Innovation has tradition in Austria
Austria looks back on a long history of world-famous inventions. Did you know that the sewing machine was invented by an Austrian, Josef Madersperger? Or the marine propeller by Josef Ressel? Not to forget the development of the Porsche sports car by Ferdinand Porsche or the pH-stable penicillin by the Tyrolian company Biochemie Kundl (today a Novartis subsidiary). Not only yesterday but today as well, many innovative ideas come from Austria.
More Chances through Research
Federal and provincial governments invested a total of EUR 2.5 billion in 2007 in research and development. Additional, there are R&D expenditures of almost EUR 3.2 billion, coming from Austrian companies.
Investment of international companies in research activities in Austria are growing dynamically: 65% of all corporate R&D expenditures come from multinationals - compared to 35% in 1990 and about 50% in 1995.
More than 1,000 innovative small and medium sized enterprises that work together in 35 technology centers, pooling their creative and scientific potentials.
The quality of the Austrian R&D landscape is also driven by its world-class research institutions. Many of these more than 2,800 technology-oriented facilities have gained global recognition - Boehringer , Sony or BMW know why they buy specific know-how from them.
The R&D friendly climate in Austria shows effect: more and more multinationals have set up research centers here. International companies like Baxter and Siemens have elevated their Austrian subsidiaries to global competence centers in research. Two thirds of Austrian R&D expenditures in major industries are made by multinationals.
Austrian politics aim even higher in R&D: the research quota will be raised to 3% of the GDP by 2010.
Investments in R&D
Here you can find Austrian companies with the largest investments in R&D and interesting facts and figures on the new technology sector .
- Source:
- ABA-Invest in Austria
