BOKU Start-up Award


Since 2019, the BOKU Start-up Award has been presented annually to young companies that impress with innovative business ideas and have a connection to BOKU.


Start-ups that meet these criteria can apply for the title of ‘BOKU Start-up of the Year’. An independent jury selects the most convincing team from all submissions.
Current information on the competition – including deadlines and conditions of participation – can be found here

Below, we would like to give you an overview of the winners from previous years.

BOKU Start-up 2025

The award goes to Rockfish Bio, a spin-off of BOKU in cooperation with MedUni Vienna. The team led by Johannes Grillari and Ingo Lämmermann develops senolytic therapies based on removing age-related, harmful cells from the body – with the aim of promoting healthy ageing.

v.l.n.r. Dr. Ingo Lämmermann, VR Christian Obinger, Prof. Johannes Grillari

BOKU Start-up 2024

The BOKU spin-off Novasign GmbH is the winner of the BOKU Start-up Award 2024. Novasign focuses on accelerating bioprocess development with hybrid modelling solutions and software. By using advanced machine learning tools, a significant reduction in bioprocess development times is achieved for both new pharmaceuticals and biosimilars.

https://novasign.at/

 

v.l.n.r Armin Khodaei, Ali Kleit, Mark Dürkop, VR Christian Obinger

BOKU Start-up 2023

Holloid - a BOKU spin-off - is the winner of the BOKU Start-up Award 2023. Based on a BOKU technology, Holloid offers real-time 3D imaging and 3D measurements of bacteria, algae, yeasts, microplastics and other particles, enabling inline monitoring solutions for various production facilities in industries such as pharma, food and biotech.

VR Obinger, Peter Van Oostrum

BOKU Start-up 2022

The BOKU Start-up Prize 2022 was awarded to Wastics GmbH.

Wastics GmbH offers an end-to-end service solution for waste management and recycling. Companies can use Wastics to find suitable disposal partners for their waste and increase their recycling rate while reducing costs and administrative work. Waste collectors and treaters receive access to suitable enquiries and can create offers.

The award ceremony took place as part of the BOKU Start-up Day, organised by BOKU:BASE.

 

M. Amstötter-Visotschnig, Team Wastics GmbH

BOKU Start-up 2021

The BOKU Start-up Prize 2021 went to  Nourivit Technologies GmbH.

Nourivit Technologies GmbH offers an easy-to-use, sustainable and affordable alternative to agrochemicals. The BOKU spin-off has developed a product portfolio based on powerful microbes (bacteria and yeasts) and nutrient-rich calcium. These natural, microbial biostimulants enable farmers and their associated traders to achieve consistent yields while reducing the use of synthetic fertilisers, fungicides and antibiotics. In addition, the products help to reduce CO2 emissions in agriculture. Currently, the company offers 4 blends of microbes and 2 calcium formulations that are specifically combined for the different areas of application (soil, plant, livestock).

C. Obinger, W. Harreither, D. Schmidt

BOKU Start-up 2020

Start-up Organic Tools with the fruit caterpillar was chosen as a BOKU start-up 2020. Organic Tools GmbH develops and distributes smart tools for managers of agroforestry systems. Using simple and smart technology, the fruit caterpillar helps to increase the economic profitability of orchards - as traditional agroforestry systems - while at the same time sustainably preserving ecologically valuable habitats.

BOKU Start-up 2019

Young companies that are based on innovative business ideas and have a BOKU connection have applied for the BOKU Start-up of the Year 2019 competition. Among the entries, the start-up Vienna Textile Lab was selected. The Viennese start-up uses bacteria to produce natural dyes for colouring textiles. Compared to synthetic dyes, this is far more environmentally friendly, both in terms of production and the dyeing process itself.