For the Austrian Armed Forces, the three space services of satellite communication, satellite navigation and satellite-based earth observation/reconnaissance are essential for command and control and situational awareness. The Ministry of Defence is therefore implementing a series of measures in space, which will be presented and discussed during the session.

Federal Ministry of Defence (BMLV)

Six outstanding companies will provide valuable insights into their work culture and career opportunities. Discover what drives today's industry leaders and make important contacts for your future.the event will be opened by a member of the Presidential Board of TU Austria. (by invitation only)

An inspiring start to the day: the BOLD Community Meet-Up brings together pioneers and creative minds from various disciplines in a relaxed atmosphere. New connections, ideas and perspectives are forged over coffee and breakfast. Whether you are already part of the BOLD community or would like to get to know it - this meeting offers space for dialogue, networking and thinking ahead together. Open, informal and with a clear goal: shaping the economy of tomorrow together. 

Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO)

Henna Virkkunen is a Finnish politician and Member of the European Commission, serving as executive Vice-President responsible for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy and as EU Commissioner for Digital and Frontier Technologies. She has been deeply involved in shaping EU’s digital policy, industrial strategy, and research and innovation frameworks. With extensive experience in the European Parliament’s Industry, Research, and Energy Committee (ITRE), she brings a strong focus on strengthening Europe’s technological autonomy while safeguarding democratic values and security.

Henna Virkkunen will outline the EU’s strategic vision for achieving technological sovereignty, focusing on how research, innovation, and industrial policy can reinforce Europe’s competitiveness in a challenging geopolitical landscape. Her keynote will address key issues such as:

• Investing our way out of the crisis through innovation and technology.

• Europe must develop global technological leadership and resilience.

• FP10 should be a strong framework programme, with a focus on applied, collaborative research to drive technological leadership and boost competitiveness within a strong European innovation ecosystem.

The focus of this panel is to explore the political, financial, and structural research and innovation conditions required to enhance Europe’s competitiveness. The discussion will address how industrial, research, and innovation policies can be aligned, the role of financial markets in supporting scaling, and how to create an ecosystem that enables the established industrial base, SMEs, RTOs, research organisations, and start-ups to thrive globally.

• What are the key framework conditions needed to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in technology, research and innovation?

• What’s the role of Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) – and how can Europe foster stronger collaborations between research institutions and corporates?

• What reforms are needed to make Europe more attractive for venture capital and global investment?

• How can the scaling process of successful companies and start-ups be accelerated to create globally competitive companies?

The Falling Walls Lab is an international pitching competition that is held in over 80 countries worldwide. Young talents from all disciplines are given the opportunity to present their research ideas in a three-minute pitch in front of a broad audience. The three best participants in the Vienna Lab present their ideas once again on the big stage of the Technology Talks. The winner will represent Vienna at the international final in Berlin in November. The Falling Walls Lab Vienna is organised by ACR - Austrian Cooperative Research, the Complexity Science Hub, Fraunhofer Austria, the Christian Doppler Research Association, the Ludwig Boltzmann Society, the Austrian University of Applied Sciences Conference and xista innovation GmbH. The organisation of the lab is also supported by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the Austrian Institute of Technology.

The purpose of this panel is to discuss the future of EU research and innovation policy in the context of the upcoming Framework Programme 10 (FP10). The panelists will examine how EU-level initiatives can drive competitiveness, strengthen collaboration between research and industry, and ensure Europe’s leadership in key technological domains.

• What should be the main objectives of FP10 in terms of boosting European competitiveness?

• A first draft FP10 is already available: What is positive? Which points should be refined? Are the proposed topics and instruments the right ones to promote Europe's competitiveness and technological leadership and sovereignty? What do we need to bear in mind during implementation?

Six leading representatives of the Austrian research and technology scene will reflect on the insights gained from the previous panels and formulate actionable recommendations for Austria’s national research, technology, and innovation (RTI) policy. The discussion will focus on aligning national strategies with European developments and addressing structural challenges to improve competitiveness.

• What are the key takeaways from the panel discussions for shaping Austria’s RTI policy?

• How should Austria align its RTI strategy with European priorities while addressing national needs?

• Which sectors and technologies should Austria prioritise to secure long-term competitiveness?