austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws)

Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) is Austria's federal development and financing bank, playing a pivotal role in fostering the growth and innovation of Austrian companies. Established with the mandate to promote economic development, aws offers a comprehensive suite of financing instruments, including grants, loans, guarantees, and direct equity investments. Its strategic focus areas encompass innovation, digitalization, sustainability, and internationalization, aiming to strengthen Austria's competitive position on a global scale. Unlike traditional venture capital firms, aws operates as a public development bank, prioritizing long-term economic impact and the creation of jobs over purely financial returns.

AWS's investment approach is multi-faceted, directly supporting startups and growth companies through dedicated equity programs while also acting as a fund-of-funds investor. The "aws Seedfinancing" program is designed for innovative, technology-oriented startups in their early phases, providing crucial equity capital to help them develop and scale. For more mature companies with proven market traction seeking significant growth capital, the "aws Scale-up" program offers substantial equity investments. Beyond direct investments, aws also participates in the broader venture capital ecosystem by investing in private VC funds, thereby indirectly supporting a wider range of Austrian startups.

For early-stage companies, the "aws Seedfinancing" program typically provides equity investments of up to EUR 800,000, with exceptional cases reaching up to EUR 1 million. This capital is vital for product development, market entry, and team expansion. For companies in their growth phase, the "aws Scale-up" program offers larger equity cheques, typically up to EUR 2 million, and in specific instances, up to EUR 3 million, enabling significant market expansion or strategic acquisitions. In 2022 alone, aws demonstrated its commitment to the startup ecosystem by providing approximately EUR 100 million in equity financing across its various programs, underscoring its substantial contribution to the Austrian economy.

AWS's unique position as a federal institution allows it to take a long-term view, supporting ventures that might be considered too risky by conventional investors but hold significant potential for national economic benefit. Its comprehensive support, from pre-seed grants to growth-stage equity, makes it an indispensable partner for Austrian entrepreneurs. By bridging funding gaps and providing strategic guidance, aws is instrumental in nurturing a vibrant and innovative startup landscape within Austria, driving job creation and technological advancement.