ViennaUP 2025: Europe’s Leading Startup Festival in Vienna

Imagine a city where innovation isn’t just talked about—it’s lived. That’s exactly what ViennaUP 2025 delivers. From May 8 to 16, 2025, the entire city of Vienna transforms into a buzzing playground for entrepreneurs, visionaries, and curious minds from around the globe.

More than just a tech event, ViennaUP is a movement. Over nine days, you’ll experience 65 events scattered across the Austrian capital—each one crafted by the community, for the community. It’s open, it’s collaborative, and it’s unlike anything else in Europe.

Whether you’re pitching your startup, hunting for your next investment, or just soaking in the future of innovation—this is where you need to be.

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Why ViennaUP 2025 deserves a spot on your calendar

With roots in Vienna’s thriving startup ecosystem and backed by the Vienna Business Agency, ViennaUP has grown into one of Europe’s must-attend festivals. Last year? 10,000+ attendees from over 90 countries.

The event line up is massive: from investor summits and pitch battles to workshops and mixers, it’s the ultimate chance to dive deep into the innovation economy.

ViennaUP has quickly become a flagship entrepreneurship event in Austria and Europe. In fact, ViennaUP 2025 is the largest startup event in Central Europe to date, featuring a multitude of events and partners.

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A Festival that’s as local as it is global

ViennaUP isn’t confined to one expo hall or convention center. It’s spread across the city - from trendy co-working spaces and iconic coffeehouses to art hubs and innovation labs. This decentralized model makes the experience uniquely Viennese, letting attendees discover the city while making high-impact connections.

It’s startup magic with a European soul.

What makes ViennaUP unique is its decentralized, city-wide format. Rather than a single venue, events are hosted at various hubs around Vienna by local and international organizations. This model creates an authentic Vienna experience – attendees not only dive into content but also get to know the city’s culture and thriving startup scene firsthand

The festival is community-driven and inclusive: from grassroots meetups to flagship conferences, Vienna’s startup community curates the agenda. Participants can open their minds to new inventions, debate hot topics, learn new skills, and network with like-minded peers while exploring one of Europe’s most livable cities.

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High-Profile and Diverse Content

The festival’s decentralized schedule means you can tailor your experience – attend a major innovation conference in Europe one day, a niche workshop or a startup pitch session the next. This flexibility, combined with Vienna’s charm, makes ViennaUP 2025 a one-of-a-kind adventure for participants.

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What’s on the agenda? Five Power tracks to explore

Whether you're deep into deep-tech or just starting your founder journey, ViennaUP’s five curated tracks make it easy to design your own experience:

Venture: Meet investors, pitch ideas, and learn the inside track on funding. ‍
Collaborate: Co-create at hackathons and brainstorm your next breakthrough. ‍
Transform: Step into the future with cutting-edge tech like AI, blockchain, and beyond. ‍
Level Up: Upgrade your skills through hands-on workshops and expert mentoring. ‍
Connect: Build authentic relationships at curated networking events and parties.

To help attendees navigate the rich agenda, ViennaUP 2025 is organized into five overarching programme tracks, each highlighting a key theme in the startup and innovation space.

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Where Networking feels natural (and fun)

ViennaUP’s secret sauce? The vibe. It’s not just about business cards and LinkedIn ads—it’s about genuine conversations in memorable settings.

Take Connect Day on May 13: a massive matchmaking event with over 1,500 attendees. Or swing by the ViennaUP Homebase at Karlsplatz for relaxed chats, local eats, and maybe a glass of Austrian wine.

And let’s not forget the iconic Viennese cafés turned networking lounges—yes, you can talk shop over a free Melange in a historic coffeehouse. How’s that for startup luxury?

If your goal is to meet people – potential co-founders, mentors, partners – the Connect track’s mixers and matchmaking events are the place to be.

Notably, ViennaUP’s content is tailored to diverse interests and sectors. For example, there are events focusing on sustainability and social entrepreneurship (such as Impact Days by Impact Hub), industry-focused gatherings like Manufacturing Day for hardware and Industry 4.0 enthusiasts, and even Creative Days Vienna for the intersection of technology and the creative industries.

This thematic breadth ensures that whether you’re a fintech founder, a creative designer, a deep-tech researcher or an impact investor, you will find relevant insights and opportunities at ViennaUP.

The Pulse of Vienna’s Startup Ecosystem

Vienna is quickly becoming a startup hotspot in Europe. And during ViennaUP, the city doesn’t just host the ecosystem—it becomes it.

By joining the festival, you’re stepping into one of Europe’s fastest-growing innovation hubs, backed by strong public support, international talent, and a top-tier quality of life.

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Notable Speakers and Sessions

ViennaUP 2025 will host an array of major speakers and thought leaders from the global startup ecosystem, giving it a decidedly international and high-caliber lineup. Attendees can expect to hear from successful founders, experienced venture capitalists, corporate innovators, and policy shapers in panel discussions, fireside chats, and keynotes.

