The Vienna Business Agency has opened applications for the 2026 cohort of its Vienna Startup Package, a soft-landing and immersion programme designed to help international startups enter the German-speaking (DACH) market.
The initiative will select 15 non-Austrian startups and provide them with tailored business coaching, market-entry support, and access to Vienna’s startup ecosystem. Participants will also receive a personalised programme during ViennaUP, the city’s flagship startup festival, which typically draws around 15,000 attendees annually.
Vienna as a gateway to the DACH market
“In Vienna, we celebrate game-changing companies. The world needs innovative new ideas, and we welcome startups that are driven to create new technologies, especially those that offer scalable social and environmental solutions,” said Dominic Weiss, Managing Director of the Vienna Business Agency.
“We urge founders from Europe and around the world to apply for this door-opening opportunity.”
The programme begins in April 2026 with an online preparation phase focused on workshops, coaching and peer learning. Selected startups will then travel to Vienna for ViennaUP, taking place from May 18 to 22, 2026, followed by additional market-entry modules later in the year. Startups demonstrating strong market fit and concrete expansion interest may be invited back for a second, two-week in-person phase in late 2026.
Several previous participants have already chosen Vienna as their expansion base. These include Hope Tech from Kenya, which develops assistive technology for people with visual impairments; Floodlight from the United States, which uses satellite data to track climate-related emissions; and Fermentful from Latvia, whose plant-based kefir drinks are now sold in major Austrian supermarkets.
Application details
Applications are open until February 20, 2026. Eligible startups must be based outside Austria and interested in scaling into the DACH region. Selected companies receive business coaching, access to Vienna’s startup and corporate ecosystem, peer-to-peer learning formats, invitations to exclusive events and ViennaUP, as well as a travel budget of up to EUR 3,000.
More information and the application form are available via the Vienna Business Agency.
