Siemens strengthens research partnership: Austria's innovation is on the rise!

Siemens strengthens research partnership: Austria's innovation is on the rise!

Vienna, September 17, 2025 - The Vienna University of Technology, the Montanuniversität Leoben and the TU Graz today announced an expanded collaboration within the framework of the Siemens Research and Innovation Ecosystem (RIE). This strategic partnership, officially expanded on September 11th, aims to strengthen Austria as a major location for research and innovation and now includes the new Siemens RIE AUT.

The focus topics of the partnership are diverse and range from sustainable mobility to energy-efficient production to digital transformation. Patricia Neumann, CEO of Siemens AG Austria, emphasizes the urgency of targeted measures to strengthen Austria as a technology location and emphasizes the need to combine innovative strength and scientific excellence.

Successful history and new goals

The collaboration has existed since 2015, when Graz University of Technology came into focus. The cooperation has been operating under the name “Siemens RIE Graz” since 2021. Previous successes include the development of energy-efficient lightweight components for trains and the integration of digital twin technologies in various projects. An outstanding example is an innovative system for detecting material defects in the smartfactory@TUGraz, which does not require external sensors.

Horst Bischof, Rector of TU Graz, highlights the long history of the cooperation, while Peter Moser, Rector of the Montanuniversität Leoben, underlines the importance of the RIE AUT for circular engineering. Jens Schneider, Rector of the TU Vienna, speaks of the new “fuTUre fit” strategy, which combines scientific excellence with a clear sense of social responsibility.

Networking for innovation

An essential part of the Siemens Research & Innovation Ecosystem is networking with other research and innovation partners in Europe, the USA, India and China. The aim is not only to develop innovative products and solutions, but also to further consolidate Siemens' position as an innovation driver in Europe.

Another important player in the Austrian innovation landscape is the Austrian Cooperative Research (ACR), a network that brings together 19 non-university institutes and serves over 13,000 customers annually. The ACR supports both established companies and startups by helping them with product development and avoiding expensive detours.

The ACR offers a wide range of services, from orientation discussions for startups to support with funding applications. The Graz-based deeptech startup Brave Analytics recently won the ACR Startup Prize for its innovative method for counting micro- and nanoparticles.

Innovations of the future

The “Mobility and Innovation Systems” research area at Fraunhofer IAO also focuses on the development of innovative solutions through interdisciplinary project teams. These work on the interlinking of mobility, energy and information and communication technology. In this context, current trends and technologies are analyzed in order to develop new business models.

Current projects at Fraunhofer IAO include, among other things, the development of mobility and energy concepts, the introduction of electric vehicles into fleets and the analysis of mobility data. This puts a clear focus on the future challenges and opportunities in the area of ​​mobility.

The coming years promise exciting developments in research and industry, as these partnerships and networks not only ensure that Austria is involved in international competition, but also pave the way for innovative technologies and sustainable solutions.

For more information about this initiative, please read the articles from TU Vienna, Incubator as well as from Fraunhofer IAO.