Berkeley Summer School 2026

St. Pölten, August 3, 2026 - At the Lower Austria-wide Demo Day for the Creative Pre-Incubator Program, 18 teams presented their ideas to a high-caliber jury. In mid-August, the two winners, Adam Brestovanský and Julian Pecho, will head straight to the heart of the international startup scene—Silicon Valley. There, they’ll participate in workshops and seminars and gain insights into some of the world’s most innovative companies.

“The best ideas often emerge where young people have the courage to break new ground. This is precisely the entrepreneurial spirit we want to foster in Lower Austria. Through our partnership with Berkeley, we’re opening the door to Silicon Valley for our talented young people and creating international opportunities. Because our goal is clear: Tomorrow’s innovations should emerge in Lower Austria and create jobs in our state,” emphasizes Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner.

The “TRAINR” platform, developed by Adam Brestovanský, a student at IMC Krems, supports fitness coaches and their clients with digital training guidance and reduces administrative burdens. The first version of the app is already being successfully tested.

Julian Pecho, a student at St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, is developing “Esports Broadcasting”, a platform for the booming esports sector. Real-time data, personalized views, and a better overview of tournaments are designed to take the viewer experience to a new level.

The trip to Berkeley is part of a long-standing partnership between the State of Lower Austria, tecnet equity, the accent Incubator, and the University of California, Berkeley. Since 2017, this partnership has provided students and graduates from Lower Austria with access to international startup expertise and valuable networks in Silicon Valley.

“The trip to Berkeley is a unique opportunity for us to learn from international experts, gain new perspectives, and take our ideas to the next level. At the same time, we’re looking forward to representing Lower Austria in Silicon Valley,” say the two winners, Adam Brestovanský and Julian Pecho, with conviction.

“These two projects impressively demonstrate the innovative potential of Lower Austria’s universities. Our goal is to support young talent early on in their journey toward entrepreneurship and open up international opportunities for them,” explains Doris Agneter, Managing Director of tecnet equity.

“Berkeley offers young founders the opportunity to experience entrepreneurship in the very place where many of the world’s most successful startups were born. They then bring these experiences and networks back to Lower Austria, thereby strengthening our position as a hub for innovation,” emphasizes Michael Moll, Managing Director of the accent Incubator.

With initiatives such as the Creative Pre-Incubator, Lower Austria is specifically strengthening the startup culture at its universities and laying the foundation for the technology companies of tomorrow.

The Creative Pre-Incubator (CPI) was launched jointly by the accent Incubator and St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences and is a program that supports students, graduates, and staff members with innovative business ideas. Through workshops, coaching sessions, and networking with the startup ecosystem, participants further develop their ideas and prepare to launch potential startups.

Press photo: from left to right: tecnet Managing Director Doris Agneter, Adam Brestovanský (TRAINR), Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Julian Pecho (Esports Broadcasting), accent Managing Director Michael Moll