Apr 26 – Jun 23, 2023
Vienna, German
SDG Innovation Lab
Sustainable Innovation for SMEs:
Secure your company´s long-term success and design products that are technologically trendsetting, environmentally sustainable, culturally appropriate and economically prosperous.
We are here to support you in achieving your sustainability goals.
What to expect in the SDG Innovation Lab
The SDG Innovation Lab is an accelerator-like program for SMEs. Together with our sustainable innovation experts, you will take guided action to reach your sustainability goals. Whether inside your own company or with innovative products for your customers – become more sustainable in all areas! You will identify new business segments and gradually adapt innovative solutions precisely to the requirements of the market.
Accelerator
Intense co-creation and experiential learning
- 6 Live Labs (Interactive workshops)
- 8 Mentoring sessions
- 1 Learning Journey
- 1 Sounding board
- 6 Peer-Peer Learnings
- 10-15 SMEs (2-3 people each) to work together with
Tangible Results
- New product concept incorporating the SDGs
- Methodical knowledge of sustainable innovation and proven startup tools
- Knowledge of new impact business models
- Challenging the own supply chains and suppliers
- Extended Network: experts, coaches, Co-pilots,…
Sustainable Growth
Peer to Peer Learning and Cooperation
- Cooperation between the participating companies during and after the labs
- Active development of concepts, tools and approaches to cooperate and integrate
SME Focus
Sustainable Innovation is affecting your business
Even if you are already dealing with sustainability – the topic will determine economic activity in the coming decades more and more.
- The interests of consumers and the supply chains of corporations are changing.
- Investors and government regulators are increasingly calling for evidence-based sustainability for investments, funding and tenders.
- Upcoming regulations from EU Agenda 2030, EU Green Deal, CO2 taxing, etc.
Times of crisis have always been a driver for innovation and change. Those who act now can set themselves apart from the competition and ensure the long-term survival of their company.
Our Approach
We are bringing together best practices, tools and methods from sustainable innovation, design thinking, sprint programs and the startup world to a unique approach. You benefit from our expertise and knowledge from numerous projects we have worked on. By adding the focus on the Sustainable Development Goals we shape a better tomorrow.
The SDG Innovation lab was developed in early 2021 by Köstinger Consulting with support of OekoBusiness Wien, aiming to demonstrate how the SDGs can be incorporated and operationalized in a business innovation context: Following commercial gains while making a significant positive impact on the future.
Focus on SMEs
Learning from startups
From Idea to Game-Plan
Here we work on both: ideas that make SMEs more sustainable internally and those that relate to innovative products for the market.
LAB 1: Discover
- Learn about why sustainable innovation is most important for your business now
- Get to know the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the models of impact
- Learn about sustainable innovative businesses on the market
- Get guided through ideation process using proven techniques from design thinking
- Develop your case for change at the end of this lab
LAB 2: Define
- Develop your sustainable business model
- Create the value proposition for your customers
- Define the customer segments
- Calculate your market potential
- Present your sustainable business idea to mentors and get valuable feedback
Learning Journey:
Meet another company who did it already for inspiration and connecting.
Mentoring:
Present your idea to mentors and get valuable feedback and input.
LAB 3: Validate
- Learn the importance of validating your idea by real customers
- Identify the hypotheses unterlying your sustainable business idea
- Learn methods and techniques for validation
- Get out of the building and do it
- Come back and share your lessons learnt
- Learn about pivoting
Sounding Board:
Present your business model to the sounding board. The sounding board is set up with 4-5 experts. You have 3-5 minutes to present and then get feedback from the experts.
LAB 4: Develop
Define the Business Case for your sustainable idea
- Learn how to calculate the impact achieved through your idea
- Hear about grants possible to finance your sustainable idea
Mentoring:
Present your idea to mentors and get valuable feedback and input. Each team will have 2-3 mentoring sessions.
LAB 5: Go-to-Market
- Develop a go-to-market plan for your sustainable business case idea
- Learn about sustainable marketing and how to promote your products
LAB 6: Shine & Final Event
- Learn how to pitch your sustainable business idea in 3 minutes and storytelling
- Practice your pitch
- Pitch your sustainable idea to teams, facilitators and mentors
- Networking
| Face2Face | Online |
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Kick-off:
Lab 1 – Discover: |
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Lab 2 – Define: May 4, 2023, 09.00h – 18.00h (face2face) |
Team Mentoring – 1h within
Peer-Peer Learning |
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Lab 3 – Validate:
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Team Mentoring – 1h within
Skills Mentoring – 1h within A Coffee with …. – 1h Peer-Peer Learning |
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Lab 4 – Develop: May 24, 2023, 09.00h – 19.00h (face2face)
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Team Mentoring – 1h within Peer-Peer Learning Sounding Board – 1h within Peer-Peer Learning |
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Lab 5 – Go-to-Market: Jun 7, 2023, 09.00h – 19.00h (face2face)
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Team Mentoring – 1h within Peer-Peer Learning Skills Mentoring – 1h within |
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Lab 6 – Shine: Jun 15, 2023, 09.00h – 18.00h (face2face) |
Learning Journey Jun 17, 2023 – 16.00h – 19.00h (online) Team Mentoring – 1h within Jun 21, 2023- 16.00h – 19.00h (online) |
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Pitch & Final Event: Jun 22, 2023, 15.00h – 19.00h (face2face) |
Closing – 2h within Jun 24, 2023 – 15.00h – 19.00h (online) |
The language will be German.
