Event agenda
Thursday, 15 October 2026
12:00 - 13:00
13:00 - 13:15
Welcome & Opening Words
Elisabeth Zehetner & Alexander Pröll Hannah Wundsam & Markus Raunig
13:20 - 13:35
Opening Keynote: Going All In - Fedor Holz
13:30 - 20:30
Investor Matchmaking
- Investor & Speaker Lounge
Meeting duration:15 minutes time slots
13:40 - 14:20
Panel: Risky by Design — How your business model, stage, and product define the bets worth taking
Speaker: Nadina Ruedl (Die Pflanzerei), Lisa Smith (Prewave), Christian Bezdeka (soundslikeaplan) & Kilian Kaminski (refurbed), Moderator: Antonia Rinesch
14:00 - 14:50
Changing Winds — Applying for grants in an evolving landscape of programs, regulations, and AI tools
Sponsored by Minted
14:00 - 16:00
Ecosystem Startup Pitch Roasting
5 Startups will take the risk to get roasted by fellow founders & the startup ecosystem
14:25 - 15:10
Panel: AI Changes the Rules of Taking Risks
Speaker: Alexander Brix (fonio.ai), Carina Zehetmaier, Raoul Maier (Eudemian Ventures) Moderation: Clemens Wasner (EnliteAI)
15:00 - 15:50
Termsheet Decoded — What you must know before you sign the deal
Sponsored by Schönherr
15:10 - 15:30
Interview: How can we change the system, so it's easier to take risks?
Speaker: Georg Kopetz (TTTech) & Hannah Wundsam (AustrianStartups)
15:30 - 16:10
Panel: The Biggest Risk Is Playing It Safe — What the automation gap really costs your startup
Speaker: Constantin Wintoniak (fynk), Nora Frizberg (Speedinvest), Tino Albrecht (SAP) Moderation: Hannah Wundsam
16:00 - 16:50
Scaling Beyond Equity — Unlocking the door to bank financing for startups
Sponsored by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH
16:15 - 16:55
Panel: Exits & Angels
Speaker: Johann 'Hansi' Hansmann (Hansmann Family Office), Katarzyna Renata Pichler (InnovaticGroup), Tobias Homberger (myclubs) & Camilla Sievers (i5growth) Moderation: Dejan Jovicevic (Der Brutkasten)
17:00 - 17:40
Panel: The Austrian Scaling Path — "Funds" are more than VC, and "risk" is more than money
Speaker: Johannes Ferner (fiskaly), Denise Hirner (UpNano), Markus Lang (Speedinvest) Moderation: Florian Haas (EY)
17:00 - 17:50
Born Global Mindset — Building companies that scale beyond borders
Sponsored by Aussenwirtschaft Austria
17:45 - 18:15
Summit Sprint Hackathon - Talent Showcase
Showcase & Demos of 3 teams from the Summit Sprint Hackathon Moderation: Elisabeth van Holthe tot Echten (COO AustrianStartups)
18:15 - 18:30
Keynote: Failing is part of the game - Michael Kowatschew (Heizma)
18:30 - 19:30
19:30 - 19:50
Keynote: Going all out - From Exit to Traxit (Michael Hurnaus)
20:00 - 20:20
Winner Ceremony & Closing
The winner of the pitch competition will be announced & the prizes are handed over
20:30 - 23:59