Lifeguard for children: Feldkirchner Start-up Airmate One enthusiastic!

Lifeguard for children: Feldkirchner Start-up Airmate One enthusiastic!

Feldkirchen, Österreich - in Upper Austria was a very special day for innovative entrepreneurs on June 3, 2025. Nine start-ups from the region were awarded by the State Councilor Markus Achleitner and the managing director of Tech2B Inkubator GmbH, Raphael Friedl. Among these innovative companies, the Feldkirchner start-up Airmate One stands out, which can come up with a special product: an inflatable shirt that protects children from drowning. As tips has been reported by childhood since childhood Fire brigade members Christopher Brummayer and Melissa Leibetseder developed.

The Airmate One-shirt is not an ordinary piece of clothing: it recognizes bathing accidents thanks to integrated sensors and blows up in a matter of seconds to protect the child. This well thought-out product violated the Tech2B incubate program and has now received a diploma for his successful participation. The high innovative strength of the Upper Austrian start-ups is not only used using the example of Airmate One. The "Austrian Startup Monitor 2024" shows that 67 % of the start-ups are active in the B2B area, 44 % in the IT/software industry and 9 % in the energy/mobility sector, which underlines the versatile range of ideas and products in the region.

a strong network and valuable support

Upper Austria is considered a hotspot for start-ups. This is also confirmed by the Tech2B GmbH , which offers experience programs such as "Activate" and "Incubate" to support founders from the first idea to growth. Among other things, the submissions for the 2025 competition are being worked on, in which over 80 exciting ideas have been submitted. The finalists can look forward to workshops and coaching sessions to further develop their projects.

The fact that initiatives such as those of Tech2b are evidence proves the success of 557 projects supervised and 350 funded start -ups. It is clear that start -ups are a key to the economic development of Upper Austria. According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, Energy and Tourism since 2012 has produced over 3,400 start-ups, which now employ around 30,000 highly qualified employees. In addition, 33 percent of these start-ups provide at least one female co-founder, which underlines progress and diversity in the start-up scene.

A look into the future

The future of the start-up scene in Austria looks promising. Young companies benefit from programs that are geared towards innovative tech start-ups, as well as new company forms that will be available from 2024 under the name "Flexible Group" (Flex KapG). This regulation brings relief in the formal regulations and promotes the economic exploitation of research results by beating a bridge between universities and risk capital.

Overall, it turns out that Upper Austria and its start-ups are on the way to gain a foothold not only in Germany, but also internationally. With creative ideas, efficient founders and the right support of programs and initiatives, the country is clearly on growth course.