Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The report "SMEs in Focus" uses current facts and figures to highlight the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises for the Austrian economy. One focus chapter is devoted to the effects of the Corona-related crisis on SMEs. Furthermore, the report provides an overview of recent SME support measures, which are based on the three pillars of the new SME strategy of the European Commission. Every year the report on small and medium sized enterprises is presented to the Austrian Parliament.

Many products and services promoted under the Circular Economy fail to be taken up beyond economic and cultural elites. At the same time, many households are unable to replace or repair broken items and buy longer-lasting alternatives. Against this background, this study examines how the Circular Economy can be designed to contribute to social inclusion and thereby reach a wider population.

Project duration: 09/2020 - 06/2021

Client: University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna

Contact: Harald Wieser

By supporting start-ups that want to create a positive societal and environmental impact, social incubators and accelerators assume a central role in the transformation of society and economy. This project investigates in close collaboration with the internationally active incubator network “Impact Hub” what these organisations can specifically contribute to the realisation of a circular economy.

Project duration: 01/2021 - 06/2021

Client: MA 7 – Stadt Wien Kultur

Contact: Harald Wieser, Karin Bachinger

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of the Austrian economy. They therefore play a central role in the innovation and competitiveness of the country. The present study provides an overview of the innovation performance and innovation behaviour of SMEs as well as of the conditions and barriers to innovation in these enterprises. Particular attention is paid to digitization as a driver of innovation.

The study was commissioned by ACR - Austrian Cooperative Research and supported by the Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDW).

To the study (German only)

LEADERSHIP4SMEs is an initiative aiming to support disruptive SMEs and start-ups to reinforce and leverage their IPR as an accelerator of growth on the EU single Market and beyond. The project seeks to raise the awareness and change the perception about the importance of IPR of the targeted groups of SMEs and Start-ups as well as financial intermediaries and investors. Among other things:

• best practices in the fields of IPR management, business acceleration and funding will be collected and serve as a foundation for the development of a set of tools and services centered on a better valuation of IPR and aiming to help SMEs and Start-ups to successfully engage on the path to sustainable hyper-growth;
• a database of qualified experts and organizations offering support will be created and their offer will be exposed to potential beneficiaries through a marketplace associated with the platform;
• a platform endowed with specific tools to strategically manage and position IPR in the business model, attract funding and generate business opportunities will be implemented.

The framework will allow to support step by step 15 SMEs and 15 Start-ups, selected through open calls, to exploit their IPR to raise capital, generate business opportunities and become “hypergrowth” role models.

Client: Europäische Kommission, Horizon 2020

Partner organisations: BWCON GMBH (DE), Iceberg Consulting SRL (RO), Innova SRL (IT), Bugnion SPA (IT), CNRS Innovation (FR), Aster Capital Partners (FR), Banca Comerciala Romana SA (RO).

Project duration: september 2020 – august 2022

Contact: Thomas Oberholzner

More Information

By analysing how to support the efficient implementation of digital innovation in SMEs, the project aims at the development of a suitable set of methods in order to support innovation agents providing evidence-based and efficient consultation. The respective results are, among others, based on the use of applied methods e.g. social network analysis.

The study is the fourth after 2008, 2013 and 2017 to focus on family businesses. The project includes the analysis of the economic importance of family businesses in Austria and their characteristics. In addition, the degree of digitization of Austrian family businesses is examined. The project also includes an evaluation of the Austrian Entrepreneurial Index (AEI) 2019 for family businesses.

German Factsheet

German Report

The report on small and medium sized enterprises provides recent facts and figures on SMEs, most important industries as well as a thematic focus on family businesses. The report also provides a list of support measures for SMEs in Austria based on the 10 principles of the European Small Business Act. Every year the report on small and medium sized enterprises is presented to the Austrian Parliament.

The Missing Entrepreneurs 2019 is the fifth edition of a series of publications that explore how to support job creation, economic growth and social inclusion at national, regional and local level by overcoming obstacles to business creation and self-employment by people from disadvantaged or under-represented groups of entrepreneurship. There is considerable potential to fight unemployment and increase labour force participation by facilitating the start-up of enterprises in population groups such as women, young people, the unemployed and migrants. However, the specific problems they face must be identified and addressed through effective and efficient policy measures. As in previous years, the Austrian Institute for SME Research was responsible for the country report Austria.

The study analyses the importance and development of one-person-enterprises in Austria. Central indicators, trends and developments are also considered over time. The study, on behalf of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, is based on a comprehensive primary survey of one-person companies in Austria as well as literature and secondary data analyses.

