Entrepreneurial Leadership Program
Turning Austria's brightest minds into future founders
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.
Startup Skills
20+ hands-on workshops from founders & ecosystem experts
Personal Development
15+ workshops on how to lead & guide a strong team
Mentoring
Bi-weekly 1on1 mentoring to boost your founder journey
Network
Access to 70+ potential co-founders during the program & a powerful community of ELP alumni and partners
Your commitment
Weekly meetings
Active participation in weekly workshops & discussion sessions on Thursdays from 6pm onwards.
Hands-on involvement
Idea and team formation with your peers & working on your own startup.
Focus weekends
Full commitment to the whole program including two kick-off weekends.
What you should bring
Save the date!
October
20-22
Kick-off Weekend 2023
Start your entrepreneurial journey.
March
15-17
Kick-off Weekend 2024
Boost your founder journey.
Mentors & Speakers
Learn it first-hand from the people who’ve done it themselves.
Adrian Zettl
Co-Managing Director, AustrianStartups
Adrian Zettl
Co-Managing Director, AustrianStartups
Carina Klaffl
Co-CEO, Female Founders
Carina Klaffl
Co-CEO, Female Founders
Michael Ionita-Ganea
Co-Founder, RealLifeConnect
Michael Ionita-Ganea
Co-Founder, RealLifeConnect
Rudolf Dömötör
Managing Director, WU Entrepreneurship Center
Rudolf Dömötör
Managing Director, WU Entrepreneurship Center
Eric Weisz
Co-Founder, Circly
Eric Weisz
Co-Founder, Circly
Elisabeth Sabeditsch
Co-Founder, palamo
Elisabeth Sabeditsch
Co-Founder, palamo
Eva Keiffenheim
Co-Founder, Phocus
Eva Keiffenheim
Co-Founder, Phocus
Maggie Childs
Co-Founder, mypaperwork.ai
Maggie Childs
Co-Founder, mypaperwork.ai
Nina Hödlmayr
Co-Founder, yodel.io
Nina Hödlmayr
Co-Founder, yodel.io
Sabine Walch
CEO, danube.ai
Sabine Walch
CEO, danube.ai
Stephanie Biebel
Founder, Growth Mastery
Stephanie Biebel
Founder, Growth Mastery
Felix Häusler
Investment Director, i5growth
Felix Häusler
Investment Director, i5growth
Nina Kasbauer
CMO, Exakt Health
Nina Kasbauer
CMO, Exakt Health
Sarah Lechner
Founder, Brüsli
Sarah Lechner
Founder, Brüsli
Carina Roth
VC Investor, Calm/Storm
Carina Roth
VC Investor, Calm/Storm
Wolfgang Wörner
Co-Founder, HalloSonne
Wolfgang Wörner
Co-Founder, HalloSonne
Philipp Herold
Senior Legal Counsel, GoStudent
Philipp Herold
Senior Legal Counsel, GoStudent
Daniel Horak
Co-Founder, CONDA Crowdinvesting
Daniel Horak
Co-Founder, CONDA Crowdinvesting
Laura Raggl
Managing Partner, ROI VENTURES
Laura Raggl
Managing Partner, ROI VENTURES
Daniel Cronin
Co-Founder, AustrianStartups
Daniel Cronin
Co-Founder, AustrianStartups
Program Costs
The total program fee amounts to 1.000€. This includes:
- the annual program fee of 640€
- accommodation cost of 360€ for two kick-off weekends
The two kick-off weekends are held outside of Vienna and the transportation costs are expected to be covered by the fellows themselves.
Scholarship application
The ELP should be accessible to the brightest minds regardless of their economic background. That’s why there is an opportunity to apply for a scholarship in the application form. Scholarship holders are exempt from paying the annual program fee (640€) – to ensure full commitment however, they are expected to make a 300€ deposit, which will be fully refunded if they participate in at least 80% of the sessions. The kick-off costs are to be covered by the fellows.
The ELP should be accessible to the brightest minds regardless of their economic background. That’s why there is an opportunity to apply for a scholarship in the application form. Scholarship holders are exempt from paying the annual program fee (640€) – to ensure full commitment however, they are expected to make a 300€ deposit, which will be fully refunded if they participate in at least 80% of the sessions. The kick-off costs are to be covered by the fellows.
ELP Success Stories
Birgit Van Duyvenbode
ELP Intake Summer Semester 2021
Founded REEDuce, aiming at mitigating noice in an effective, sustainable and ecological manner.
Read more
Julia Kruslin
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020
Co-Founded beatvest, the Duolingo for finances.
Read more
Timo Nothdurft, Katharina Herzog, Ulrich Penitz
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2021
Founder team moneycare, a platform for sustainable investing
Read more
Lisa Reiss
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2022
Founded Smiling Food, an innovative sugar substitute that tastes and functions exactly like household sugar without having any negative effects on health.
Read more
Arne Nostitz-Rieneck
ELP Intake Summer Semester 2023
Founded Social Card, turn your cashback into cashforward and go from pocket change to real change
Read more
Kyle Yong, Thomas Keil, Lenz Husmann, Omidreza Amrollahinasab
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2022
Founder team energytrack, making energy consumption as simple, transparent and accessible as online banking
Read more
Marlene Frauscher, Sofia Surma
ELP Intake Summer Semester 2022
Founder team EMPOVVER, the most trusted platform for womxn empowerment
Read more
Leo Sulzmann
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2021
Founded SennSenn, producing vegan cheese from local vegetables.
Read more
Krystian Stankov
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020
Co-Founded adorares, a platform for unique craftmenship.
Read more
Thomas MacFarlaine
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2022
Founded NumyFoods, a taste of the future with nature's gourmet secret
Read more
Oliver Alf
ELP Intake Summer Semester 2020
Co-Founded enlivio, enabling digitally supported physiotherapy for a sustainable rehabilitation.
Read more
Alexandra Brandl
ELP Intake Winter Semester 2020
Co-Founded Hero Box (acquired by Vytal).
Read more
FAQs
When is the application deadline?
September 10, 2023.
What does the selection process look like?
After a pre-selection, promising candidates receive an invitation to a team task and interview.
Where will the meetings take place?
Our meetings will take place physically in Startup House Vienna. Depending on the availability of our workshop hosts some meetings might also take place online.
How many applicants get selected for the program?
Around 30 fellows are selected each semester.
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, we encourage all age groups to apply. In any case, we strongly recommend you read through the program (see above) and individually decide if it is a fit for you.
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 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.
What happens when the program is over?
After this one very intensive year, you will be ready to join the ELP alumni group. This network of 120+ curious minds will be your life long entrepreneurial community. Through various workshops and social events you will be able to engage and connect with your former peers and active intakes.