New alliance for research-based spin-offs: Renowned research institutions join forces

“Science-based spin-offs are a key driver of Europe’s innovative strength and technological sovereignty. With the Academic Spin-out Alliance, we are pooling our expertise in a targeted manner for the first time to offer researchers better conditions for successful start-ups, faster technology transfer and international scaling,” the Alliance states. 

Significant progress and even greater potential
The importance of academic spin-offs has grown significantly in recent years: whilst in 2018 around 12% of all start-ups emerged from universities or research institutions, this figure now stands at around 23%, according to the Austrian Start-up Monitor 2025. 

These figures make it clear: the scientific potential exists, but is not yet being sufficiently translated into scalable innovation. New structures for more start-upsThis is precisely where the new alliance comes in. The aim is to significantly simplify and accelerate the path from research to start-up. 

Plans include:

• joint spin-off and incubation programmes
• Cross-institutional co-founder matching formats
• Initiatives to accelerate technology transfer and commercialisation

From Lab to Leader: Building Science Ventures that Last
A first visible sign of the new cooperation was the joint event “Lab to
Leader: Building Science Ventures That Last”, which took place on 20 May as part of the Vienna Business Agency as part of Vienna UP 2026, with over 150 guests in attendance. The event was organised jointly by the partner institutions to bring together academic
spin-offs with potential co-founders, investors and international experts. Further initiatives and specific offerings for founders will be
rolled out gradually over the coming months.

MedUni Vienna: creating economic and social benefits
MedUni Vienna is one of Europe’s most established centres for medical education and research. With around 8,600 students, it is now the largest medical training institution in the German-speaking world and ranks among Europe’s leading research institutions in the biomedical field.

The core mission of the Medical University of Vienna is to generate, impart, apply and pass on knowledge to society. This latter mission includes the transfer of research findings, methods and technologies to create economic and social benefits. As an entrepreneurial university, MedUni Vienna promotes the commercialisation of research findings through technology transfer, cooperation with industrial companies and start-ups, and the establishment of spin-offs.

Members' information:

MedUni Vienna
The Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna) is one of Europe’s most established centres for medical education and research. With around 8,600 students, it is now the largest medical training institution in the German-speaking world and ranks among Europe’s leading research institutions in the biomedical field.

The core mission of the Medical University of Vienna is to generate, impart, apply and pass on knowledge to society. This latter mission includes the transfer of research findings, methods and technologies to create economic and social benefits. As an entrepreneurial university, MedUni Vienna promotes the commercialisation of research findings through technology transfer, cooperation with industrial companies and start-ups, and the establishment of spin-offs.

AIT
The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria’s largest research and technology organisation, with more than 1,600 employees working on the key infrastructure issues of the future. The AIT focuses on two interlinked research priorities: ‘Sustainable and resilient infrastructures’, particularly in the fields of energy, transport and health, and the ‘Digital transformation of the economy and society’.

In doing so, the AIT works closely with industry and clients from public institutions. Research and development is the key driver of innovation for industry, the economy and society; it secures jobs and prosperity, thereby strengthening Austria and Europe as business locations.

BOKU
The University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (“BOKU University”) has been conducting research and teaching for over 150 years at the interface of nature, science and society – with a clear focus on what really matters. With its pioneering thematic focus, it ranks among the most relevant life sciences universities in Europe and is distinguished by its holistic approach to research and teaching.

BOKU University views knowledge as a responsibility. Its researchers, students and graduates develop pioneering solutions to the most pressing societal challenges and actively shape a sustainable future. Spin-offs and start-ups form a vital link between research and industry and are a key driver of innovation transfer. An entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking – combined with scientific excellence, new ideas and bold concepts – are the key building blocks for start-ups at BOKU University.

ISTA
The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) is a PhD-granting research institution located in Klosterneuburg, 18 km from the centre of Vienna, Austria. ISTA employs professors on a tenure-track model, post-doctoral researchers and PhD students. The Graduate School of ISTA offers fully funded PhD positions to highly qualified candidates holding a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in biology, mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry and related fields. The Institute currently has around 90 research groups and 1,300 employees. By 2036, it is expected to grow to 150 groups and over 2,000 employees. Whilst dedicated to the principle of curiosity-driven research, ISTA also aims to deliver scientific findings to society through technology transfer and science education. www.ista.ac.at

TU Wien
The Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) is one of Europe’s leading technical universities and has stood for excellent research, practice-oriented education and technological innovation for over 200 years. With around 26,000 students and a strong focus on future-oriented fields such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence, quantum physics, energy, mobility and life sciences, TU Wien makes a significant contribution to Austria’s scientific and economic development.

