Innovation Challenge Retrospective
What's the Innovation Challenge all about?
We invite companies across Austria to share their most exciting ideas on how to make things better using technology. It's a chance to turn "Wouldn't it be cool if..." into "Look what we made happen!" – That's because the winners of the Innovation Challenge will receive a tangible realitycheck of their digitalization idea worth up to € 50,000.
We launched the Innovation Challenge back in 2022, together with Google Cloud as our exclusive sponsoring partner, to foster the spirit of innovation and digital transformation in Austria. Since then, companies from a wide range of industries have taken advantage of this unique opportunity every year to get their ideas off the ground. And the next opportunity is just around the corner - stay tuned for the Innovation Challenge 2025!
"Real-time situation picture for the targeted deployment of security staff"
By recognizing the travel behavior and volume of the customers, a real-time situation picture is to be created. With this real-time situation picture, stations without customer traffic (there is no one at the station / there are no objects lying around) will no longer have to be approached or checked unnecessarily by security staff. This allows security staff to concentrate on those stations where a need for "security" has been identified.
"Post Knowledge Base"
The goal is to import the instructions for all basic Austrian Post processes into a RAG system and make its information accessible to all Austrian Post employees. The system should make their daily work easier, especially in helping new employees answer customer questions. Since every employee may not have access to a PC or speak German as their native language, the system is to be expanded to include Speech2Text and Text2Speech as well as a translation function.
"Automated AI-based prediction of protein structures"
AlphaFold, a generative AI framework from Google DeepMind, has revolutionized structural biology. By providing an amino acid sequence in text format, the 3D structure of proteins can be predicted with an astonishing level of detail. In this project, DECTRIS plans to use the GCloud-based AlphaFold AI to offer protein structure prediction as a service to its users and customers in the scientific and industrial research communities.
"voogle"
The customized search engine that delivers really useful results. Who doesn't know this... the search leads to a multitude of hits with a lot of irrelevant information. Sifting through them costs time and nerves. This is where Voogle offers the solution, as an AI-supported information platform for Wiener Städtische customers and employees. All insurance data and correspondence is searched and combined, with the required results being displayed within seconds.
"ENOX.energy"
The goal is to provide customers with a simple path to the energy transition for a conscious use of networked energy for our world of tomorrow. A platform that enables different target groups, tenants as well as home owners, to become part of the decentralized energy production as well as energy optimization.
"BagPredictML"
Passengers at Vienna Airport should be provided with an accurate preview of when they can expect to receive their flight's luggage when they arrive at the baggage claim hall. This provides certainty regarding waiting time and reassurance, which significantly improves the customer experience. Machine learning will be used to develop a model for the forecast that knows and incorporates all influencing factors.
Click here for more insights into the ideas.
"MIBA Smart Bearing System"
The "MIBA Smart Bearing System" is a plain bearing equipped with sensors that is mounted on moving components without an external power supply, transmits data to the cloud and uses ML to trigger recommendations for action to control the system.incorporates all influencing factors.
"Brantner AI and Robotic (B-AIR)"
"Brantner AI and Robotic (B-AIR)" is used for the fully automatic detection of valuable PET bottles from the general plastic stream in the separation plant with the help of artificial intelligence.
Innovation Challenge 2025