Our very first RIS4Danu Entrepreneurial Discovery Workshops in LowerAustria (21.-24.02.2023) were a full success.

Equipped with a solid analysis of the regional strengths, challenges and innovation barriers, presented by the University Vienna research team, two highly-engaged groups of 20-30 local quadruple-helix stakeholders managed to identify and formulate transformational goals and related roadmaps for the revitalisation of two disused industrial sites in the region.

The first site is the former ceramics production site of Laufen AG, located in Wilhelmsburg (South of the Lower Austrian capital St. Pölten). This site was closed in 2020 and is still owned by Laufen AG.

Workshop participants identified the transformational goal of turning the site into a “Recycling Hub for Ceramics (“Circular Ceramics Hub”), with the integration of a research and training campus for complex materials, fully powered by renewable energies.“

The second site is the VOITH area in St. Pölten (the capital city of Lower Austria) and was previously owned by the Voith Group. The company is active in hydro power plant elements (Voith Hydro), papermaking machines and their elements (Voith Paper) and mobility technology (Voith Turbo). After decreasing its production volume of paper machinery in St. Pölten in 2016, the company reduced its operation area and sold part of the site to a real estate management company.

Workshop participants identified the transformational goal of turning part of the site into a “Refurbishment Campus for large-scale machinery and local commerce, in close collaboration with local training and research facilities and fully powered by renewable energies”.

In a next step, owners will further develop the ideas with local authorities and use their newly established contacts with local/regional developers and industry clusters to identify avenues for further collaboration.