Vom Innovationsimpuls zum Markteintritt. Theorie, Praxis, Methoden

The cross-border region between Bratislava and Vienna is one of the fastest growing regions in Europe – especially concerning the high-tech industry (www.contor-analyse.de). One success factor of commercially effective high-tech start-up companies is the early identification of user requirements and selling arguments. The basis for commercial innovation success stories is an interdisciplinary team with commercial and technical skills. In August 2011 a research team of the Technical University Vienna, the University of Economics and Business in Vienna, the University of Economics in Bratislava and the Austrian business incubator INITS have started to support high-tech companies in market entry phases as well as to improve the academic teaching quality for interested students in B2B innovation markets. Therefore the HiTECH center project was set-up (project duration 08/2011 to 12/2013, funding programme ETC creating the future: Programm zur grenzüberschreitenden Zusammenarbeit SLOWAKEI – ÖSTERREICH 2007-2013, www.hitechcentrum.eu). Main goal of the project was to develop a methodology for successful market entry phases of B2B high-tech companies. The project was designed with seven work packages. This publication is the result of work package six. The project extension until November 2014 supported the compilation of this work. Research done during the early project phases as well as before project start showed a research gap in the field of “Marketing Testbed” as well as a lack of comparable interdisciplinary academic courses. Main topic in non-interdisciplinary existent marketing and innovation courses is B2C markets. Even Austria and Slovakia are neighbour countries there is a lack of market transparency, visible market chances and therefore a barrier for faster development of the cross-border region. Furthermore interdisciplinary qualified staff for marketing tasks is lacking. Research questions for the project team were defined: What is the appropriate methodology to support high-tech start-ups in early innovation and market entry phases? How does “multidisciplinary communication” influence the process beginning with the innovation idea to the market entry phase? How can we integrate requirements of high-tech companies in academic courses? How can interdisciplinary academic courses be set-up – also in cross-border regions? First results of the project: A framework for setting-up marketing testbeds was developed and implemented in further academic research. Eight theses were finalised during the project at the Marketing Management Institute at WU Vienna (two doctor’s theses). 17 academic theses and six interdisciplinary projects were finished at UEBA. The project team had intensive cooperation with the projects INNOVMAT, DUO STARS and SMARTNET. Interim results of the HiTECH Center project set the basis for a European follow-up project (REALITY, Programme ERASMUS MUNDUS). The main result of project is the validation of the importance of multidisciplinary communication in all stages of the innovation process starting with the innovation idea to the market entry. To guarantee long-term impact of the project a HiTECH Center Association will be founded to further investigate on open research questions in the field of B2B high-tech innovation and market entry phases as well as to support high-tech start-ups in their early market entry phases.