Austrian Startup Monitor 2025 (FFG / AIT)

Summary

• In Austria, 12% of startups are classified as Deep-Tech startups and 59% as Tech startups, making around three-quarters of all startups technology-driven.p.48
• AI and data innovation is the predominant key technology, utilized by 75% of Tech startups and 43% of Deep-Tech startups.p.48
• A majority of 53% of startups incorporate AI directly into their core product or service offering.p.56
• Academic research spin-offs show a strong specialization in Life Sciences and Biotech at 41%, compared to 13% for independent startups.p.54
• Approximately 27% of surveyed startups report an unsatisfied need for computing power and research infrastructure.p.56

Key insights

1. Deep-Tech startups address a wide technological spectrum, including Life Sciences and Biotech (33%) and energy and environmental technologies (24%).p.48
2. AI and data innovation is cited as a key technology by 95.2% of startups in the IT and software development sector.p.50
3. Research spin-offs report lower adoption of AI and data innovation at 50.0% compared to independent corporate foundings at 74.0%.p.55
4. In product development, 70% of startups use AI, comprising 45.4% third-party tools and 24.9% internal developments.p.57
5. Among manufacturing startups with production sites, 16% deploy AI applications within their production operations.p.56
6. Market access is rated as the most critical competitive strategy across all startups, scoring 4,4 on a 5-point scale.p.58
7. For Deep-Tech startups, lead time over competitors is the top competitive advantage with a rating of 4,3 out of 5.p.58
8. Strategic secrecy across all startups grew in importance from a score of 2,7 in 2020 to 3,0 in 2025.p.58