Founder Institute Vienna

17/02/2026

Recap of our last vibe-coding webinaire!

Got an idea that won't leave you alone? Time to turn it into something real.In this hands-on Founder Institute session, Kasia Sadowska walks you through buil...

07/04/2025

🚀 Are you a purpose-driven innovator?

Then you need to be at INSIDEOUT Summit 2025 – the flagship event by our partner tech2impact, happening Friday, May 9th in Vienna as part of the ViennaUP Festival.

Here’s what’s waiting for you:
🌍 Future-shaping tech – AI, energy, sustainability, health, education & more
🧠 Neuroscience-backed strategies – sharpen your mind, boost resilience
🤝 Curated networking – meet the leaders driving real impact
🎤 10+ thought leaders – insights that don’t just inform, they ignite

🎟️ Ready to grow from the inside out?
Reach out to us regarding a discount

11/02/2025

🎯 Entrepreneurs, How Do You Choose the Right Market?
As entrepreneurs, we face one of the toughest questions: Which market should we focus on? With so many opportunities, how do we compare, prioritize, and set a clear direction?
Join us for a session with Dr. Sharon Tal Itzkovitch, author of Where to Play, and creator of the Market Opportunity Navigator, to learn how to:
🌍Compare and prioritize market opportunities.
🌟Set a clear strategic focus.
Apply the framework to your own startup.
📅 When: Feb. 18, 6 p.m. CET
📍 Where: Link in the comment
Dr. Tal will share her proven framework, walk us through a real case study, and provide tools to help you move forward with confidence.
👉 Register now and target the right market from the start!
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A big shutout to my colleagues for making this event possible:
Lilla Peczely, Ingeborg Gasser-Kriss Stephan Kreiger Stanish GUNASEKARAN Jacqueline Kressner Athanasios T. Ladopoulos ✨

04/02/2025

🚀 Think you’ve got the next big startup idea? Pitch it to real investors and experts!

On February 6th at 18:00 CET, Founder Institute Vienna and Founder Institute Switzerland are hosting a live online pitching event—your chance to present your startup idea to a panel of investors, mentors, and industry experts for real-time feedback and ratings.

🎯 Meet the Jury:

👨‍💼 Ivo Ronner – Founder of Ronner Ventures Ltd and global VC expert
With years of venture capital experience across Europe and the Americas, Ivo has helped countless startups succeed in their investment and growth processes. As a founder, advisor, and board member, he brings a wealth of expertise in building and scaling startups. Pitching in front of Ivo means gaining insights from someone who truly understands how to create value and secure funding.

👩‍💼 Hannah Wundsam – Managing Director of AustrianStartups
As the leader of Austria’s largest startup platform and think tank, Hannah is dedicated to creating an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. With a background in founding her own green tech startup and inspiring others to pursue impactful ideas, Hannah will provide invaluable feedback to help founders sharpen their vision and strategy.

👨‍💼 Pouria Kay – Entrepreneur, Venture Builder, and Executive Coach
Pouria has over 15 years of experience transforming innovative ideas into scalable ventures, working with more than 300 companies globally. Recognized as a Top Mentor in Europe by the FounderX Awards, his expertise spans leadership, product strategy, and venture building. Founders will gain actionable insights on building high-performing teams, refining strategy, and overcoming early-stage challenges.

👩‍💼 Natasha Drapeau – Senior Executive and Board Member
With extensive experience in family office investment strategies and scaling technology-enabled businesses, Natasha has successfully driven sustainable growth through strategic planning, M&A, and business transformations. Pitching to Natasha offers founders a unique opportunity to gain feedback from someone who has scaled several businesses and understands the intricacies of investment and international expansion.