Vienna, Austria
Aula X, Palais Auersperg
Participation Fee
2-3 people per company can and should participate.
The participation fee is EUR 3.900 (excl. VAT) per company.
A co-financing from OekoBusiness Vienna in the amount of EUR 3.000,-
per company is made available for Vienna’s SMEs.
You may be eligible for other grants.
Supporting You
With experience and expertise from the frontline of sustainability, green technology, finance, startups, business, innovation and disruptive technology.
Asetila Köstinger
Co-Founder I Innovation economist I High-end consulting on sustainability, innovation, export and responsible marketing
Astrid Weikmann
Co-Founder I Business Consultant I Customer Focus, Design Thinking, Innovation and Business Development
Katja Tschoepe
Co-Founder I Corporate Communications, Sustainable Marketing
Dr. Thomas Hruschka
Sustainability Coordinator, City of Vienna
Doris Bock
Manager at db Entrepreneur Consulting GmbH
Dr. Alexandra Nitzlader
Social Finance and Venture Capital Expert
Dr. Constanze Stockhammer
Managing Director at Social Entrepreneurship Network Austria
Robert Philipp
TERRA Umwelttechnik I Environmental Engineer & Entrepreneur
Melanie Ruff
Co-founder of HEDY Production I Hardware enthusiast, knowledge engineer and autodidact
Angelika Sterrer-Tobler
Technology expert for energy & climate protection at Vienna Business Agency
Johann Humenberger
Consultant at Austrian Senior Experts Pool I Supervisory board member at ÖVW
Georg Melzer-Venturi
Managing Director at Eutema research services
Robert Kremnitzer
Senior Consultant at ecoplus International I Lecturer & Entrepreneur
Claudia Falkinger
Innovation Strategist | Community Builder | Entrepreneurship Coach, Mentor & Lecturer
Iraklis Agiovlasitis
Innovation & Internationalisation I Austrian Consortium of the Enterprise Europe Network
Michael Hilbert
Partner at Financial Services Roland Berger GmbH
Marina Zenker
Finance/Investment, Client Service/Relationship, Real Estate
Nora Wolloch
Executive Manager I WSA. Global. Digital. Purpose Driven
Sasa Radic
Financing of startups and innovative SMEs I ChessDEX
Roland Zacherl
Managing Partner at HFP Steuerberater GmbH
Ivan Juric
Head Of Business Development at Lifecare Essentials
Dominik Hejzak
Innovation Lead Teach For Austria I Strategic Management & Entrepreneurial Business Development
Felix Forster
Head of Business Unit Content and Innovations respACT - Austrian business council for sustainable development
Claudia Winkler
Co-Founder and CEO at B-Corp certified Social Entrepreneurship Impact Incubator goood network
Elisabeth Siencnik
Consultant I Finance and Project Management with Solution Focus
Hermann Sporrer
Sparring partner in Bizdev & Media & Growth Ninja & Co-Founder Sheconomy
Bertram Häupler
Program Manager at EcoBusiness Vienna
Gabriele Stowasser
Board Member at Senat der Wirtschaft Österreich
Iraklis Agiovlasitis
Innovation & Internationalisation I Austrian Consortium of the Enterprise Europe Network
Karin Huber-Heim
Sustainability Expert I Co-founder and Director of Circular Economy Forum Austria
Barbara Coudenhove-Kalergi
Expert in Social Innovation I Federation of Austrian Industries
Responsible business as an opportunity
“Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Brundtlandt Commission
Asking if companies are suddenly going to save the world? As all are asked to support the SDGs – yes, it is also affecting the companies.
More and more, regulators are calling for sustainability. Projects of the international community are often harbingers of national regulations in matters of “green policy”.
Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals:
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
UNDP The SDGs in Action
AT Agenda 2030
EU Agenda 2030
UN SDGs
Global Goals
Co-operation partners
Köstinger Consulting is a trusted and neutral partner to multiple stakeholders with deep insight into the SDGs and business Innovation. It delivers strategic and practical business knowledge, commercial understanding, market insight, process facilitation and innovation techniques.
OekoBusiness Vienna is the first address for Vienna’s environmental service package for local companies since 1998. It was launched by the Municipal Department for Environmental Protection (MA 22) on behalf of the Vienna City Administration.
OekoBusiness Vienna is co-financing the participation of Viennese SMEs with €3.000,-.