Ursula von der Leyen visits XISTA

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen visited the xista ecosystem on campus in Klosterneuburg on June 6th. During her visit to the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), she met with xista Managing Director Markus Wanko to discuss technology transfer.

Accompanied by Austrian Federal Ministers Magnus Brunner and Martin Polaschek, Reinhold Lopatka, and ISTA President Martin Hetzer, von der Leyen visited the xista science park to join Markus Wanko and the CEOs of xista science ventures portfolio companies Solgate (Ariel Bensimon) and Sarcura (Daniela Buchmayr) to discuss the challenges and success factors in spin-off generation and growth.

An Ecosystem for Innovation

Europe’s strength in scientific research and relative weakness in successfully commercializing the fruits of that research has been conventional wisdom for years.

A thriving innovation ecosystem like xista fosters innovation, eases the path from scientific research to industrial application, and supports the growth of European spin-off companies. The Institute of Science and Technology Austria and xista are prime examples of effective support from the European level: from ERC funding for research, EFRE funding for translational lab facilities, EIC support for portfolio companies, to EIF investment in xista science ventures.

The xista ecosystem continues to serve as fertile ground for biotech and deep-tech spin-offs in and outside of Austria, attracting attention from prominent US investors.

(c) Anna Stöcher | ISTA