Trend Start-up Ranking 2026: Austria's 100 Best Start-ups
As a jury member of the trend Start-up Ranking 2026, I joined 20 experts to evaluate the most innovative founders in Austria.
For the eleventh time, trend magazine has ranked Austria's 100 best start-ups. As a jury member, I had the privilege of evaluating the country's most innovative founders alongside 20 of Austria's most experienced start-up experts.
The Jury
The jury of the trend Start-up Ranking brings together over 700 investments domestically and abroad. Alongside seasoned business angels like Hansi Hansmann and Michael Altrichter, as well as investors such as Oliver Holle (Speedinvest), Eva Arh (3VC), and Nina Wöss (Fund F), a total of 21 experts assessed over 4,000 individual data points to arrive at a valid result.
The Winners 2026
#1 Storebox -- The Viennese micro-logistics scale-up with 370 locations across six countries convinced the jury with its move into B2B parcel shipping.
#2 Refurbed -- The marketplace for refurbished products achieved 40 percent growth and Austria's largest investment round of the year (50 million euros).
#3 Adverity -- The Viennese marketing data platform with 800 clients worldwide, including Nike, is pushing toward autonomous AI-driven decision-making.
A Challenging Environment
2025 was a difficult year for start-ups: funding volume in Austria dropped by 56 percent, falling to 253 million euros -- below 2020 levels. Numerous start-ups had to file for insolvency. At the same time, 38 percent of venture capital flowed into AI start-ups -- a sign of the divided landscape that Oliver Holle (Speedinvest) describes.
AI as a Growth Driver
Artificial intelligence gave Austria's start-up scene a massive boost despite all headwinds. Newcomer of the year is Emmi AI from Linz (#14), which raised 15 million euros in Austria's largest seed round ever. Climber of the year is the healthtech Xund, which jumped 44 places in the ranking.
My Take
The consolidation of the start-up scene continues, but it is precisely in these phases that tomorrow's successful teams and funds are forged. As a Partner at 3TS Capital Partners, I see great potential in European tech start-ups that stand out with substance and genuine technological depth.
This article is based on the trend Start-up Ranking 2026, published February 6, 2026.