Whether you’re a founder looking to get some feedback on your startup idea from experienced investors and experts or you’re just interested in what’s currently hot, be sure to sign up! 📈

Ready to make your mark? Register now! (No pitch deck needed)
👉 https://fi.co/e/366498/fb

🤔 Not sure on how to craft a perfect pitch? We got you covered! Check out our Madlibs format at https://lnkd.in/e2W4zYU9 or get some genAI- powered help from our partner PitchBob.io

16/10/2024

🚀 We are thrilled to announce Daniela Haunstein as a Jury Member for our upcoming Founder Hot Seat! 🚀

Daniela is the Managing Director of .austria, the leading network for investors in the -IPO capital market in Austria counting more than 350 investors as members. With a wealth of experience in the investment landscape, Daniela brings a unique combination of expertise and vision to the table that makes her a standout jury member.

In her current role, Daniela helps to mobilise significant capital for early-stage startups and fostering a supportive ecosystem for innovation. Her deep understanding of startup financing and investment dynamics, particularly in the Austrian and European markets, sets her apart from many others. Daniela’s focus on and in investing has helped to shape invest.austria into one of the most important cornerstones of the Austrian startup ecosystem. 🚀

Before her time at invest.austria, Daniela worked across several high-impact roles where she supported startups in scaling their ideas. Her ability to spot potential and her active involvement in shaping the Austrian venture capital landscape means she is perfectly positioned to provide meaningful feedback to founders who are ready to grow. 📈

If you're looking to pitch your startup to one of Austria’s top investment leaders or simply want to attend and learn from the best, this is an event you don’t want to miss! 🌟

🗓 Date: October 22, 2024
🕕 Time: 18:00 CET
📍 Location: https://fi.co/e/353157/li1

Sign up now to pitch or attend!



Founder Institute

14/10/2024

🚀 We are thrilled to announce Lisa Pallweber as a jury member of our upcoming Founder Hotseat! 🚀

Lisa is the managing partner of Hans(wo)men Group, a bunch of startups that share common values, similar goals and the same Business Angel, the legendary Johann 'Hansi' Hansmann.

With a rich experience in the venture capital world, Lisa has been instrumental in shaping startup success stories across Europe. At Hans(wo)men Group, which manages over 120M EUR in assets, Lisa has led strategic investments in disruptive startups, helping founders accelerate their growth. 📈

Her prior experience with Raiffeisen Capital Management, Speedinvest and UNIQA Ventures, combined with her active roles on boards like Calm/Storm Ventures, invest.austria and Global Women in VC, make her uniquely qualified to provide valuable feedback to founders pitching their ideas. 💡

Founders, this is your chance to gain insights from one of the top investors in the Austrian startup ecosystem! Whether you're pitching or attending to listen and learn, don't miss out on this incredible opportunity. ✨

🗓 Date: October 22, 2024
🕕 Time: 18:00 CET
📍 RSVP: https://fi.co/e/353157/fb

Sign up now to secure your spot!



Founder Institute

11/10/2024

📣 This week, Founder Institute Vienna are launching our F.I Vienna !!!

💡 Delving into the backgrounds and expertise behind some of the Top Start-Up Ecosystem players here in the .

🎉 It is such a privilege for the F.I. Vienna Team to be working with some of the most exceptional Founders, Advisors, VCs, Angels, Policy Makers & Drivers & more as we continue to grow our F.I. Vienna community.

🔔 Vienna start-up founders, you are in for a treat! We will be posting regularly for you to get to know each and everyone of these fantastic individuals supporting and helping to build the Vienna startup ecosystem together.

📣 F.I. Vienna Mentor of the Week : Jiaran Wang.

❓ We asked Jiaran, "What would you like to see in terms of the F.I. Vienna support in the local startup ecosystem?"

>>>"I would love to see more initiatives focused on fostering collaboration among startups, mentors, and investors within the F.I. Vienna community. Creating networking opportunities and workshops that address common challenges faced by startups, as well as emphasize the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset and cultural understanding, would be incredibly beneficial.
Additionally, mentorship programs that connect seasoned entrepreneurs with emerging founders could empower brave new startups eager to expand and grow. This supportive ecosystem would drive impactful growth and innovation in our local startup landscape.">>>

Jiaran's background:-
Jiaran Wang is passionate about catalyzing international business growth, specializing in providing comprehensive end-to-end services to startups aiming to expand into the dynamic markets of China and Europe.