TU Wien actively promotes entrepreneurship and technology transfer and supports researchers and students in transforming scientific findings into marketable innovations and successful spin-offs. Through close cooperation with industry, start-ups and international research partners, TU Wien strengthens Vienna as a hub for innovation and positions itself as a key player in the European deep-tech ecosystem.

Vetmeduni
The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni) is Austria’s only academic institution for veterinary medicine, education and research, and is also the oldest in the German-speaking world. Vetmeduni conducts research into socially relevant issues at the interface between humans, animals and the environment – One Health – and combines excellent basic research with cutting-edge clinical medicine. Through translational research projects,

corporate collaborations and targeted spin-off activities, it rapidly translates scientific findings into veterinary and human medical practice as well as into marketable innovations.

Vetmeduni employs around 1,500 staff and currently trains approximately 2,500 students. The campus in Vienna’s Floridsdorf district features five university hospitals and state-of-the-art research infrastructure. In addition to the two research institutes on Vienna’s Wilhelminenberg, it operates, among other facilities, the VetFarm and the Wolf Science Center in Lower Austria, as well as a branch in Tyrol.

Vienna Business Agency
The Vienna Business Agency is the city’s location agency and shapes Vienna’s economic future. It develops key focus areas that sustainably secure the transformation and competitiveness of Vienna as a business location. Through proactive initiatives

it raises Vienna’s profile – locally, nationally and internationally – and strengthens forward-looking developments, the creation of high-quality jobs and the establishment of innovative companies. In addition, the Vienna Business Agency develops and implements key specialist property projects that further strengthen the infrastructure for

a sustainable business location. To this end, it designs tailor-made offers and funding instruments. With “Vienna Growth” and the “Growth Navigator”, the Vienna Business Agency also provides targeted support to growth-oriented companies and start-ups. It also provides modern production and laboratory space for industry, commerce and the life sciences.

WU Vienna
The Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) is one of the largest business schools in Europe and, with over 21,000 students, the leading institution for business and law education in the German-speaking world. As one of fewer than one per cent of all business schools worldwide, WU holds Triple Crown accreditation – the three most prestigious international quality seals, EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB – which stands for the highest standards of quality in teaching and research. WU is also internationally networked as a member of ENGAGE.EU, an alliance of leading European universities in the fields of economics and social sciences, which works together to find solutions to the major societal challenges of our time.

The WU Entrepreneurship Center is the Vienna University of Economics and Business’s central hub for those interested in starting a business, start-ups and students with an entrepreneurial mindset. With programmes such as SkillsLAB, Entrepreneurship Avenue – Europe’s largest student start-up event series – and VentureLAB as an incubator, the Entrepreneurship Center supports founders from the initial idea through to market readiness. This ecosystem is complemented by WU Ignite Ventures, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the WU Foundation, which supports university

start-ups and spin-offs in the pre-seed phase with up to €50,000 per investment and access to a strong network.

University of Vienna
Curiosity has been at the heart of the University of Vienna for over 650 years. The University of Vienna has been setting standards in education, research and innovation for over 650 years. Today, it is ranked among the top 100 – and thus the top 4 per cent – of all universities worldwide and has a global network. With over 180 degree programmes and more than 10,000 staff, it is one of Europe’s largest centres of academic excellence. Here, people from a wide variety of disciplines come together to conduct cutting-edge research and find solutions to current and future challenges. Its students and graduates tackle complex challenges with a spirit of innovation and curiosity, devising thoughtful and sustainable solutions.

The University of Vienna contributes to creating social value by actively supporting the entrepreneurial ventures of students and researchers. Through programmes such as the “innovation labs”, the Entrepreneurship Team supports founders from the initial idea right through to the establishment of companies or non-profit organisations, opening up opportunities for them to further develop their ventures within the wider innovation ecosystem.

XISTA
XISTA is the deep tech innovation ecosystem centred around the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). The aim is to translate excellent research into social and economic impact. XISTA provides support through awareness programmes, entrepreneurship training, and individual advice on IP, start-ups, financing and industry collaborations. The ecosystem is complemented by infrastructure facilities at the XISTA Science Park and the venture arm, XISTA Science Ventures. In this way, XISTA supports science-based innovations from the initial idea through to implementation. www.xista.com