Hansi Hansmann, President of the host angel group AAIA kicks off the EBAN Congress
A surprise for me as the 13th EBAN Congress began in Vienna this morning; I finally met Stewart Craine of Barefoot Power in person. He’s been a guest on the show for his efforts to bring low cost power to impoverished villages in the Third World and this morning he was telling me of a new venture.
So as these events often do, I am surrounded by old friends as I meet new ones.
The venue at the Haus of Industrie is over the top with rich, old-world architectural touches; I really feel as if I’m transported to a European destination.
The theme for this year’s event: The role of Angel Investments for Europe’s Prosperity. And the message is coming across. Early speakers describe lots of wealth tied up in foundations, but not funneling into startups and, just like in the U.S., that’s where all the new jobs come from. Accordingly, AAIA Advisory Board member, Manfred Reichl spoke of the need for revised tax policies to encourage new diversification strategies for Austria’s old money.
Everything related to the startup scene in Vienna seems brand new — the AAIA is only 6 months old yet here they are hosting the Congress. There’s a lot of energy and enthusiasm for making a big shift to an innovation economy.
Like other EBAN Congresses, this one has started slow; each host country feels compelled to send their Economic Ministers to welcome the audience. I’ve been sitting in plenary sessions all morning while looking forward to more interactive breakout sessions in the afternoon.
Selma Prodanovic moderates a panel with Oltac Unsal, Matthias Ummenhofer and Anna Maria Darmanin
Vienna is described by many as the ‘most livable’ city in Europe, an argument that’s hard to refute.
