FACTORY: The Incubation Program

FACTORY is our structured 12-month incubation program. It is aimed at innovative, growth-oriented startups that are already founded or about to be founded.

Our add-on FACTORY+ (AplusB South-West) also supports research-, technology-, and innovation-based startup projects with high growth potential – with special additional services and support options.

Our goal: your market entry – solid, guided, and connected.

The next application phase starts in summer 2026.

The Incubation Program FACTORY

Coaching & Roadmap
Your personal startup coach will support you over 12 months – along clearly defined goals outlined in your individual roadmap.
Workshops & Peer Learning
Regular trainings on business development, go-to-market, legal, investment readiness, and more – combined with learning formats alongside other startups.
Mentoring
You will receive individual support from an experienced business leader who will guide you as a mentor over the course of 12 months.
Access to the startup ecosystem
Networking with investors, companies, research institutions – including media visibility, event participation, and access to additional startup-relevant benefits.
State funding up to €25,000
For eligible projects, the Province of Salzburg provides financial support.

The FACTORY+ add-on

Startups with a strong focus on RTI (research, technology, innovation) receive additional benefits:

Up to € 10,000 in extra funding (State of Salzburg)
€ 2,000 budget for strategic experts/external consulting
Access to in-depth RTI-related training (IP, legal, and impact workshops) and the AplusB network (nationwide incubator network with a focus on high-tech innovations)
Coworking at Startup Salzburg included

Is FACTORY(+) right for you?

You can apply if you…

pursues an innovative, technology- or knowledge-based business model
euer Startup vor max. fünf Jahren gegründet habt oder eine Gründung in den kommenden Monaten geplant ist
You founded your startup no more than five years ago or plan to do so in the coming months.
formed a founding team and assigned roles
have your company headquarters in Salzburg or are planning to move here
are prepared to actively engage in coaching, training, and mentoring for 12 months
want to intensively promote your startup and have the necessary time resources to do so

You can also apply for FACTORY+ (AplusB) if …

pursues a research, technology, or innovation-based project
have sound, defensible core expertise as the basis for the company (e.g., specialized knowledge or patentable technology)
your business model is geared toward above-average growth and scaling

RTI-based startup projects (FACTORY+) ideally meet one or more of these criteria:

High level of innovation and unique technological features
Risk-intensive R&D activities in an academic context
Intellectual property, technology transfer, or spin-offs from research institutions
Specialized knowledge gained through scientific experience
Research collaborations with universities or non-university institutions

You can find a complete list of criteria in the FACTORY / FACTORY+ admission criteria (PDF – German).