the field of medical technology, reflected in groundbreaking developments in 3D printing and the country’s strong focus on exports.

World-class Research at the Medical University of Vienna

11. April 2024

The Medical University of Vienna conducts research at a world-class level in fields such as precision oncology and bionic reconstruction. Construction of the Eric Kandel Institute – Center for Precision Medicine and top spots in global rankings underline the university’s role as a pioneer in life sciences research.