Even though Austria is one of the smallest countries in Europe, it has also become the fastest-growing economy of 2022. The country is also adapting to modern tech and becoming a hub for startups related to media, tech, and life sciences.

And if you were thinking there is a hidden force behind this startup growth, you’re right. Austria is currently being supported by many angel investors. 

While there are many investors located inside the country, some angels support Austria through their external funding programs. Here’s the list of the top 8 angel investors in Austria.

Top 8 Angel Investors in Austria

"Pitch with passion, precision, and confidence. Angels want to invest in startups whom they can trust to generate profits”

Onto the list of investors now!

Johann Hansmann

LinkedIn: Johann 'Hansi' Hansmann | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Software, IoT, and Healthcare. 

Investment Stage: Early

Johann Hansmann is the most active angel investor in Austria. He spent the early years of his life studying pharmaceuticals in Austria, Germany, the UK, and Spain. Thanks to his extensive experience in the startup industry, Johann Hansmann invests in and also guides startups in their early stages.

During the selection procedure, Hansmann invests in businesses that are growing and need capital for their expansion. He has a criterion of investing in startups that have low competitors, high ROI, and are led by experienced entrepreneurs.

Johann Hansmann's investment range is around €100,000. Among 66 of his total investments, some portfolio companies are:

LineMetrics: An Austrian startup that provides IoT solutions for monitoring and optimizing industrial processes. They specialize in data acquisition, analytics, and predictive maintenance for manufacturing and logistics.

reebuild: A business/productivity software startup that aims to enhance team collaboration and project management.

StoreBox: A logistics company that offers on-demand storage solutions. Users can rent secure storage units through their app.

Hermann Hauser

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Tech and Life Sciences

Investment Stage: Seed

Hermann Hauser is an angel investor who primarily invests in early-stage (seed and Series A) startups from the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). He has funded around 15 startups individually, and his investments are in many sectors, including AI, Digital Health, Synthetic Biology, Operating Systems, Electronics, and Quantum Computing.

Hermann Hauser selects businesses that are led by experienced entrepreneurs and have a hard-working team. He analyzes the growth potential of a startup based on its current revenue generation and estimated ROI in the next 2 years.

Moreover, Hermann Hauser also acts as a mentor for his portfolio companies and helps them exit successfully. The investment range of Hermann Hauser is between €300,000 and €4M. Notable portfolio companies are:

bit.bio: A company focused on synthetic biology, bit.bio aims to create scalable technologies for cellular programming.

Byrd: A logistics startup that provides on-demand storage and shipping solutions.

USound: A hardware company specializing in innovative audio solutions to customers all across Europe. 

Alfred Luger

LinkedIn: Alfred Luger | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: AI and Fintech

Investment Stage: Seed

Alfred Luger is a well-known angel investor in Austria who has provided funding to a total of 12 startups. As the Chief Operating Officer, he played a huge role in growing Runtastic into one of the most successful exits (acquired by Adidas) in the well-being space.

Like most other investors, Alfred Luger aims to invest in businesses that can turn out to be profitable investments. However, Alfred Luger is known for his amazing leadership skills and provides great assistance to his portfolio companies.

The investment range of Alfred Luger is around €400,000 to €1.5M. Some of his portfolio companies are:

Doshi: Doshi is a financial software startup aiming to simplify financial management for individuals and businesses.

Ada Growth: Ada Growth is an educational software company committed to enhancing learning experiences. Ada Growth’s software adapts to individual student needs, providing specific content and exercises.

Impact AI: Impact AI is a software development company that specializes in creating applications powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

Patrick Poschl

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Software and Innovative Tech

Investment Stage: Early

Funding startups for almost 5 years now, Patrick Poschl also invests in Austria-based startups. He spent over 8 years in the financial service industry, primarily based in Vienna and London. Before joining Scalable Capital, Poschl worked at Goldman Sachs in London, where he was involved in structuring financial products and developing electronic trading platforms.

Moving to his funding activities, Patrick Poschl focuses on early-stage startups. He prefers startups that provide real-time solutions in the form of products/services. Startup leaders must have solid revenue generation models and a proven growth plan in order to secure funding from Patrick Poschl.

Patrick Poschl's investment range lies between €5,000 and €50,000. Some of his portfolio companies are:

Shopstory: Shopstory is a software company. The startup aims to enhance productivity and efficiency through its software solutions.

Coinpanion: Coinpanion operates in the financial software sector. The startup simplifies cryptocurrency management and investment. It has raised €150,000.

Farmdok GmbH: Farmdok is a startup that focuses on business/productivity software. It provides solutions for efficient farm management. Farmdok secured €700,000.

