World Champion Austria Carinthia
Technology has found its home in Carinthia Information and communication technology including a 5G playground in Klagenfurt, micro- and nanoelectronics in Villach.
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arinthia is Austria’s southernmost province. It combines an array of know-how, high-end technology and an attractive mix of different sectors, all situated in an innovative environment. Centrally located in the heart of Europe at the borders of Italy, Slovenia and Austria, Carinthia is developing into an innovation hub in the Alps-Adriatic region with its attractive infrastructure and a research ratio of around three percent. Particularly relevant for Carinthia’s technological know-how are internationally operating enterprises such as Infineon Technologies Austria, Intel, Lam Research, KapschTrafficCom, CISC Semiconductor and Flex (Flextronics International). They are beacons of light that shine far beyond the borders of the province together with local heroes such as Ortner Reinraumtechnik, Augmensys, PMS Elektro- und Automationstechnik and Wild Hi-Precision. The Silicon Alps Cluster combines industry, research and development as well as public administration, with the overall aim being the strategic location development.
Villach, agglomeration of the microelectronics sector Over the last few years, the Carinthian district capital of Villach has developed into a centre for the micro- and nanoelectronics sector, which is the backbone of digitisation. Austria’s most active research company Infineon Technologies can be considered the spearhead of this. Since 1997, the globally known company Infineon, a knowledge hub for power electronics, has been based in Villach. The development of increasingly smaller and more energy-efficient chips for use in automotive, industry and consumer electronics at the centre of its activities. Right now, the company invests 1.6 billion euros into building the world’s most modern chip plant with fully automated production of 300 mm thin wafers along with a building complex for research and development Markus Hornböck, Managing Director of Babeg Photo: Johannes Puch
Focusing on innovation “The economic strategy of the province focuses on innovation and research,” explains Markus Hornböck, Managing Director at the Carinthian investment promotion agency Babeg Kärntner Betriebsansiedlungsund Beteiligung GmbH. He added: “In Villach, a centre for microelectronics and sensors has been set up around the
Infineon and High Tech Campus. In Klagenfurt, the Lakeside Science & Technology Park International has positioned itself as an attractive innovation campus with the best possible accessibility to research and education. Both sites distinguish themselves through innovative small and medium-sized enterprises as well as international leading companies. They have excellent accessibility to non-university research facilities. This is an ideal mix and means innovations can really be promoted and new technologies can be developed.”
