The Austrian startup ecosystem: an analysis of its competitive position among EU countries and its attractiveness to entrepreneurs from selected CIS countries

Abstract

The main objective of this thesis is an assessment of the Austrian startup ecosystem competitive position. The assessment was performed through triple-layer analysis. The first layer contains a quick examination of the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems as fundamental structures of the startup ecosystem. The examination was performed for Austria and other selected EU countries. The second layer examined selected startup ecosystem domains of Isenberg model and analysed the attractiveness of the highlighted countries for EU startup founders. The third layer included a measure of the Austrian startup ecosystem attractiveness for entrepreneurs from the selected CIS countries through the discussion of survey outcome. The attractiveness of the ecosystem to foreign high-tech entrepreneurs is particularly important because of their significant impact on the host country entrepreneurial landscape and countrys wealth. Summary of this research helps to understand competitive position, strengths and weaknesses of the Austrian startup ecosystem as well as highlight factors, which affect the countrys attractiveness to foreign entrepreneurs when they choose new jurisdiction to relocate their venture abroad. Survey outcomes can be potentially utilised to improve Austrian startup ecosystems competitive offer by private and public institutions as well as by entrepreneurship development institutions in CIS countries to deeper understand ongoing processes and interaction between local and foreign startup ecosystems.