Lower Austrian start-ups win i2b Business Plan Award

St. Pölten, 29.04.2025- Lower Austria has developed into a dynamic location for science, innovation and start-ups in recent years. The current success at the largest business plan competition in the country, i2b, confirms this course.

With around 600 submissions and prizes with a total value of over 200,000 euros, the largest business plan competition i2b is a key component in promoting entrepreneurial thinking. The main partners in Lower Austria are the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Sparkasse NÖ, venture fund tecnet equity and accent Inkubator.

Particularly pleasing: With ViaLym, AEROMOND and p4b, several Lower Austrian start-ups were among the best. Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Vice President of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce Christian Moser congratulated the winning teams.

"These successes are no coincidence, but the result of targeted investments in infrastructure, education and, above all, committed founders. In Lower Austria, we rely on a close interlinking of funding, support and networking - from the initial business plan to professional incubation and financing through partners such as tecnet and accent. This not only strengthens individual start-ups, but also the entire innovation location in the long term," emphasizes Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner.

This strategic orientation is already delivering measurable success. This is particularly evident in the current performance of Lower Austrian start-ups in the i2b competition - a strong signal of the sustainable impact of the measures taken. "The award-winning achievements show that we are on the right track. It is this innovative strength that contributes to the success of Lower Austria as a business location. And Lower Austria is a good breeding ground for this success, thanks to the close cooperation between the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the province, accent and tecnet," added Christian Moser, Vice President of Wirtschaftskammer NÖ.

The winning teams from Lower Austria impressively demonstrate how diverse innovation can be:

p4b develops 3D-printed mini-bioreactors for the pharmaceutical industry that make laboratory tests more realistic and quicker to transfer to production.

AEROMOND offers a digital ordering system for airplanes that makes in-flight sales more efficient, more sustainable and more convenient for passengers, and

ViaLym has developed an innovative feed concept to ensure that chronically ill animals absorb nutrients better and thus receive more targeted care.

i2b Managing Director Emanuel Bröderbauer is impressed: “The quality of the submissions from Lower Austria is a strong signal of the region's innovative potential year after year.”

"For us, the success of i2b is visible proof that we are on the right track. We consciously focus on a long-term strategy - with strong partners, sound expertise and the clear goal of developing ideas into viable companies,“ explains Doris Agneter, tecnet equity Managing Director, and Michael Moll, accent Incubators Managing Director, adds: ”We are proud to be able to support young companies from the very beginning, like this year's award winners - right through to successes like i2b."

“The award-winning achievements of ViaLym, AEROMOND and p4b are a strong sign of the innovative strength in Lower Austria,” said Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner. "They show that our funding model works - from the initial idea to the successful founding of a company. We will continue this commitment consistently in the future."