The History of the WU Foundation

The WU Foundation established WU Start-up Beteiligungs GmbH, a company set up to invest in WU-related startups, operating under the name of WU Ignite Ventures.

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Following a year of intensive preparations, the WU Foundation was presented to the public and launched its wide range of activities.

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The WU Foundation was established in June 2020. The WU Board of Trustees and WU Vienna contributed cash funds, stockholdings, and a real estate property to the new foundation. The WU Board of Trustees was wound up in the process.

WU Vienna moved to its new Campus in Vienna’s second district, offering around 100,000 m² of usable surface area for students and staff. The WU Board of Trustees had been a strong advocate of and trailblazer for this unique construction project.

The WU Board of Trustees commissioned the construction of the UZA 1 building on Althanstraße in Vienna’s ninth district, creating the central element of the building complex that would house WU Vienna until 2013.

Along with the university changing its name to WU Vienna University of Economics and Business in 1975, the association was renamed WU Board of Trustees.

In 1919, the Imperial Export Academy changed its name to University of World Trade, and its panel of supporters was renamed Association of Supporters of the University of World Trade (Verein der Förderer der Hochschule für Welthandel in Wien).

The Austrian Imperial Export Academy (k. k. Exportakademie) was established by a group of visionary business leaders who were committed to strengthening academic research through direct support.