Start-Ups Provide Insights into Business Foundation, Financing, and Innovation

At the forum “Innovation, Creativity & Business Foundation” of USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, business founders, entrepreneurs, and experts from the start-up and innovation scene provided first-hand information on business models, funding, and the challenges of the start-up phase. Approximately 200 students and guests used the forum organised by USTP’s Faculty of Engineering and Business to be inspired and engage in exchange and networking with companies and founders from various lines of business.

“The forum shows real-life stories and experiences and provides honest insights into what it really takes to build a company. For students, it is a source of inspiration and valuable impulses for their own future start-up plans, emphasises Peiman Zamani, lecturer and long-time organiser of the forum “Innovation, Creativity & Business Foundation”.

Business Founders Tell Their Stories

Several innovative start-ups presented their business models and reported on their experiences with business foundation – from technology start-ups to creative business models.

Some of the featured companies and speakers were:

• ReneTrax GmbH i.G. – Maintain Your Solar Power. Automatically.
  Fatemeh Malekabadi | CEO & Co-Founder 
  
• yooy. – Deine Brille. Dein Design.
  Patrick Preissl | CEO & Founder
  
• RacePace – The AI co-pilot for trail athletes.
  Ido Dassa | CEO (Founder)
  
• Talents and Company GmbH – Talente finden – Talente binden
  Mario Derntl | CEO & Co-Founder
  
• Danube Dynamics Embedded Solutions GmbH – Applied Intelligence
  Nico Teringl | CEO
  
• Amadeus Acoustics GmbH – Where Sound Meets Art
  Fabio Kaiser | CEO & Co-Founder

“The direct exchange with business founders gave the students a realistic perspective on entrepreneurship. Such practice-oriented insights complement their academic education in a valuable manner and make both the chances and challenges of business foundation tangible. USTP offers an environment where innovative ideas are systematically promoted and accompanied all the way to their implementation. The Forum Innovation, Creativity & Business Foundation provides important impulses in this regard and strengthens long-term networks between future business founders”, emphasises USTP CEO Hannes Raffaseder.

Financial Planning as a Model of Thought

One central focus of the event was on the importance of sound financial planning for start-ups and young companies. Within the framework of a panel discussion on “Financial planning is more than Excel – it is a model of thought”, representatives of the fields of start-ups, financing, and the funding landscape discussed why financial planning is much more than filling out sheets. Rather, it serves as a strategic instrument that helps founders to hone their business models, assess risks, and take well-informed business decisions.

Under the moderation of Monika Kovarova-Simecek, Academic Director of the USTP study programmes Digital Business Communications and Digital Management & Sustainability, the panel featured:

• Mateo Primorac | CEO & Founder, Scopri.ai
  
• Manuel Mertl | CEO & Co-Founder TAGBASE.io
  
• René Danzinger | Venture Capital Fond, Land NÖ
  
• Paul Hofstätter | Sparkasse Niederösterreich Mitte West Aktiengesellschaft
  
• Karl Biedermann | austrian wirtschaftservice – Deep Technologies
  
• Harald O. Uhlig | h.o.uhlig business development

Platform for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The forum “Innovation, Creativity & Business Foundation” takes place at USTP twice a year and brings students, founders, entrepreneurs, and representatives of funding institutions together. Its objective is to promote entrepreneurial thinking and familiarise students with the challenges and opportunities of company foundation early on. The event thus offers an important platform for inspiration, knowledge exchange, and networking between the university, the economy, and the start-up scene.

Featuring the following companies and partners: