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In today’s increasingly dynamic knowledge and innovation society, academic spin-offs in Austria are gaining greater importance. These companies, founded directly from research and university environments, play a crucial role in transferring scientific findings and technologies into market-ready applications and products. Against this backdrop, the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research commissioned New Venture Scouting to develop coordinated guidelines for an optimized spin-off process.

The project, launched in June 2023 and completed in March 2024, aimed to develop a comprehensive guide to serve as a roadmap for universities, research institutions, and academic founders in Austria.

The Spin-off Framework was developed in close collaboration with various stakeholders across the ecosystem; to whom special thanks are due. Stakeholders were engaged through a dedicated working group (“Focus Group”) and an extended advisory panel (“Sounding Board”).

Focus Group (47 members):

• Universities | 27 representatives from 14 universities
• Federal Ministries | 4 representatives from 2 ministries
• Research Institutions | 4 representatives from 3 institutions
• Universities of Applied Sciences | 4 representatives from 4 UAS
• Experts | 3 representatives from 2 organizations
• Funding Institutions | 3 representatives from 2 organizations
• Spin-offs | 2 representatives from 2 academic spin-offs

Sounding Board (57 members):

• Universities | 19 representatives from 13 universities
• Investors | 7 representatives from 2 organizations
• Funding Institutions | 7 representatives from 4 organizations
• Other interest groups | 6 representatives from 4 organizations
• Universities of Applied Sciences | 6 representatives from 4 UAS
• Federal Ministries | 5 representatives from 3 ministries
• Research Institutions | 4 representatives from 3 institutions
• Councils | 3 representatives

Together with these stakeholders, the project addressed a series of challenges currently faced by founders and institutions. Despite undeniable progress in recent years, the spin-off process is still characterized by individual regulations, a lack of transparency, and lengthy negotiations. These factors create significant uncertainties, affecting both academic founders and institutions.

The Spin-off Framework represents a major step forward in addressing these uncertainties and establishing clearly defined guidelines for the future. Its primary goals are to support and accelerate the spin-off process, increase both the quality and quantity of spin-offs, and reduce the administrative burden on universities and research institutions. The guidelines are designed as a resource for all motivated and committed actors already engaged at different levels. By addressing all Austrian universities and research institutions, the framework aims to foster broad support for spin-offs across research and teaching. Special attention has also been given to fields with less exposure to such information and support, including the arts and the humanities, social sciences, and cultural studies.

Austria’s legal framework already provides a solid basis for an active spin-off strategy, as national best-practice examples show. The Spin-off Framework is designed to further strengthen this foundation and contribute significantly to creating favorable conditions for the valorization of research results. The ultimate goal, in line with Austria’s RTI Strategy, is to double the number of economically successful spin-offs by 2030. This would benefit not only the institutions and founders involved but also Austria’s research landscape and society as a whole.

The Spin-off Framework is dedicated to all committed actors in the ecosystem; and above all, to all academic founders!

Download | 2024 Academic Spin-offs – Spin-off Framework for Austrian Universities and Research Institutions