Challenge the Status Quo –
Founder Talks
Real Startup Stories, Fresh Perspectives and Plenty of Inspiration
Are you interested in innovation and entrepreneurship? Then meet founders who have successfully turned their ideas into reality. At Challenge the Status Quo, Austrian startup founders share the stories behind their entrepreneurial journeys – from the initial idea and the challenges they faced to the milestones they achieved.
In personal interviews hosted by startup coaches from Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol, you’ll gain authentic insights into the realities of building a startup. Afterwards, you’ll have the opportunity to ask the founders your own questions.
Quick Facts
- Three Founder Talks
- For university students
- Free of charge
- Online via Microsoft Teams
- Tuesdays, 5–6 p.m.
- November 2026
Who should attend?
The Founder Talks are open to university students from all disciplines who are interested in innovation, startups and entrepreneurship. Whether you already have a business idea or simply want to learn how a startup is built from the ground up, you’ll gain first-hand insights, have the chance to ask questions and connect with experienced founders.
Meet entrepreneurs who are tackling societal challenges with innovative solutions and discover entrepreneurship as a potential career path.
Schedule
Founder Talk 1: From Teacher to Startup Founder
- Tuesday, 3 November 2026 | 5–6 p.m. | Online
- With Anita Verderber, CEO & Co-Founder of Audiolie
- About the talk: How does a simple idea become a learning app that helps children develop reading, writing and numeracy skills? Anita Verderber shares her journey from teaching to entrepreneurship and explains how Audiolie aims to make education more accessible and equitable.
Founder Talk 2: From Prediabetes to Health Innovation
- Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | 5–6 p.m. | Online
- With Helin Hussein, CEO & Co-Founder of Healink
- About the talk: A personal experience inspired the idea for a MedTech startup. Helin Hussein talks about Healink’s work on painless blood glucose monitoring and the challenges of turning an idea into an innovative healthcare solution.
Founder Talk 3: From Molecular Biology to Living Soils
- Tuesday, 17 November 2026 | 5–6 p.m. | Online
- With Kathrin and Sven Breunig, Co-Founders of SolvaTerra
- About the talk: How can scientific research become a GreenTech startup? Kathrin and Sven Breunig share their journey from molecular biology to founding their own company and demonstrate how innovation can contribute to more sustainable agriculture.
What to expect
- Personal startup stories
- Honest insights into opportunities and challenges
- Exchange with successful startup founders
- Live Q&A after each Founder Talk
- Inspiration for your own entrepreneurial journey
Participation Fee
Participation in all Founder Talks is free of charge.
About Challenge the Status Quo
Challenge the Status Quo is a joint initiative of the AplusB South-West partners Startup Salzburg, Startup.Tirol, the University of Innsbruck, build! Gründerzentrum Kärnten and Startup Vorarlberg. The initiative aims to inspire university students to explore entrepreneurship and connect them with successful founders.
Your contact in Salzburg
Jürgen Soutschek
Startup Salzburg/Innovation Salzburg
juergen.soutschek@innovation-salzburg.at
