Exploring Austria’s AI Ecosystem: Global Master's students share strategic insights with BilAI

12.06.2025

What does Austria’s AI ecosystem look like through the lens of the next generation of global business leaders? That’s what 28 Global Business Master’s students from Johannes Kepler University (JKU) Linz shared in their final presentations.

As part of their course Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, the 28 international students from the University of Victoria (UVic), Canada, PUCP Graduate Business School Lima, Peru and Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), delivered sharp, research-backed insights into Austria’s AI landscape—offering fresh, interdisciplinary perspectives that closely align with BilAI’s goals.

Joined by Robert Legenstein and course instructor Marcella Krawinkler (both BilAI key researchers) and Robert Breitenecker, Professor of Technology Management and Global Business & Head of the Institute of Innovation Management, the presentations tackled a broad range of topics, beginning with a detailed mapping of the ecosystem itself. By analyzing how government institutions, academia, industry, and startups interact, the students pinpointed critical relationships and flagged gaps—particularly in startup connectivity—that could be strengthened to drive innovation more effectively.

The maturity of Austria’s AI ecosystem also came under the spotlight. According to the students, the country is currently in a “growth stage”—an encouraging sign, yet not without its challenges. Talent shortages, fragmented entrepreneurial networks, and scalability barriers were all identified as pain points directly relevant to BilAI’s own work in shaping a more integrated AI environment.

A major focus was also placed on technology transfer and industry-academia collaboration. The teams looked into how research outcomes make their way from the lab to real-world applications and proposed tangible steps to streamline this journey. Their ideas could help refine how BilAI communicates and collaborates with industrial partners.

The spin-off potential of Austrian universities was another key theme. While the students found promising foundations, they emphasized a need for clearer structures and better support to turn academic research into viable commercial ventures—an issue that aligns with BilAI’s exploration of sustainable innovation pathways.

Of course, no conversation about AI is complete without addressing its ethical dimensions. The teams tackled questions of social and ethical responsibility, proposing frameworks that echo BilAI’s strong commitment to transparent and responsible AI development.

To round off their work, the students benchmarked Austria’s ecosystem against international best practices, identifying specific opportunities where Austria—and projects like Bil AI—can foster stronger academic-startup collaboration and innovation momentum.

"Austria’s AI landscape is complex and rapidly evolving. The students performed great work. One could grasp their joy and enthusiasm during the presentations. I believe the students learned a lot, and so did we. Their results will be help us to shape the transfer and entrepreneurship activities within BilAI."
Univ.-Prof. Robert Legenstein, member of the Bilateral AI Board of Directors and head of the Communication & Transfer-Board