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Top 10 Active Investors in Austria (2025): The Field Guide Founders Actually Use

Deqian Jia
Deqian Jia
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Austria InvestorsVC InvestorsStartup FundingAustrian VCsInvestment

If you're raising in Austria this year, you've got options—and a handful of investors with real pull in DACH and across Europe. Below is a compact, founder-first guide with (1) how to shortlist the right funds, (2) up-to-date profiles of the 10 most reputable, active Austria-based investors, and (3) five quick pitch tips tailored to this crowd. You've got this—let's get methodical.

1) How to find the right Austrian investors (fast and sane)

Match on stage & check size. Most Austrian firms lean pre-seed/seed with a few Series A/growth players. Shortlist by the stage they actually lead today, not what they did years ago. Public portfolio pages and recent deal news are your truth serum. Check Speedinvest's portfolio for recent activity.

Prioritize follow-on power. You want investors who can bridge to A and syndicate across Europe. Look for fresh funds or growth vehicles (e.g., dedicated growth pools or new fund closes) and recent lead rounds.

Use sector fit as a filter, not a cage. Austria has depth in deep-tech/health, fintech, industrial/AI, and science spin-outs. If your thesis sits in those lanes, you'll find faster comprehension and warmer references. APEX Ventures specializes in these areas.

Map corporate vs. independent VC. Corporate VCs (banking, insurance) can unlock distribution and proof-of-concepts; independents move faster on conviction. Weight accordingly for your go-to-market. Elevator Ventures (Raiffeisen Bank's CVC) is a prime example.

Triangulate "activeness." Cross-check firm sites, portfolio news, and third-party trackers like Dealroom to confirm 2024–2025 deals. Don't rely on static lists.

Want a data room that actually helps you raise?

A well-organized, secure data room is the easiest way to look serious—and to help Austrian investors move faster.

Peony gives you everything you need to look professional and move fast:

  • Branded investor rooms create a polished first impression with custom branding that reflects your startup's identity

  • Granular access controls let you share different materials with different investors—no accidental exposure of sensitive data

  • Dynamic watermarking personalizes every view with investor name and timestamp to deter leaks

  • Per-page analytics show you exactly what each investor read and for how long—know where to focus your follow-ups

  • Integrated e-signature lets you close NDAs and term sheets within the same platform, with full audit trails

  • Update files after send means you can revise pitch decks and financials without breaking links or confusing investors

2) The 10 most reputable, active investors headquartered in Austria (2025)

1) Speedinvest (Vienna; pan-EU seed)

One of Europe's most active seed platforms with vertical teams across SaaS/Infra, Fintech, Health/Bio, Deep Tech, Climate & Industrial, Marketplaces/Consumer—plus a €290M+ growth pool for later-stage support. Frequent news flow and fresh deals in 2025 signal continued activity. Ideal for ambitious seed companies aiming at EU scale. Visit Speedinvest.

Sweet spot: Pre-seed/Seed (select growth follow-ons).

Why founders choose them: Depth of platform, EU brand recognition, real follow-on capacity.

2) aws Gründerfonds / aws Gründerfonds II (Vienna)

Austria's government-backed venture fund family; one of the country's most active early-stage co-investors with a new vintage (Gründerfonds II) active in 2023–2026. Often co-leads with private VCs; strong Austria focus. Learn more about aws Gründungsfonds.

Sweet spot: Late seed to Series A (Austria-rooted teams).

Why founders choose them: Credible local anchor, disciplined process, crowd-in effects for syndicates.

3) 3VC (Vienna; DACH/CEE focus)

Early-stage to Series A investor backing globally ambitious software companies; active 2025 portfolio adds underscore cadence. Expect concentrated bets and partner-led support. See 3VC's focus.

Sweet spot: Series A (select late seed).

Why founders choose them: Hands-on partners, strong DACH/CEE network.

4) APEX Ventures (Vienna; deep-tech & medical)

Specialists in deep tech and medical with multiple themed funds (incl. digital health). If you're building hard IP or clinical-adjacent products, they "get it." Active through 2025. Explore APEX Ventures.

Sweet spot: Seed/Series A.

Why founders choose them: Technical diligence, global co-investor network in medtech/AI imaging.

