Austria - attractive business location for companies from Central and Eastern Europe

The attractiveness of Austria as a business location is growing in this region - in 2019, one in five companies investing in Austria came from Central or Eastern Europe, in 2020 it was one in four.
According to Birgit Reiter-Braunwieser, Director of Central and Eastern Europe division at ABA, the main factor lies in the strategic location within Europe. This way, many companies gain access to 100 million customers from German-speaking countries.

Austria is a great springboard for startups and SMEs that want to expand abroad, especially to the west. The Austrian market is reasonably manageable but exceptional for the purchasing power of the population. It is also comparable to Germany, so it is an ideal place to test the waters before further expansion into the DACH region or Western Europe. A stable economy, infrastructure, and supporting investment system is also a benefit. All these advantages come in handy, especially in times of crisis. Companies will also appreciate the social and legal environment, which is oriented towards R&D and innovation.

Of the 88 companies from Central and Eastern Europe that expanded to Austria in 2020, 14 come from Russia, 13 from both Slovakia and Hungary, 12 from the Czech Republic, and 10 companies come from Slovenia.

ABA - Invest in Austria is an Austrian investment promotion agency operating under the Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs. ABA operates in three divisions - ABA - Invest in Austria, ABA - Work in Austria, and ABA - Location Austria. The agency promotes Austria as a place for trade and research and also as a labor market for a skilled workforce. ABA provides free consultations and support to international companies regarding expansion or business activities in Austria.