Bernhard Niesner

LinkedIn: Bernhard Niesner | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Tech

Investment Stage: Early 

Bernhard Niesner is also an active angel investor in Austria. He has founded several startups, many of which have become well-recognized companies. Since the start of his angel career, Niesner has invested in a total of 9 startups and is looking for more deserving ventures to fund this year.

Bernhard Niesner's investment ideology is quite simple. He invests in profitable businesses with an ROI of 3-5x. The business must be related to the educational and tech sectors. Moreover, Bernhard Niesner often participates in funding rounds and also meets with different startup leaders to recognize deserving startup ideas.

Bernhard Niesner funds startups within the range of €50,000. Some of his portfolio companies are:

Doshi: Doshi operates in the financial software sector. It simplifies financial management for individuals and businesses. Niesner participated in Doshi’s seed round in June 2023.

Notarity: A legal services startup (B2B). Notarity aims to streamline legal processes for businesses. Niesner invested in Notarity in April 2023.

 

Glacier Carbon Reduction: An environmental services company (B2B). Glacier focuses on carbon reduction strategies for businesses. Niesner backed Glacier Carbon Reduction in January 2023.

Nikolaus Futter

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Blockchain, Nanotech, and Cybersecurity 

Investment Stage: Early 

Niki Futter is an angel investor and entrepreneur. He spent over 30 years in the management of the family-owned Compass Group, which he successfully developed into a digital information service provider. His passion for the concepts of “disruptive competition,” and interest in new technologies make him a sought-after contact and business angel for young entrepreneurs.

Similarly, Nikolaus Futter invests in startups that are at the early stage and usually selects them through events and growth programs. Startup leaders who are willing to secure investment from Nikolaus Futter must have a strong business plan supported by a confident presentation.

As an individual investor, Niki Futter usually invests around €50,000. Some of his portfolio companies are:

Meta Nanos: Meta Nanos is a startup in the nanotechnology field. It aims to advance nanoscale materials and applications.

Cyan: Cyan is a cybersecurity company that provides solutions to protect digital infrastructure from cyber threats.

Blockpit: Blockpit operates in the crypto space and simplifies cryptocurrency tax reporting and compliance.

Klaus Hofbauer

LinkedIn: Klaus Hofbauer | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Software and Tech

Investment Stage: Early 

Klaus Hofbauer is an angel investor and serves as Co-Managing Director at karriere.at. He also serves as a Board Member at Refurbed, a second-hand electronics marketplace. 

As an individual investor, Klaus Hofbauer invests in a lot of sectors, including internet retail, specialty retail, restaurants, and information services. Moreover, Hofbauer only funds early-stage startups with an average investment range of €25,000.

Once a startup has secured the funding, Klaus Hofbauer also provides it with access to his experienced mentorship programs. He also participates in startup events to meet and fund deserving startups. Among his personal investments, some notable portfolio companies are:

Markta: Markta is an agriculture marketplace that aims to connect farmers and consumers directly. Hofbauer participated in Markta’s angel round in April 2021.

Refurbed: Refurbed is a second-hand electronics marketplace that refurbishes and sells high-quality, sustainable electronics.

Hejfish: Hejfish is a leisure fishing booking site. It simplifies booking fishing trips and experiences.

Christian Kaar

LinkedIn: Christian Kaar | LinkedIn

Investor Type: Individual Investor

Investment Interests: Media, Educational, Tech, and Agriculture

Investment Stage: Early

With a strong focus on early-stage startups, Christian Kaar is also a well-known investor and serves as a Partner at 8eyes. He is also the Vice President of Finance & Business Analytics at Leaders21.

When investing in startups, Christian Kaar prioritizes startups with the most innovative ideas and strong growth. He likes to fund startups at the early stage and guide them throughout the journey. Moreover, Kaar makes most of his investments by meeting startup leaders in person and discussing the idea.

Christian Kaar’s investment range lies between €10,000 to €50,000. Among 5 of his personal investments, some notable portfolio companies are:

inoqo: Inoqo is an agricultural marketplace that aims to connect farmers and consumers directly.

Mimo: Mimo is an educational software company. It provides interactive coding lessons and programming courses.

Pagestrip: Pagestrip operates in the multimedia and design software sector. It offers solutions for creating visually appealing web pages.

Wrap-Up:

Even with the toughest screening tests, there are always some startup leaders who secure the investment. If you’re wondering what those secret tips to an amazing pitch deck are, it’s just that they are confident and concise with the presentation. 

Similarly, if you are pitching to angels for the first time, don’t stress out. Remain calm, research the portfolio companies of the specific investor, and pitch in the same way. 

Good Luck!

Frequently Asked Questions