Other support for Life Science start-ups

Mit der aws Venture-Capital-Initiative verfolgt die aws das Ziel, den heimischen Markt für Frühphasenfinanzierung zu stimulieren und darüber hinaus Anreize für internationale Venture Capital-Fonds (VC-Fonds) für ein verstärktes Engagement bei österreichischen Unternehmen zu setzen.

Durch die Bereitstellung von Mitteln für VC-Fonds unterstützt die aws Venture-Capital-Initiative die Mobilisierung von privatem Risikokapital für die Finanzierung der Gründungs- und Wachstumsphase von jungen forschungs- und technologieorientierten Unternehmen.

Die aws Venture-Capital-Initiative basiert auf folgenden wesentlichen Überlegungen: ​​​​

• Die aws wählt im Rahmen von Calls qualifizierte VC-Fonds aus. Diese investieren die aws-Mittel in österreichische Frühphasenunternehmen. Bei VC-Fonds, die ausschließlich in Österreich investieren, ist eine direkte Beteiligung der aws als Investorin möglich. VC-Fonds, die nicht ausschließlich auf Österreich fokussiert sind, werden die aws-Mittel z.B. über Tracking Shares, Subfonds- oder Treuhandlösungen zur Verfügung gestellt.
• Alle Investitions- und Exitentscheidungen werden ausschließlich vom ausgewählten VC-Fonds ohne Involvierung der aws getroffen.
• Das Fondsmanagement verpflichtet sich, zumindest den doppelten Betrag des aws-Commitments in forschungs- und technologieorientierte österreichische Frühphasenunternehmen zu investieren.
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European Angels Fund - aws Business Angel Fonds (Austria) (“EAF Austria”) is an EUR 32.5 million initiative funded by Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (aws) - European Investment Fund and the Austrian government promotional bank financing companies based in the country - on behalf of both the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth and the Federal Ministry of Finance. EAF Austria was established in December 2013 with a fund size of EUR 22.5m as one of the first compartments under the regulated European Angels Fund umbrella structure focusing on investment activity in Austria. The fund size was increased to EUR 32.5m in December 2016.

EAF Austria aims at providing equity to Business Angels and other non-institutional investors to finance innovative companies in the form of co-investments. The initiative has initially been launched in March 2013 and it is advised by EIF in cooperation with aws as a sub-advisor.

The fund adresses Business Angels. Instead of taking co-investments in companies, the Business Angel Fund is providing capital to selected Business Angels in oder to double their own investments capacities. The range of the investments starts at € 250,000 and can go up to a few million euros. The Business Angels are free to take investment decisions.

The objective of the aws IP programmes is to make economic use of intellectual property (IP) from Austria by offering a comprehensive portfolio of services for companies and research institutes regarding IP-strategy issues (consultation and grants).

IP Coaching

• Purpose is the development and implementation of a tailor made strategy for capturing value from an organizations intellectual property (IP strategy).
• Target audience are technology oriented or knowledge intensive small and medium enterprises (SME) lacking an appropriate IP strategy.
• Promotional program embraces three modules of consulting services and financial aids.
  • Analysis: Degree of innovation, market potential, protection by intellectual property rights
  • Grant: Creation and enforcement of intellectual property rights, IP interims management, Grant max. EUR 100.000 and 50% of eligible costs
  • Coaching: Synthesis of business model and IP strategy, Several IP-related workshops within 6 to 12 month, Patent and technology research

IP Market

• Purpose is commercialisation of innovations or technologies outside the company

• Target audience are technology-developing small and medium enterprises (SME) and research organisations

• Promotional program embraces three modules of consulting services and financial aids.

  • Analysis: Technology readiness, market potential and potential for exploitation, protection of  intellectual property

  • Grant (for SMEs only): Creating intellectual property rights, Measures to support commercialisation, max. 200.000 EUR up to 80% of eligible costs

  • Commercialisation: Guidance and support through the commercialisation process, identifying partners for commercialisation, support during contract negotiations, long-term support for max. 3 years (aws profit participation)