5) Calm/Storm Ventures (Vienna; boutique seed)

A boutique VC and founder network with a notable tilt toward digital health & wellbeing and taboo-breaking categories; launched additional capital initiatives recently, signaling fresh dry powder. Strong community and operator mindshare. Check out Calm/Storm.

Sweet spot: Pre-seed/Seed.

Why founders choose them: Close, operator-style support and fast decisions at the earliest stages.

6) UNIQA Ventures (Vienna; CVC of UNIQA Insurance Group)

A seasoned corporate VC investing in insurtech, fintech, digital health, mobility, smart home and enabling tech; consistently visible in European dealflow into 2025. Expect value from enterprise networks. View UNIQA Ventures profile.

Sweet spot: Seed to Series B.

Why founders choose them: Insurance/banking distribution, late-stage signaling, partnership routes.

7) Elevator Ventures (Vienna; CVC of Raiffeisen Bank International)

RBI's venture arm focuses on fintech and beyond-banking with CEE reach; new €70M fund announced in 2024 and continued platform activity in 2025. If payments, lending, or embedded finance is your lane, start here. See Elevator Ventures.

Sweet spot: Seed to growth (fintech).

Why founders choose them: Bank partnerships, market access across RBI's footprint.

8) xista science ventures (Vienna; formerly IST cube)

Austria's science-venture specialist (roots at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria). €70M current fund with capacity to follow to ~€4M; strong in life sciences, deep tech, hardware/software emerging from research. Visit xista science ventures.

Sweet spot: Seed (science spin-outs & research-heavy startups).

Why founders choose them: Spin-out know-how, lab-to-market guidance, EU science ecosystem hooks.

9) tecnet equity (St. Pölten / Lower Austria)

Two-decade Austrian VC with B2B tech & life sciences focus; initial tickets ~€300k with follow-ons up to €3M, and a €50k SAFE for very early companies. Active through 2025 across seed/Series A. Learn about tecnet.

Sweet spot: Early-stage (seed/A), Austria and adjacent regions.

Why founders choose them: Patient local capital, experience bridging research to market.

10) 3TS Capital Partners (Vienna hub; CEE growth)

A long-standing European growth-stage tech investor with a Vienna presence; useful for Austrian companies scaling beyond seed into real ARR and international expansion. See 3TS Capital Partners.

Sweet spot: Series A/B+ (B2B software, digital).

Why founders choose them: CEE scale-up experience, later-stage discipline, cross-border customer access.

Other active Austria-based options to watch (by theme or model): Round2 Capital (Vienna revenue-based financing / growth), Gateway Ventures (angel syndicate platform). Useful complements depending on stage and dilution preferences. See OpenVC's Austria investor list for more options.

3) Five quick tips for pitching this investor set

  1. Lead with clarity, not theater. In one slide, state the problem, your product edge, traction (or proof), and the specific wedge that makes you win in DACH/EU. This ecosystem rewards crisp, execution-led stories—especially at seed and A.

  2. Show EU-scale intent from day one. Even the most Austria-centric funds syndicate Europe-wide. Outline your next two markets and why your GTM travels (regulatory readiness, language ops, or partner channels).

  3. Evidence over adjectives. Replace "fast growth" with concrete signals: cohort retention, sales cycle length, gross margin trend, or pilot → paid conversion. Expect questions grounded in industrial realism.

  4. Name your ideal co-investors. Many Austrian rounds are syndicated. Signaling fit (e.g., "We're speaking with X for healthtech distribution, Y for deep-tech expertise") makes it easier for a lead to assemble the cap table.

  5. Respect process, then nudge with data. These firms move when the file is tight: clean data room, version discipline, and easy-to-parse metrics. Follow up with page-level context ("You reached the pricing section—happy to unpack scenario B if helpful") to keep momentum.

For more on preparing your pitch materials, see our guide on what makes a data room investor-ready.

Many Austrian startups have used Peony to streamline their fundraising process. When investors can see your story clearly, move through materials quickly, and sign documents without friction, you look organized—because you are.

Start using Peony for your Austrian round today.

Sources & further reading

For more resources on fundraising and working with investors, check out these guides: