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The Vienna Airport innovation hub is steadily growing in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its launch at Vienna Airport in 2019, the California-based startup accelerator Plug and Play has funded several innovation projects. Now the AirportCity has lured together with the Vienna Airport a new startup investor – the Austrian Israeli venture capital company Presto Tech Hub. New projects and business models will be presented at the Plug and Play “Expo Day 2021” tomorrow, including projects for automated cabin check-in for hand luggage and a travel baggage pick-up service from one’s place of residence. The event will take place as an online stream. Participation is free of charge.
“In collaboration with Plug and Play, we have successfully established the Vienna Airport site and the AirportCity as an innovation hub. We are particularly cooperating in the fields of Smart Cities and Travel and have already implemented five successful projects in our company. That is why I am especially gratified to welcome the new innovation and investment partner Presto Tech Hub, which is opening up new paths on the global market for creative minds, young companies and innovative startups. This is important, because innovation is a key engine driving our emergence from the crisis”, says a pleased Günther Ofner, Member of the Management Board of Flughafen Wien AG.
“We are delighted about the successful partnership with Plug and Play which has existed for several years as well as the new investment partner Presto Tech Hub here in the newly created AirportCity Space- our centre for innovation”, states Christoph Schmidt, Head of Airport City Development & Innovation of Flughafen Wien AG. “Not only do outstanding, international marketing and financing possibilities await startups and young, creative entrepreneurs, but also a perfect working environment featuring fully-equipped coworking spaces, diverse event opportunities along with local shops and transport links,” he adds.
“We are proud that we have made the AirportCity into an established innovation hub for Europe in cooperation with Vienna Airport in spite of the difficult times. We are convinced that, with increasing mobility, airports will become more attractive for office space used by startups and internationally operating companies like Presto Tech”, says Benjamin Kloss, Director of Plug and Play Austria GmbH.
“We see considerable potential in the new office space offered at Vienna Airport, because they are excellently suited for international and international customers. The proximity to the highway and the direct links to the airport result in an international accessibility which is important for startups with global networks. We look forward to working closely together with Plug and Play and Vienna Airport in the future on new pilot projects. Numerous ideas will come our way which can be wonderfully installed and tested at Vienna Airport”, says Atanas Z. Zhelev, Managing Director of Presto Tech Hub.
70 pitches, 500 startups, 35 events: Two-year track record of Plug and Play at Vienna Airport
Headquartered in California, Plug and Play has been represented at Vienna Airport since June 2019. In these two years, it has successfully pressed ahead with positioning the location as an innovation hub. Since its launch, it has carried out 500 pitches with young, creative companies. Moreover, 50 startups have been added to the Plug and Play portfolio. A global sales and marketing network for their business models is available to them. Interesting projects arise in collaboration with Vienna Airport. For example, a chatbot application for additional customer service is currently being developed with the startup Bespoke. A baggage drop-off service for luggage pickup and check-in directly from a passenger’s home is being created with airportr, and
a method for the automated cabin check-in of hand luggage with respect to their size and weight is being developed together with iboardings.com.
New investment partner for startups: Presto Tech Hub
Presto Tech Hub, a new investment partner for startups, has set up business operations in the AirportCity of Vienna Airport. The Austrian Israeli innovation centre and investment management company is part of the Gold Ventures Investment Group and corresponds with worldwide partners from Israel, Japan, Korea, Germany, Switzerland, France, Great Britain, USA, China, Singapore, Mexico, Australia and Spain. The objective is to develop and promote innovative technologies. In this way, young, innovative startups are given the opportunity to commercialise their ideas on a global scale.
Event highlight for innovation: Expo Day 2021 of Plug and Play
The “Expo Day 2021” of Plug and Play will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on 17 June 2021 in the AirportCity Space at Vienna Airport. There innovative startups and creative young entrepreneurs will present their ideas and products in the business areas of Smart Cities and Travel. Exciting pilot projects with Vienna Airport, Fraport, Star Alliance and Brussels Airport will be presented in interesting sessions. For example, projects for the automated cabin check-in of hand luggage and a travel baggage pick-up service from one’s home are being developed at the present time. The event will be streamed live online (after successful registration) at https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/vienna/expo-day-june-2021/ and participation is free of charge.
Further information on Plug and Play and the new coworking space in the Vienna AirportCity can be found at www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/travel and https://www.airport-city.at/coworking.
Contacts:
Flughafen Wien AG
Peter Kleemann, Company Spokesman
Tel.: (+43-1-) 7007-23000
E-mail: p.kleemann@viennaairport.com
Website: www.viennaairport.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/flughafenwien
Twitter: twitter.com/flughafen_wien
Plug & Play Austria
Katinka Weber, Program & Community Manager
Tel.: +43 676 712 32 96
E-mail: katinka@pnptc.com
Web: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com