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BACKGROUNDYoung, newly established businesses generate around a third of the economy’s growth, with innovative, technology-oriented start-ups posting above-average growth figures. Start-up activity in Austria is generally not very dynamic by international standards; this is particularly true for the high-tech sector, which accounts for less than 10% of all new companies. The fact that the number of new companies founded by university graduates and scientists is so small is significant. Evidently, comparatively little of the potential available at research institutions in Austria is being used to start up new businesses. Furthermore, universities tend not to promote self-employment as a career path for graduates and scientists. To maintain and strengthen Austria’s ability to compete on the international stage, this trend is being countered with the AplusB - Academia plus Business - impulse programme commissioned by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT). The AplusB PROGRAMMEThe AplusB initiative was launched in 2001. It aims to create a positive environment for academic spin-offs, promote university-level start-up potential, enhance the quality of academic start-ups (their technology and knowledge intensity, their likelihood to succeed) and generally enhance the exploitation of research results by business. The thinking behind the programme is to sustainably increase the number of innovative and technology-oriented business start-ups from the academic sector in Austria. Two invitations for tenders (in 2001 and 2004) were issued to all Austrian academic institutions, asking them to submit efficient concepts as competition entries for the set-up of a start-up centre. CAST was one of the three successful concepts for the first invitation. THE AplusB centresNine AplusB centres are topically working to increase the number of technology-oriented, innovative business start-ups from an academic background, throughout Austria. ac’cent, Wiener Neustadt In the partnerships involved in the above centres, almost all Austrian universities are represented, as well as technical colleges, research institutions, development agencies and private firms (more than 150 partners in total). SERVICES OF THE AplusB CENTRESThe Austrian AplusB centres:
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