The OIC is the linchpin for collaboration between business and science at the JKU. The interdisciplinary institution was founded in 2019 by then-Rector Meinhard Lukas to pool the expertise of science and business in one place and establish an integrative ecosystem for innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
Since its foundation, the institution has developed into an integral part of the Upper Austrian innovation ecosystem. For example, the OIC houses Austria’s largest university co-working space with 270 workstations on more than 8,000 m2 and the LIT Factory, a unique pilot factory in which Austrian industrial companies further develop their machines in close cooperation with university institutes at the JKU. In addition to promoting partnerships between business and science, the OIC also offers young founders support in launching their innovative business ideas with the Entrepreneurship.Base.
Economist Elisabeth Ulbrich was part of the Open Innovation Center team from the very beginning and returned from Vienna to her native Upper Austria to set it up. She supported the OIC until her parental leave in September 2023, initially as project manager and most recently as operational manager. On her return from maternity leave, Ulbrich will now take over the management of OIC GmbH from the Vice-Rectorate for Finance and Entrepreneurship.
"I am delighted that I can now take over the management of the LIT Open Innovation Center after five years of development and, together with our dedicated team, continue to strengthen the bridge between science and business. The OIC is a place where innovation is lived every day - be it through the development of new technologies, the promotion of start-ups or the close cooperation between companies and research institutions. I see it as my task to further develop this potential and establish the OIC as a leading innovation center in Austria. My special thanks go to Vice Rector Christiane Tusek for her trust and to former Vice Rector Christopher Lindinger, who has strengthened my position as a mentor over the last few years," emphasizes Ulbrich.
Ulbrich’s focus in her new role is on the strategic development of the center’s original vision, namely the establishment of new forms of cooperation between science and industry and the development of new initiatives to support student start-ups and university spin-offs.
"We are facing major social challenges - from digitalization and the energy transition to a sustainable economy. The OIC can and should play a pioneering role in this," says the new Managing Director.
The JKU sees the appointment of Elisabeth Ulbrich as an important step in continuing the successful development of the LIT Open Innovation Center. Vice Rector Christiane Tusek is delighted: "With Elisabeth Ulbrich, an experienced and committed leader is taking over the management of the OIC. Her expertise and comprehensive understanding of the interface between science and business make her the ideal candidate for this key position."
With its realignment and a clear focus on future-oriented innovation, the OIC continues to set the tone in the Upper Austrian innovation landscape and strengthens the JKU’s role as a leading location for research and development.
