Place of residence: Vienna

Position: Director of Startup Services, Vienna Business Agency

Please describe a day in your life

My day always begins with family breakfast and a bike ride to the office. Like everyone, my day is shaped by many meetings with national and international stakeholders, great founders, and my team. Emails and conversations. Operative and strategic work. In the evening, I attend events or have dinner with my family. Free time, when I have it, is all about sports, reading and relaxing.

How many projects are you currently working on? Please describe them

A big one is ViennaUP, the annual, community-driven startup festival in Europe, taking place this year from June 3 – 9, 2024. We initiated this event at the Vienna Business Agency four years ago to bring the startup community together on the principle that together, we shine brighter! It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase innovation, welcome amazing international leaders, and make meaningful connections.

Other great projects include the Startup City Networks exchange with other European startup cities and the Vienna Startup Package, a global competition for international startups in which awardees spend a month coaching and peer-to-peer learning while getting to know the Viennese business ecosystem.

Our daily business at the Vienna Business Agency includes providing stipends to select founders in the early stages of founding innovative, growth-oriented companies. We also offer coaching and workshops – in many languages! – to entrepreneurs, helping them to develop their business models and, crucially, to ensure that their social and ecological impact is planned from day one.

In your opinion, who is the most influential person/company in the world of technology these days?

OpenAI Inc.

If you could pick one app/product/project existing now that you wish you were involved in, what would it be?

There are so many great founders and innovations out there – I can’t decide …

How do you see technology evolving in the next ten years?

Technology will further develop and change the way we work, but we must also consider what it does with our society. Technology should be good for this fabric and for the people and should help us manage our lives as well as possible. That’s why tech must be developed with high ethical standards and in alignment with strategies for creating positive social and ecological impact.

What are the three characteristics you have that made you successful in tech?

Passion, consistency, caring about people

What is the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your career?

Combining hard, good work with managing and enjoying family life

What is your greatest achievement up until today?

We get such great feedback for our support in helping so many people find and develop their companies – that is hugely motivating! The initiation and success of ViennaUP, the startup festival, is one of my highlights.

What is the biggest challenge facing startups today?

Growth financing.

How do you see the startup ecosystem evolving in the coming years, and how will the rise of artificial intelligence systems affect it?

The startup ecosystem will mature and must work hard on its business models’ positive social and ecological impacts.

What is your next goal?

The coming session of ViennaUP, June 3 – 9, 2024!

What tips do you have for people wanting to start in the tech world?

Focus on team, team, team.

Consider the market when building a product –  a functioning business model is essential.

Think about startup financing from Day 1.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would it be?

Believe in yourself, be bold and try it out.

What do non-tech people around you (family, friends) think you do?

Supporting founders and innovation.

What is the invention of the century in your eyes?

There are two. One is online streaming; the other is big data analytics in medicine.

What can’t you do without? (app/product…)

Navigation apps

Which famous person would you like to have dinner with and why?

I meet many interesting and inspiring people daily – these are the hidden stars, so I don’t need a famous person.

Where would you like to travel next?

Austrian Alps. This is a great “neighbourhood” to live in!  

Do you have a person who influences or motivates you?

Candace Johnson is a global infrastructure and networking entrepreneur and expert who co-founded SES, the world’s pre-eminent satellite group and is the architect of SES Global. She motivates me because she just did her thing and believed in herself!  

What did you dream of creating/inventing/doing as a child?

My dream has always been to contribute to a better world through cooperation.