IdeaLAB

From bold ideas to investable ventures.

The Idea Lab is a program for anyone who wants to turn a great idea into real impact — starting with one intense day, and ending with a shot at funding.

It begins with a 12-hour hackathon open to students from any university. From there, the best teams are selected into the exclusive Idea Lab, where handpicked ideas get months of hands-on mentoring, coaching, and testing. It all wraps up at our Closing Pitch Event, where the strongest team wins a wildcard into Venture Lab, our incubator program — with the chance to receive up to €50,000 in investment from WU Ignite Ventures.

One day to spark an idea. One program to make it real.

What to expect from the IdeaLAB

Get ready for an exciting journey that takes you from your first spark of curiosity to pitching your own startup idea - all with hands-on workshops, mentoring, and a supportive community.

• Ideathon: Kick off your journey by exploring megatrends, discovering real-world challenges, and finding the problem you want to solve — perfect for students without an idea or those unsure about their current one.

• Week 1 – Problem Validation: Dive deep into understanding real problems through the workshops Problem Validation & Customer Segments and Competitive Landscape.

• Week 2 – Ideation: Transform your insights into creative solutions in Ideation & Prototyping and shape your first Business Model Canvas with the help of mentors.

• Week 3 –  Venture Building: Refine your Business Model Canvas and learn how to communicate your idea with impact. 

• Demo Day: Showcase your idea at the Demo Day in front of experts, mentors, and fellow innovators.

Who is the IdeaLab for?

The IdeaLab is for motivated, hands-on students who are ready to take the next step toward starting something of their own - no matter if they’re just beginning or already have an idea in mind.

• Students who don’t have an idea yet but are eager to explore, discover problems, and turn them into opportunities.

• Students who have spotted a problem and are ready to dive deeper to understand it and test its potential.

• Students who already have an idea and are excited to develop it further and put it to the test.

Got any questions?

Feel free to reach out to us at idealab@wu.ac.at with your questions!