Engage in your own unique combination of opportunities while traveling through and settling into Austria.
BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
From fintech to food tech, new Austrian start-ups are buzzing with entrepreneurial activity. Home to SpeedInvest, a major European venture capital firm headquartered in Vienna, and new unicorns like Bitpanda and Go Student, Austria is now a major hub of European start-up activity.
Experience the excitement for yourself as you chat with founders and other entrepreneurs during a visit to one of Austria’s many start-up accelerators and incubators. Take part in a company visit at one of the over 400 multinational businesses that have chosen Austria as their headquarters or visit AmCham Austria to hear from American entrepreneurs about what it takes to succeed in this dynamic market.
ENGINEERING & SUSTAINABILITY
Austria is a European leader in renewable energy, enjoying the fourth highest percentage of total energy consumption provided by renewable energy of any EU member state. Much of this energy comes from hydropower, with solar, biomass and wind power plants playing an increasingly important role.
Explore the role of engineers in promoting sustainable development during a company visit to one of Austria’s many environmental engineering firms, or gain an in-depth understanding of Austria’s hydropower industry during a site visit to the Kölnbrein Dam.
HISTORY & CULTURE
A host of medieval cathedrals, fortresses and palaces stand testament to the complex medieval history of Austria, which for hundreds of years was closely bound up with the fortunes of the powerful House of Habsburg. After becoming part of the ill-fated Austro-Hungarian Empire, it also played a major role in history when the assassination of its heir presumptive, the Archduke Ferdinand, touched off World War I.
Having served as a wealthy and powerful European cultural nexus for centuries, Austria was an early center of scientific and philosophical innovation. The country was once home to of many of the biggest household names in physics, psychology and philosophy, including Erwin Schrödinger, Sigmund Freud and Karl Popper.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Austria was the birthplace of Western classical music and the City of Vienna is still synonymous with the art form. Some of the biggest names in music, including Mozart and Beethoven, helped make Austria a hub for European musical innovation. The Vienna State Opera, the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna Boys’ Choir remain some of the most well-known and well-respected musical institutions in the world.
Marvel at the beauty of historic venues like the Kursalon Vienna Concert Hall while taking in a concert featuring Mozart and Strauss masterpieces. Then, explore the 12th-century house where Mozart was born while learning about his life and times.
SOCIAL WELFARE
Known as the Vienna Model, Austria’s unique approach to the question of social inequality involves a massive system of subsidized housing projects that provides an innovative and sustainable solution to the problem of homelessness.
Learn more about Austria’s unique approach to helping every member of society live a good life by visiting an NGO working in poverty alleviation or taking a tour of Vienna’s acclaimed subsidized housing projects led by a local poverty survivor.