The accompanying impact analysis and evaluation of the Swiss "CTI Entrepreneurship" Training Programms assesses its conception, implementation and short to medium-term effects. The analysis, carried out by the Austrian Institute for SME Research in cooperation with B, S, S Volkswirtschaftliche Beratung AG in Basel, is based on theories of social psychology and their empirical implementation against the background of heterogeneous support infrastructures in the Swiss regions.

The aim of the project is to develop an informed knowledge basis with regard to digitisation for all ACR member institutes. Building on the knowledge acquired a low-threshold sector-specific service for SMEs will be developed and tested in order to advance the transformational capacities of the ACR as a whole.

The project results will be disseminated in an open innovation process that will enable the ACR member institutes to achieve a vanguard position with regard to digitisation in their respective sectors. In sum, this will provide the institutes with the knowledge and tools to improve the competitiveness of the SMEs in these sectors.

Project results (German only)

The study aims at providing players within the Austria RTI policy landscape with a decision basis for their future advancement of the portfolio of funding programmes. In particular, the study identifies players within the field of artificial intelligence (AI) in science, business and industry as well as in the public sector and surveys the role, significance and use of AI in various sectors and industries.

The Austrian Institute for SME Research writes, in a consortium with five further partners, the yearly report of the Federal Government to the Parliament (National Council) under Section 8(2) of the Research Organisation Act, on the state and progress of federally subsidised research, technology and innovation in Austria. The report covers development trends and priority topics for the Austrian innovation system, and reflects on them in an international context. The report is written on a yearly basis until 2022.

This project implements the accompanying research of a technical research project, which shows the economic and technical potential of the external component activation for the renovation of existing buildings with prefabricated façade elements and defines the respective conditions and develops new methods. Above all, the accompanying research includes analyses along the project-relevant value chain, such as analyses, of needs as well as potential impacts etc.

After the global recession, job creation is a political priority. While it is generally accepted that most jobs are created by small and medium-sized enterprises, not all SMEs are growing fast or even want to expand. With limited public budgets, business models with high employment potential are becoming very attractive.

The study deals with company start-ups or young companies that pursue a business model geared to the international market from the outset (so-called Born Globals). Case studies will focus on their integration into international value chains. Another focus of the study is on the funding instruments with which these companies can be supported.

The national framework conditions are of high importance to maintain and strengthen the competitiveness of enterprises in an increasingly globalised and digitised economy. Against this background the study analyses, if the current framework conditions in Austria promote or hinder competitiveness of Austrian enterprises - especially SMEs.

The Austrian Entrepreneurial Index (AEI) combines different aspects of self-employment and measures the satisfaction of entrepreneurs in an overall index consisting of 6 sub-indices with 35 sub-areas.

First surveyed in a large-scale company survey in 2015, the satisfaction of around 480 retailers can be measured over time for the first time on the basis of the new survey in 2017.

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of entrepreneurship of women in Austria. Socio-demographic characteristics of female entrepreneurs, the characteristics of companies run by women, working conditions and the entrepreneurial and private environment as well as the specific challenges of women entrepreneurs are in focus. Based on this, conclusions are derived on how women entrepreneurship can be promoted. A focus report is dedicated to women entrepreneurs in male-dominated industries.

Family businesses are very important for the Austrian economy. Therefore, the Austrian Institute for SME Research conducted a report in 2013 about the situation of family businesses, their characteristics and the developments. This new publication provides updates of the most important facts and figures concerning family businesses.

This study analyses existing barriers for young, innovative companies in Austria and develops recommendations for conducive framework conditions for founders. The main focus of the analysis is on the barriers to found a company in Austria, the financing and the role of the bank sector in this connection. Experiences from international good practice cases will be included in the report.

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between R&D activities, company growth and investment dynamics in the context of a quantitative analysis.

This report on small and medium sized enterprises is presented to the Austrian Parliament every second year. Besides recent information on the industries as well as a thematic focus on competitiveness, the report also provides a list of support measures for SMEs based on the 10 principles of the European Small Business Act.

Start-ups are a special form of enterprise foundation with potentially positive effects on the overall economy, e.g. innovation impulses, growth and employment effects. In Austria as well as at EU level start-ups are high on the policy agenda and receive considerable media attention. Beyond this background the Austrian Institute for SME Research carried out a study to formulate a definition of start-up enterprises and to make a first estimation of the number of start-ups in Austria. Main methodological principles were literature and data analyses.

The project consisted of two studies, conducted together with the cooperation partner Panteia B.V. The aims of this study were to collect and analyse the most recent comparable statistical data on women entrepreneurs in Europe (37 countries) in order to quantitatively capture female entrepreneuership. Furthermore, the study explores the feasibility and possible design, input and set-up of a European-wide e-platform for women entrepreneurs. It incorporates findings of a women entrepreneurs survey as well as interviews with stakeholders.