At the end of May, the Austrian capital will be adorned with the festival's signature motifs of pink and yellow horses, signaling one thing—the revival of the local startup and innovation ecosystem.
ViennaUP, initiated by the Vienna Business Agency, is considered one of Europe's largest startup events. It also presents an ideal opportunity for visitors to explore Vienna and take advantage of everything the EU's fifth-largest city has to offer.
The event includes over 35 activities across various locations and attracts more than 10,000 participants annually, from tech experts and AI specialists to investors and corporate representatives. The same is expected this year.
New Formats, Networking, and "Juicy" Topics
A special emphasis is placed on networking, with the program featuring a range of specialized formats such as "Connect Day 26," "Impact Days," "Founders & Future Founders Breakfast," and the popular evening gatherings "GIN & Friends Networking."
Among the highlights are the "Coffee House Sessions," a series of exclusive roundtable discussions held in classic Viennese cafés. Participants in these meetings can engage directly with top experts and seasoned investors, exchange ideas, and receive concrete feedback on their business concepts.
ViennaUP combines innovative formats with current business topics, ranging from artificial intelligence and finance to sustainability and impact investing. In addition to established programs, this year's festival introduces new formats, including "Founders Only," exclusively for founders whose companies have already raised at least 500K, allowing them to share experiences and learn from one another in a smaller setting.
As one of the official UN headquarters cities and a long-standing hub for global dialogue on transnational issues, Vienna places cross-border conversations at the forefront during ViennaUP. In this spirit, events include the three-day "WSA Global Congress," the "Human x AI" conference dedicated to the societal impact of artificial intelligence, as well as "Road to Global x Tech Summit" and "The Recursive CEE Forum," focused on international partnerships and connecting innovators.
As a city distinguished for its health tech and life sciences sectors, reflected in numerous programs dedicated to health and life sciences, participants can attend events such as "From Pitch to Patient," "The Future of Health," "Age Tech: Pitch Session," the "Onco:Innovate" conference, and "Lab to Leader: Building Science Ventures That Last" and the "Longevity Business Forum," dedicated to longevity and new business models in this field.
The organizers of ViennaUP emphasize that this festival is also a first step for startups considering international expansion.
Vienna presents itself as an attractive location for companies of all sizes, thanks to its international talent pool, developed technological and innovation infrastructure, and high quality of life. As a gateway to the DACH market and the broader EU market, the city offers strong institutional support and ample funding opportunities, while its geographical and cultural proximity to Central and Eastern Europe attracts a large number of founders from these countries.
For entrepreneurs interested in relocating or establishing a company in Vienna, specialized workshops titled "Do it right: Basics for company founding in Vienna" and "Best practices for expanding your business to Vienna" are available, covering concrete steps and legal frameworks for doing business in Austria.
Book Your Tickets Today
ViennaUP offers participants special travel and accommodation deals. Visitors can travel with ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) and book stays at three carefully selected partner hotels to save on transportation and lodging.
Tickets for ViennaUP 2026, taking place from May 18 to 22, are already on sale. The organizers invite startup founders, investors, and talents to explore Vienna's startup ecosystem and meet the people who can help take any project beyond borders. More information is available on the official website viennaup.com.