INNOVATIVE ACROSS BORDERS: STARTUP CAMP ALPINE CONNECTS
- 21.07.2025
- News Study Program
At INNOVATION - alpine connects, 24 start-ups, creative minds and people with ideas from the Berchtesgadener Land, Traunstein, Rosenheim, Salzburg and Tyrol presented their innovative business models.
Three days full of ideas, networking and entrepreneurial energy in Heutal. For the first time as a project partner: University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol. The university of applied sciences supported the startup camp with coaching, expertise and committed founders from the Tyrolean lowlands.
The INNOVATION - alpine connects start-up camp took place in Heutal and Unken from May 16th to 18th 2025. Creative minds, budding founders and innovation promoters from Salzburg, Tyrol, Berchtesgadener Land, Rosenheim and Traunstein came together to work on forward-looking business ideas - surrounded by nature and with plenty of professional support.
The University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol, which supported the format as a project partner together with the Kufstein Chamber of Commerce, took part for the first time. Karin Steiner from the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation provided practical insights into the art of convincing presentations with her PitchPerfect input. She also accompanied the founders throughout the weekend as a coach and sparring partner.
STRONG IDEAS FROM THE TYROLEAN LOWLANDS
Two promising start-up projects from the Tyrolean lowlands used the camp to further develop their business ideas:
-
Ines Stark, who already won the Fit4Business@School 2024 competition, continued to work intensively on her concept Human Place - Fitness for the Soul. The idea focuses on mental health in a creative way that is suitable for everyday use.
-
Denny Zelenka, a student on the Bachelor's degree programme in Business Management at FH Kufstein Tirol, presented 180Life, a personal development project that focuses on holistic individual growth.
INTENSIVE CAMP WITH EFFECT
The camp began on Friday at the Heutaler Hof with inputs on business model development, market potential, prototyping and pitching. In workshops and small groups, the participants further developed their ideas with the support of experienced experts - supplemented by leisure activities such as hiking and campfire rounds, which promoted dialogue.
The final event took place in Unken on Sunday. There, 24 teams pitched their ideas to an interdisciplinary jury. The topics ranged from digital education and sustainable business models to AI solutions and healthcare tools. Many teams took directly usable feedback with them into their next development phase.
A panel discussion was held on how cooperation between start-ups, universities and established companies can be strengthened. The event concluded with an open networking format.
The participants of the alpine connects 2025 start-up camp.
STRONG COOPERATION FOR A STRONG NETWORK
"This event was a real boost for the participants' business ideas - and a strong sign of cross-border innovation in the Alpine region," summarises Karin Steiner. "The Kufstein University of Applied Science is looking forward to being part of this inspiring network in the future."
The Startup Camp was organised by Berchtesgadener Land Wirtschaftsservice in cooperation with the project partners Chiemgau GmbH Wirtschaftsförderung, Startup Salzburg, Fachhochschule Kufstein Tirol Bildungs GmbH, Stellwerk18 e.V., Wirtschaftskammer Tirol and Technische Hochschule Rosenheim.
The INNOVATION - alpine connects event was co-financed by the European Union as part of the INTERREG Bavaria-Austria 2021-2027 programme (p2p project).
Links:
