1. Peter Ch. Löschl, ABA – Invest in Austria
2017
Austria – Investment Climate Reasons to Invest in Austria - Perspectives

2. Strong Economy in the Heart of Europe
Area: 83,872 km²
People: 8.77 m.
GDP growth: 1.5% (2016)
GDP / capita: € 36,405
R&D quota: 3.07%

3. „New“ Austrians Largest foreign population groups
Source: Statistik Austria 2016

4. Top Investor: Austrian FDI in CEE
Percentage of total investment in respective country and Austria‘s rank as investor, 2014
Source: WIIW (Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies)

5. You Know Austria Like This…

6. … or Like That…

7. … or Like That…

8. … but Best Like That

9. You Are Investing in an Industrial Country
Production sector as percentage of GDP, 2015
Source: OECD, Eurostat 2016

10. You Are investing in an Industrial Country
Production sector as percentage of GDP
Source: Statistik Austria 2016

11. Expert Staff for Sustainable Corporate Sucess in R&D
Dual educational system
Vocational schools (HAK, HTL unique to Austria)
21 Academies of applied sciences offering approx. 400 courses
22 public universities
12 private universities
Foreign language competencies
More than 1,000 extra-university research institutions

12. Austria‘s R&D Expenditures Grow Above Average
As percentage of GDP
* Forecast 2016
Germany
Austria
3.07 *
EU-28
Source: Eurostat

13. Austrian Cluster Landscape
Economic and technological cooperation
More than 50 clusters Approx. 3,500 companies Approx. 420,000 staff

14. COMET – All Centers in Austria

15. Subsidies for R&D Projects are Available
Via Two Main Program Lines
„Top Down“
Thematic calls
„Bottom-up“
Any topic
Any time
„Basic programme“
„Special programs“

16. Austrian Expenditures in R&D
Total 2016: 10, m. €
Source: Statistik Austria 2016

17. FFG Structural Programs
AplusB
accent
build!
CAST
INiTS
SPG – Science Park Graz
tech2b
ZAT – Zentrum für angewandte Technologie
COIN – Cooperation and Innovation
Research Studio
IraSME

18. Company Incentives Stages
Pre-Seed
Early Stage
Later Stage
Basic Research
Incubator
Seed
Start Up
First Stage
Second Stage
Third Stage
IPO
Company Founding
Grant
Grant
Grant
Direct (soft) loans
Grant
Grant
Direct (soft) loans
Guarantees
Guarantees

19. Investor-friendly Tax System
Corporate tax rate: 25%
Modern group taxation
Tax premium for R&D: 12%
No trade tax
No net worth tax
Double taxation treaties
Investor friendly tax system
simple and investor friendly tax system
25 % flat rate
group taxation (allows losses incurred in foreign subsidiaries to be offset with Austrian mother company / favourable holding company regulations
no trade tax
no net wealth tax, no inheritance & gift tax from August 2008
Attractive tax breaks for R&D
double tax treaties

20. Profit from Highly Productive Employees
Labor productivity GDP per person employed in PPS, EU-28 = 100
Excellent education system – cradle for start-ups
Great talentpool – young entrepreneurs – start-ups
Entrpereneurial spirit / flexibility
Source: European Commission, Eurostat (11/2016)

21. No Strikes
Working days lost to strikes per 1,000 employees – annual average
Source: WSI - Hans Böckler Foundation 2016

22. Unmatched Quality of LIfe
Maximum = 10
Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2016

23. Attraktive for More than 300 Regional Headquarters

24. Vienna: HQ-Location for International Organizations and Top Conference City
Only UN headquarters in the EU
30 HQs of international organizations in Vienna
More than 14,000 international staff and diplomats (UN) are living in Vienna
Leading conference city (according to ICCA study)
Skilled HQ staff available

25. Globalized Economy Maximum = 100
Source: 2016 KOF Index of Globalization

26. Peaceful Country 1 = state of peace is high
Source: 2016 Global Peace Index

27. Newly Established Companies
162 per working day
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Source: Austrian Economic Chamber

28. Startup Ecosystem
Model
© Savannah‘s Startup Ecosystem

29. Factors for the Startup Hotspot Austria
High educational level for technical jobs
Differentiated funding system
Investment-friendly tax system – 12% tax credit for R&D expenditures

30. More Factors for the Startup Hotspot Austria
Self-organization in startup clusters and coworking spaces
Supporting network (early- stage investors, business angles, incubators)
“Limited company” with 5,000 € as minimum cash contribution

31. New Impetus for the „Land of Founders“
Founding years facilitated: no non wage labor costs for the first three employees during a period of three years
Seed financing of Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws) increased by EUR 20 m.
aws Business Angel Fund: additional EUR 20 million for startups
New risk capital premium for investors: investments of up to EUR 250,000 per year are supported, 20% of the investment amount is reimbursed

32. New Impetus for the „Land of Founders“
Digital one-stop-shop: founding process is quicker, less expensive, online
Founding fellowships for academic spin- offs: financing of salary costs, access to the academic infrastructure
New startup visa: existing rules for self- employed key workers will be extended to startups
Secure specialized staff: programmers and other IT specialists gets work permits
24 hour quick check for funding applications requests of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and aws

33. ABA-Invest in Austria Opportunities are our business
Advisory services for international investors
Owned by the Republic of Austria
25 expert staff
International & national networks
Austrian Business Agency
Federal inward investment agency (MOEA)
2 overseas offices (Tokyo and New York)
Information on:
Austrian business climate
Tax and labor regulations
Potential suppliers
Identify suitable office space and site locations
Assistance with government authorities
► make it easy for investors in Austria

34. ABA – Invest in Austria Your Contact in Vienna
Peter Ch. Löschl
Tel: