PIER 4 is the network and hub for start-ups and companies in Upper Austria. We are the first point of contact when it comes to the development of start-ups and cooperation with Upper Austrian industrial companies.
The PIER4 team supports companies in finding individual solutions in the areas of open innovation, startup scouting/cooperation and projects.
Networking with other companies, mutual exchange of experience, study trips, organization & support of cross-industry topics
Access to the startup ecosystem, individual startup search, PIER 4 pitching sessions with (inter)national startups
Raising awareness for open innovation, kick-off workshop, innovation workshops
Support for individual company projects, support & sparring at corporate events, cooperation support
Thanks to our PIER4 partners, we can offer start-ups low-threshold access to innovative industrial companies.
Docke as a startup to the Upper Austrian startup ecosystem. Thanks to tech2b's extensive network, we find the right contact person for every startup.
The aim of our PIER4 Pitching Sessions is to conduct POCs - from which both the industrial companies and the startups benefit.
PIER4 startups receive pitch training from us, focused on pitching to established companies.
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
PIER 4-Inno Insights (23.04.) & PIER 4-Pitching Session (11.06.)
At the beginning of the PIER 4 partnership, a kick-off workshop will be held to raise awareness of open innovation and at the same time determine the status quo as well as expectations and motivation for PIER 4.
PIER 4 provides support in involving employees and management in the open innovation process, defines goals together with the company and supports open innovation events, thereby developing or strengthening the innovation mindset in the company.
PIER 4 provides access to the startup ecosystem.
Startups are presented to the companies in the PIER 4 network either via individual pitches or in a PIER 4 pitching session (3 times a year).
In addition, targeted individual startup searches are carried out according to the requirements of the companies, startup information is prepared and communicated to the companies.
PIER 4 supports the initiation of collaborations with start-ups, coordinates initial meetings and follow-up appointments, conducts briefings, moderates and documents.
PIER 4 also offers support for individual company projects in the field of innovation management and for corporate events.
In addition to networking with other companies from the PIER 4 network, PIER 4 focuses on the PIER 4-Inno Insights event.
Current topics are analyzed, keynote speeches are held and technical papers are presented .
Working groups will work on individual (innovation) topics, the results of which will be presented in the following PIER 4-Inno Insights.
In addition, PIER 4 offers cross-industry workshops on topics such as artificial intelligence, hydrogen and supply chain regulations, organizes PIER 4 study trips, and provides access to startup events such as Connect Day and salz21.
PÖTTINGER stands for an open corporate culture in order to secure and expand the company's core services in the best possible way with innovative approaches on the one hand and to bring complementary knowledge into the company by opening up the innovation process on the other.
We expect great added value from PIER 4 and the networking of start-ups and large companies, especially from this heterogeneity, and want to transfer the start-up spirit and mentality into a traditional family business with PIER 4.
We expect networking with the start-up ecosystem to provide us with innovative solutions to continuously optimize our range of services.
Opening up innovation processes not only benefits us as a company, but also our customers and the entire region.
We are currently at the beginning of what is probably the biggest change in mobility in recent history, as the future brings with it a multitude of technical innovations and changes in mobility behavior.
Supporting these progressive developments is firmly anchored in the future strategy of ÖAMTC Upper Austria.
It is therefore important for us not only to drive forward our own innovations, but also to look "outwards" in order to recognize and promote new ideas and approaches.
To be a sustainable technology leader in an industry, not only are continuous ideas and innovations a basic prerequisite, it also requires openness and sometimes leaving one's own comfort zone.
With the PIER 4 partnership, we are entering an open innovation stage and are looking forward to the exchange of experiences, the impulses, the networking and, above all, the possible collaborations that will arise in this innovative environment.
Overall, we see an advantage in working with start-ups. Above all, we benefit from their speed and innovation - in the sense of complementary expertise and a fast time-to-market.
As a leading office furniture manufacturer, we not only want to be trendsetters ourselves, but are also always on the lookout for new ideas and solutions. PIER4 offers us the ideal platform for scouting innovative start-ups and thus also using change as an opportunity in the future. At the same time, we learn from best practices in exchange with the other PIER4 cooperation partners.
MKW has been a family business since 1960 and produces high-quality products in the core areas of metal, plastic, powder coating and sanitary ware.
The company slogan "We are a part of you" reflects the diverse product portfolio and shows that the products manufactured are almost always a present part of everyday life.
The MKW Group now employs over 500 people. Due to our diverse business and activity areas, we are able to react quickly to new trends and technologies in cooperation with PIER 4.
Through our know-how and the exchange of experience with other network partners, we create space for innovation.
framag is a traditional company that has been driven by innovative developments since its foundation.
Our constant goal is to use the experience and know-how of more than 40 years of company history as a strong basis for new, innovative developments.
The proverbial look beyond the company's own nose is essential here.
As a cross-industry network of established companies and agile start-ups, PIER4 offers us the perfect platform to identify and further develop innovative approaches for our company in all business areas.
Innovation is the guarantee of success for any company - especially in rapidly changing times like these.
In order to be prepared for these times as POLOPLAST and to find the necessary ecosystem, we decided to join Pier 4 at the end of 2022. In this early collaboration, we have already had many fruitful discussions, gained an insight into the well-connected start-up scene and carried out initial pilot projects with various start-ups.
In short, membership of Pier 4 offers us, as a down-to-earth medium-sized company, the opportunity to breathe in some creative air, get away from our day-to-day business and network with other companies in the field of open innovation.
As A1, we take responsibility for the environment, for people and for Austria. In order to be able to accompany our customers into the digital future with customized solutions, we must also continue to develop.
We are therefore constantly on the lookout for digital innovations.
In AVL's Creators Expedition, we build strategic partnerships beyond the boundaries of our company by finding creative entrepreneurs alongside outstanding ideas and novel technologies to work together on innovative solutions to our biggest challenges.
The Pier 4 network and events provide a valuable platform for open exchange with renowned Austrian companies and start-ups. Here, people don't just talk, they also work together to put things into practice. For us, that is true open innovation!
Recognizing and picking up on trends at an early stage is also essential for a traditional company like Aspöck Systems.
With PIER 4 and the partner companies, we can identify innovative approaches for all our business and organizational areas in this cross-industry constellation.
And there is still plenty of scope to "explore" our individual topics with interesting start-ups.
Since 1936, the family-owned company SCHMACHTL has been a leading provider of product and system solutions for industry, trade and commerce. With 210 employees in Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, SCHMACHTL offers consulting, planning and delivery of high-quality components and systems as well as installation, commissioning and maintenance. Training and professional service over the entire life cycle of machines and systems round off the product portfolio.
We expect the partnership with PIER 4 to provide us with a lot of input in the field of open innovation, as well as an exchange of experience with other network partners in the innovative environment.
Open innovation creates a free space in which we can network with external partners, start-ups and idea providers.
It is a conscious step out of one's comfort zone to evaluate and apply new technologies.
Staying one step ahead of developments is firmly anchored in FACC's DNA. As a leading technology partner to the aerospace industry, it is a must for us to be optimally prepared for future megatrends.
We see cooperation with dynamic and agile start-ups as an ideal opportunity to identify and follow new trends and technologies at an early stage.
Together with PIER 4 and the partner companies, we want to accelerate innovation and drive digitalization forward even faster.
With the initiation of its new business incubator, the voestalpine Steel Division has established an environment for radical innovation within the company.
Through their involvement with PIER 4, our incubator teams network with other innovative companies and benefit from the diverse working culture in the start-up business.
Open innovation - a collaborative approach - has the potential to widen the space for value creation: It allows for many more ways to create value, be it through new partners with complementary skills or by unlocking hidden potential in long-lasting relationships.
The platform PIER 4 is a strong partner in supporting collaboration among experts, startups and innovative Austrian companies. The network offers a platform that plays to the strengths of all companies involved and supports in producing creative, unexpected solutions.
I am looking forward to the cooperation with Pier 4 and am sure that we will find many new approaches here and have a great network to develop further.
Innovations play a decisive role in our growth strategy. In addition to our services for retailers, we are constantly working on innovative business and sales models that will give us a competitive advantage in the long term.
We hope that the partnership with PIER4 will provide us with valuable input in the field of open innovation, even better networking and a regular exchange of experience with other exciting partners.
I am enthusiastic about the diverse innovations and, above all, the entrepreneurial spirit and the spirit that we feel at the pitching sessions and workshops with PIER 4. Platforms like PIER4 make it easy for established companies to access up-and-coming start-ups.
Nowadays, it is particularly important to think outside the box and develop new strategies and approaches. The qualitative exchange with start-ups is valuable for the implementation of new technologies.
It is important to us not only to invest in start-ups, but also to work in partnership with them to provide a decisive impetus for innovation in the steel industry, and therefore for our customers. In tech2b, we have found the right partner for this project.
What makes PIER 4 interesting is that companies from different sectors are pooling their interest in digitalization and new technologies and shedding light on the now very lively start-up scene. The focus on the individual requirements of the partner companies is nevertheless maintained - definitely a promising approach.
The cooperation with PIER4 / tech2b enables us as K-Businesscom to play an even more central role in the vibrant economic ecosystem of Upper Austria and thus drive forward the digitization of the innovative federal state together with corporates and start-ups.
On the way to sustainable mobility, it is essential to think in a completely new and interdisciplinary way. The waste of limited resources can be stopped by substituting renewable raw materials, for example.
Completely new approaches to business models through the genuine application of digital networking and sensor technology also contribute to the future viability of our actions.
