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With its budget proposals last week, the European Commission reaffirmed that increasing Europe's competitiveness is a top priority. Under the title "Boosting Competitiveness: The Power of Research and Innovation", the decisive role of research, technology and innovation (RTI) for competitiveness will be discussed at the Technology Talks Austria 2025 on 11 and 12 September in the MuseumsQuartier Vienna.
What does Europe need to do to improve its competitiveness? What are Europe's strengths and weaknesses? What should Europe prioritise? How can Europe catch up with the world leaders in terms of digitalisation and AI? Which areas should Europe focus on? What resources do we need to secure production in Europe in the long term?
High-calibre international speakers
These and many other questions will be explored by more than 20 internationally renowned speakers in keynote speeches and plenary sessions. The two conference days will be opened by EU Vice-President Henna Virkkunen (Friday) and Samsung top manager Young Sohn (Thursday).
Key inputs on the topics of productivity and digitalisation, technology leadership, resources and resilience as well as framework conditions for greater competitiveness will come in particular from Alexandra Brintrup (University of Cambridge), Jay Lala (RTX), Dong-Seon Chang (Future Explorers Society), Maria Rescigno (Humanitas University), Leopold Summerer (ESA Department of Technology), Eleni Diamanti (Paris Centre for Quantum Computing), Margot Weijnen (TU Delft, NWO), Gaétan Lefebvre (French Observatory of Mineral Resources for Industrial Sectors), Karlheinz Wex (Plansee), Cathrine Barth (Natural State), Angels Orduna (A.SPIRE), Guy Lalanne (OECD), Florian Süssenguth (Future Council of the Federal Chancellor of the German Federal Government), Eva-Maria Binder (DSM Firmenich) and Georg Kopetz (TTTech, FORWIT).
Maria Cristina Russo (DG Research and Innovation, EU Commission), Francois Jacq (CNES), Sabine Herlitschka (Infineon Austria) and Sylvia Schwaag Serger (FORWIT) will discuss research and innovation policy issues at European level. Finally, Tom Henzinger (FORWIT), Ulrike Diebold (ÖAW), Peter Moser (MUL, TU Austria), Georg Knill (IV), Henrietta Egerth (FFG) and Iris Filzwieser (ACR) draw conclusions for Austria.
The three federal ministers responsible for research issues, Peter Hanke (BMIMI), Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (BMWET) and Eva-Maria Holzleitner (BMFWF), as well as state councillors from the two technology-strong federal states of Styria(Willibald Ehrenhöfer) and Upper Austria(Markus Achleitner) will also be closely involved.
The plenary programme will be complemented by in-depth workshops, side events and two programme items in which young researchers will be given a big stage (TU Austria Innovation Marathon, Falling Walls Lab Vienna).
For Europe's competitiveness and technological sovereignty
Brigitte Bach, AIT Managing Director and Chair of the Board of Trustees of Technology Talks Austria: "Research, technology and innovation are a key lever for growth, competitiveness and technological sovereignty. It is particularly important to close the productivity gap with the USA and to be at the forefront of innovation again in the future."
"Future prosperity depends crucially on technological leadership in key areas. In the global competition for influence and prosperity, targeted strategies are needed to ensure that Austria and Europe remain at the forefront in the future," says Andreas Kugi, AIT Scientific Director and Chairman of the Programme Committee, outlining the overarching goal of the Technology Talks Austria.
Details on the programme and tickets (regular: €240, students €120) can be found at www.technology-talks-austria.at.
About the Technology Talks Austria 2025
Technology Talks Austria (www.technology-talks-austria.at) is Austria's most relevant technology conference with a European and international perspective. The Technology Talks Austria are organised by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI), the Federal Ministry for Women, Science and Research (BMFWF), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism (BMWET) as well as the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV).
Event partners: TU Austria (TU Vienna, TU Graz, Montanuni Leoben), Province of Upper Austria, Joanneum Research/Province of Styria, Federal Ministry of Defence (BMLV).
The following scientific partners are involved in the programme design:
acatech - German Academy of Science and Engineering, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Christian Doppler Gesellschaft (CDG), Forschung Austria, Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), TU Austria, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).
Workshops: these cover a broad spectrum - from EU programmes and the competition for talent to space, mobility and battery research, key technologies and spin-off funding. They are organised by:
Institutions & Agencies:
AIT, Austria Wirtschaftsservice (AWS), Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR), ecoplus (Province of Lower Austria), FFG, FWF, Joanneum Research (Province of Styria), Climate and Energy Fund (KLIEN), Council for Research, Science, Innovation and Technology Development (FORWIT), Vienna University of Technology.
Ministries:
BMFWF, BMIMI, BMWET.
Associations & platforms:
A3PS, Electronics and Software Based Systems Austria (ESBS), Federation of Austrian Industries (IV), Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO).
In addition, side events are planned - in particular by the federal states of Upper Austria and Styria, the BMLV, GAIA-X Hub Austria in cooperation with the Industry 4.0 platform, TU Austria and WKO.
Other partners: AT&S, Bosch, Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG), MuseumsQuartier Wien, Silicon Alps Electronic Cluster, Vienna Business Agency and Die Presse.
www.technology-talks-austria.at