Powerful impetus for green innovation
Around 60 business operators and representatives from politics and science were guests at the Green Tech Valley office opening in Klagenfurt in July. In the premises of KWF, co-owner of the Green Tech Valley cluster since the end of last year, companies are now supported on site with the cluster’s services and information.
“With this merger, we are creating a highly innovative, technology- and research-driven environment for our entrepreneurs for those developments that will enable a sustainable future for all of us,” emphasizes Carinthian Provincial Governor Gaby Schaunig.
“Styria and Carinthia have been working closely together in business and research for many years. In the future, we want to further promote these cooperations and are therefore also increasingly joining forces in the field of green technologies. Carinthia’s participation in our Green Tech Valley Cluster last year and the opening of a cluster office in Klagenfurt are now further milestones in our successful cross-state cooperation,” emphasizes Styrian Economic Minister Barbara Eibinger-Miedl.
Sebastian Schuschnig, Carinthia’s Provincial Councilor for Economic Affairs, emphasizes the opportunities that this network will create for the location: “With the Koralm Railway, the south of Austria will become a strong, networked and innovative economic area. Carinthia will position itself even more strongly as a green tech hub, join forces and take advantage of the economic opportunities for the region. In particular, we also want to strengthen cooperation in the field of hydrogen technology in order to push sustainability through innovation.”
First organization with Koralm railroad station direct connection
As part of the new activities at the Carinthian site, the “Toprunner” project supports companies on their way to becoming green technology leaders with substantial consulting funding. At the Green Tech Innovators Club in Klagenfurt, seven project approaches to open innovation projects are being developed. At the Green Tech Summer, students spend the next 12 weeks working on their green startup also at the Build! Incubator.
Both cluster locations in Graz and Klagenfurt are within walking distance of the future Koralm Railway stations. “With the first passage of the Koralm Railway a few days ago, the Styria-Carinthia economic area became even more closely connected. We want to make ‘double’ use of this new axis step by step: with joint innovations for climate protection & circular economy as well as for mobility,” says Cluster Managing Director Bernhard Puttinger.
