Entrepreneurial Leadership Program
Find your peers and create the future!
What can you expect?
The Entrepreneurial Leadership Program is a community for those who go and build rather than complain about problems. It’s a one-year immersive program centered around startup-skills, leadership development and mutual support.
The fellows participate in 8+ hands-on workshops where they are able to learn relevant startup skills ranging from growth hacking, business model development to funding.
Startup Skills
In the second semester of the program, every fellow gets a mentor from the Austrian startup scene. We carefully select and match mentors and mentees, according to ambitions and interests of both parties. Through the mentorship program as well as community events, fellows get introduced to the Austrian startup ecosystem and are enabled to start building their own network.
Mentoring Program
During the one year program, fellows take part in at least 8 Thinker's Lab sessions, where they engage in discussions on controversial topics entrepreneurs are regularly confronted with. In the past we covered topics such as 'Where is AI Heading?', 'the Metaverse' or 'Corporate - Startup Partnerships'.
Discussion Lab
With 8+ workshops on personal development, we want to enable our fellows to grow also on a personal level and address important topics such as building a team, getting what you want or personal reflection.
Personal Development
During their first semester the fellows work in small teams on entrepreneurial projects for the Austrian startup ecosystem. This year fellows have supported our Future Weekly podcast production, organised 2 hackathons and monthly growth stage breakfasts and many more.
Community Projects
Your commitment
Weekly meetings
Active participation in weekly workshops & discussion sessions on thursdays from 6-8pm.
Project work
Investment of 5 hours per week into project work.
10 Months
Commitment for the entire duration of the program March 2022 to January 2023.
Save the date!
FEB
24th
Selection Day
Make sure you're available at the Selection Day!
MARCH
11-13th
Kick-off
Get ready to join the kick-off weekend!
What are we looking for?
Program for the upcoming Semester
Our Mentors
During your ELP journey in the second semester you’ll get a mentor who will support you with your goals and future plans.
Claudia Falkinger
Innovation Strategist
Claudia Falkinger
Innovation Strategist
Adrian Zettl
Partner, TheVentury
Adrian Zettl
Partner, TheVentury
Nina Wöss
Co-Founder & COO, Female Founders
Nina Wöss
Co-Founder & COO, Female Founders
Felix Fein
Associate, Speedinvest
Felix Fein
Associate, Speedinvest
Bianca Tanase
Digital Product Manager, LKW WALTER
Bianca Tanase
Digital Product Manager, LKW WALTER
Michael Ionita-Ganea
Co-Founder, Founders in Europe
Michael Ionita-Ganea
Co-Founder, Founders in Europe
Constanze Stockhamer
Managing Director, Social Entrepreneurship Network Austria
Constanze Stockhamer
Managing Director, Social Entrepreneurship Network Austria
Kambis Kohansal Vajargah
Head of Startup-Services, WKÖ
Kambis Kohansal Vajargah
Head of Startup-Services, WKÖ
Rudolf Dömötör
Managing Director, WU Entrepreneurship Center
Rudolf Dömötör
Managing Director, WU Entrepreneurship Center
Alexander Brix
COO, Kaleido AI
Alexander Brix
COO, Kaleido AI
Esther Hummel
Co-Founder & CEO, eiria
Esther Hummel
Co-Founder & CEO, eiria
Raphael Thonhauser
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer ZIRP
Raphael Thonhauser
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer ZIRP
Stefanie Bessler
Country Coordinator, Social Impact Award
Stefanie Bessler
Country Coordinator, Social Impact Award
Michiael Schramm
Head of Digital & Emerging Tech Austria, EY
Michiael Schramm
Head of Digital & Emerging Tech Austria, EY
Daniela Buchmayr
Co-Founder & CEO, Sarcura
Daniela Buchmayr
Co-Founder & CEO, Sarcura
Eric Weisz
Co-Founder, Circly
Eric Weisz
Co-Founder, Circly
Asetila Köstinger
Management Consultant
Asetila Köstinger
Management Consultant
Gabriel Heiml
Co-Founder, Seedback
Gabriel Heiml
Co-Founder, Seedback
Roland Mörzinger
Head of Artificial Intelligence & Computer Vision at AI Retailer Systems
Roland Mörzinger
Head of Artificial Intelligence & Computer Vision at AI Retailer Systems
Sophie Pingitzer
Head of Quality & Regulatory Affairs, XUND
Sophie Pingitzer
Head of Quality & Regulatory Affairs, XUND
Bojan Jukić
Co-Founder & CTO, goUrban
Bojan Jukić
Co-Founder & CTO, goUrban
Jakob Reiter
Partner & Head of IT, The Ventury
Jakob Reiter
Partner & Head of IT, The Ventury
Michael Lukesch
Founder & CEO, VALANX Biotech
Michael Lukesch
Founder & CEO, VALANX Biotech
ELP Success Stories
Birgit Van Duyvenbode | ELP Intake Summer Semester 2021 | Founded REEDuce, aiming at mitigating noice in an effective, sustainable and ecological manner.
Fabian Goslar | ELP Intake Summer Semester 2021 | Co-Founded CONOW, revitalising rural areas using data-based infrastructure analysis.
Luisa Schiffke | ELP Intake Summer Semester 2021 | Founded MyStudyGuide, helping pupils to find the study program of their dreams.
Krystian Stankov | ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020 | Co-Founded adorares, a platform for unique craftmenship.
Felix Guenther | ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020 | Co-Founded One Meal A Day, tackling climate change by providing healthy, regional and climate friendly cook-boxes.
Alexandra Brandl | ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020 | Co-Founded Hero Box (acquired by Vytal).
Julia Kruslin | ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020 | Co-Founded beatvest, the Duolingo for finances.
Primoz Cuvan | ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020 | Co-Founded HomeClinico, a fun arm exercising tool that increases motivation, strength, flexibility.
Oliver Alf | ELP Intake Summer Semerster 2020 | Co-Founded enlivio, enabling digitally supported physiotherapy for a sustainable rehabilitation.
Maximilian Horvatits | ELP Intake Summer Semester 2020 | Co-Founded ikonity, building a sustainable fashion community.
FAQs
How can I apply?
Fill out our
Does this program involve any costs?
No, its totally free to participate.
Where will the meetings take place?
Some of our meetings are online and some are taking place physically in co-working spaces around Vienna. This is not set in stone but you can expect about a 50/50 split between online and in-person meetings. Therefore we require our participants to be able to come to Vienna min. twice per month.
Do I need to have a business idea to join?
No, you don't need to have a business idea to become part of the program.
Do I need to be a student to apply? Is there an age limit?
No, you don't need to be a student and we encourage individuals of any age to apply.
I don't have time on Thursday evenings, can I still join?
Unfortunately not - the workshops and the discussion groups always take part on Thursday evening. As they are the main part of our curriculum it is not possible to complete the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program without attending these sessions. However, if you are interested in getting involved with AustrianStartups you can still come to our monthly Stammtisch events.
Do I need to have a business background?
No, definitely not - we encourage people from all different backgrounds to apply.
I am going abroad in the second half of the year. Can I continue with the second part of the program afterwards?
Unfortunately this is not possible.