AIT – Strategic Partner in the Age of Innovation

AIT: Strategic Partner in the Age of Innovation – before, during and after the coronavirus

Research, technology, innovation can lead us out of the crisis – now, a technology offensive must follow.

Austria – like almost all other countries in the world – finds itself under the spell of a global pandemic. It is currently neither possible to predict how long the corona crisis will last, nor how much of a burden it will place on the national economies as a whole. What is already clear, however, is that research, technology, and innovation will make a major contribution to ending this exceptional situation and better preparing society for similar events in the future. Highly innovative, technology-based companies have the potential to strengthen their competitiveness beyond this crisis. With technologically sophisticated products, processes, innovative services and new business models, these companies offer solutions to major social challenges, especially now – in

Isabella Meran-Waldstein, Head of Research, Technology & Innovation at the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV)

the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Digitisation also underscores its importance for the location during this crisis. It plays a key role in maintaining the economic capacity to act, and it enables the preservation of global economic and social relations. In order to harness the full potential of research, technology, innovation, and digitisation, determined action is needed. In order to build up more crisis resilience and at the same time achieve a rapid economic revival, it is particularly important to focus on applied research during the rebound phase. It takes on a central role in developing the innovative problem solutions of the future and the value chains of tomorrow. By combining research and production in Austria and Europe, the re-industrialization can be driven forward in strategically important areas. At the same time, the opportunity arises to bridge potential bottlenecks in value chains, to expand key technologies, and to increase resource efficiency. On the political side, a frontrunner course must therefore be taken in expanding the EU research framework programme Horizon Europe as well as in Austria's participation in trans-European IPCEI projects, and the sustainable safeguarding and expansion of RTI funding as an investment in our future must be vigorously pursued. We need a powerful "technology offensive" that can help Austria to emerge stronger from the crisis. The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology has been a key strategic partner of the Austrian innovative industry for many years. Through its diverse bridging functions between science and industry, research and education, AIT is an indispensable lead partner in Austria as well as in Europe. In particular when it comes to leading the RTI location into a new "post-corona era" – on the route to more crisis resilience, more competitiveness, and more innovation.