With over 20 years of experience navigating both Western and Eastern cultural landscapes—having been born in China and raised in Austria—she has empowered numerous startups to develop robust business models and refine their strategic approaches.

Her entrepreneurial background encompasses both founding and teaching, equipping her with firsthand insights into the challenges and triumphs of building a successful business. This expertise enables her to guide startups in critical areas of their growth journey. Additionally, she brings experience in scaling operations, crafting go-to-market strategies, and fostering partnerships that drive sustainable growth.

As a mentor for various esteemed institutions and government programs, she offers guidance in German, English, and Chinese, assisting entrepreneurs in navigating the complexities of both international and local markets.

Furthermore, she supports a Chinese business group comprising over 18,000 entrepreneurs and leaders, promoting innovation and growth across China and Europe.With strong networking capabilities and a genuine passion for mentorship, she is dedicated to empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs to achieve sustainable growth and success.

10/10/2024

🚀 We are thrilled to announce Andras Galffy as the second jury member of our upcoming Founder Hotseat! 🚀
Galffy is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 6 years of experience as the founder, CEO and Head of Technology and Research of Solutions which aims to make flights turbulence free. ✈️
Having successfully founded and scaled a capital intensive startup, Andras brings a unique entrepreneurial perspective to the table. He knows how to navigate the Austrian startup landscape, which pitfalls to avoid and how to enter a difficult market. 📈
His success in building a startup around a complex and research heavy product makes Andras an exceptional jury member who will provide founders with invaluable insights on how to get their idea to a scalable business. 🚀
This is your chance to pitch to one of the fastest rising stars of the Austrian startup ecosystem! 🌟

07/10/2024

🚀 We are thrilled to announce Xiaomin Mou as the first jury member of our upcoming Founder Hotseat! 🚀

Xiaomin Mou brings an impressive 15 years of experience and track record in venture capital and fund investments to the table, giving her exceptional insights as an investor and leader in the global tech ecosystem.

Xiaomin currently serves as Head of Venture Capital Investments, Türkiye, CEU & Central Asia at the IFC (International Finance Corporation), where she focuses on identifying and investing into innovative companies leveraging technologies that address challenges in sectors including mobility, health and education, as well as resources and the environment. 📈

Before that, Xiaomin led IFC’s China VC investments 2008-2018, having an impressive five exits under her belt on NASDAQ and NYSE: GDS, RERE, ZME, YMM, MVST. 🚀

Her ability to evaluate startups from multiple angles - innovation, scalability, market fit, and global impact - makes her an outstanding jury member who will provide founders with actionable insights that few others can offer.💡

Get ready to pitch your idea to one of the most dynamic voices in the investment world! 🌟

30/09/2024

💡 Key take-aways from one of our hashtag , Yves Pircher - CVC Investor | Energy | Smart City | Digitalization on how to build your hashtag in hashtag .........

🔈"I'm a huge fan of personal contacts. Do your research online then try to find the right people offline. There are a huge number of startup events where many ecosystem players are part of the jury. Take advantage of them."

🔈 🔈"Make a list of who you need to network with. Find out how and why you could be interesting to them. If they are active in the ecosystem, they will be interested in what you have to say, if you have done your research well."

🗓 Event Date: October 1st, 2024
🕕 Time : 18:00
💻 Register Here: https://fi.co/e/353141/li1

Join us for early-stage startup ecosystem insights from some of the most active ecosystem participants in Austria Kambis Kohansal Vajargah Yves Pircher Andrei Podlesnyi. Don't forget to register!!!!

Stephan Kreiger Katarzyna Sadowska Stanish Gunasekaran Jackie Kressner