Together with the Institute for Education (IFE), Ambassador Petra Schneebauer hosted a discussion on the relation of technology and biology at the Austrian Residence on March 18, 2024.

In her opening remarks, the Ambassador stressed Austria’s position as a vibrant hub for Techbio innovation, with a strong emphasis on research and development in areas such as biotechnology, healthcare technology, and environmental sustainability.

With a rich pool of talent, a supportive regulatory environment, and a culture of innovation, Austria can make significant strides in Techbio contributing to global advancements. At the same time, upholding rigorous ethical standards and regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible and safe deployment of Techbio technologies is crucial.

With over 150 dedicated biotech companies and more than 2,300 employees, Austria invests almost 300 million euros in research and development every year. Austria is also well positioned when it comes to academic education in the life sciences, with top quality universities, research centers like the Vienna BioCenter and around 70,000 students conducting research in this field last year. In total the biotech sector contributes 2.8% to Austrian value creation and 1.7% to total employment. The backbone of the Austrian biotechnology sector are research-based SMEs. These SMEs are typically quick to implement projects which makes them ideal partners for collaborations with strong leading companies.

Event impressions:
(Photos courtesy Austrian Embassy and Institute for Education)