For instance, Hilary Mine, Vice President of Strategy & Technology at Nokia, is slated to share her perspective on corporate innovation.

From the venture capital world, figures like Markus Lang, General Partner at Speedinvest (a leading European VC), and Dr. Andreas Nemeth, Managing Partner at UNIQA Ventures, will offer insights into what investors are looking for

Startup founders will also take the stage – e.g. Daniel Dippold, Founder & CEO of EWOR, will discuss entrepreneurship and scaling startups.

The speaker roster also features diverse voices such as Carina Roth (Investment Manager at Fund F) , Svenja Lassen (Founder of Female Investors Network), and even creative innovators like Mert Fırat – a social entrepreneur and actor who founded the Needs Map platform.

With dozens of events, the festival’s stages will cover topics from AI and tech trends to female leadership (“Female Founders Experience (FFX)”), from Central & Eastern European startup success stories (CEE Innovation Forum) to global expansion strategies (“Road to Global” forum). This rich mix of speakers ensures a startup festival Vienna can be proud of – bringing international expertise right to the local stage.

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Networking and the Vienna Startup Scene

Founders and investors mingle during a networking break at ViennaUP, illustrating the festival’s focus on connecting the startup ecosystem.

One of the biggest draws of ViennaUP is the unparalleled networking for founders, investors, and innovators. The festival is structured to maximize serendipitous encounters and meaningful conversations. In fact, ViennaUP is deliberately designed to encourage in-person networking and meaningful connections

One of the key highlights is Connect Day on May 13 – the festival’s largest matchmaking event, bringing together some 1,500 participants for a full day of startup–investor networking.

But beyond Connect Day, virtually every ViennaUP event has a networking component – whether it’s sector-specific or a general mixer – so you can constantly expand your circle. Most participants attend multiple events throughout the week, diving into both small workshops and big forums, which means a continuous flow of new people to meet across different settings.

What truly sets ViennaUP apart is its warm, community vibe and the way it integrates Vienna’s local culture into networking. Each evening, attendees can converge at the ViennaUP Homebase, a dedicated festival hub in the city center (Karlsplatz). The Homebase is open daily as a casual hangout with local Viennese food and drink tastings, music, and a relaxed atmosphere for unwinding after the official sessions.

It’s not uncommon to find founders and venture capitalists chatting over a glass of Austrian wine or craft beer, continuing a discussion that started at a panel earlier. With everyone wearing the ViennaUP wristband (given to all registered participants), the Homebase becomes an equal-opportunity meeting spot – you never know who you might bump into.

Additionally, ViennaUP introduces visitors to the charming tradition of Viennese coffeehouse culture through its Café Spaces. These selected classic cafés around the city partner with the festival to provide dedicated “ViennaUP” areas, where attendees can stop by, show their wristband, and enjoy a free coffee or tea while networking or catching up on emails.

This initiative turns the whole city into a networking venue – imagine discussing a partnership in a historic café booth over a Melange coffee. For more curated networking, Coffee House Sessions bring together small groups of startup founders with specific investors or experts for intimate roundtable discussions (by prior sign-up).

All these elements create endless opportunities to forge connections. Whether it’s at an organized matchmaking event or spontaneously at a café, ViennaUP enables participants to expand their international network and become part of the Vienna startup scene. Vienna’s ecosystem itself is on display: the city is known as one of the most diverse and fastest-growing startup communities in Central Europe.

By attending ViennaUP, visitors not only exchange business cards, but truly get immersed in the local startup community – gaining insight into why Vienna’s ecosystem is thriving, from its support structures to its talent pool and quality of life. In short, the festival offers a gateway to Vienna’s startup ecosystem, for both locals and global guests, in an open and welcoming environment.

Get Involved: Registration is Open

ViennaUP is open to anyone passionate about innovation—startups, investors, students, corporates, and dreamers alike. There’s no single festival pass; you build your schedule by registering for the sessions that excite you most.

Head over to the official ViennaUP website to explore the lineup and grab your spots. Most events are free but all need a ticket—just sign up for your favorite events and you're good to go.

Let’s Meet in Vienna

Mark the dates: May 8–16, 2025. Whether you’re aiming to raise your next round, scout fresh talent, or simply get inspired by world-changing ideas—ViennaUP 2025 is your launchpad.

Don’t just watch innovation happen—be part of it.

Visit the official ViennaUP website and be a part of this dynamic festival
– see you in Vienna! 🚀

https://viennaup.com/programme/

Connect with @ViennaBusiness on LinkedIn
and @vienna.business on Instagram

As Gabriele Tatzberger, Head of Startup Services at Vienna Business Agency, states: “ViennaUP proves that diverse communities turn bold ideas into global impact”.

Don’t miss your chance to join this innovation revolution—where tradition meets transformation in Europe’s startup capital.

ViennaUP 2025: Where Europe’s Startup Scene comes alive