26 October 2026
Entrepreneurship in Practice: The First HUB 4.0 Intensives
Starting a business is challenging enough. Starting one in a new country, with unfamiliar regulations, institutions, and business practices, adds an entirely different dimension.
For the Ukrainian women participating in Professional Integration HUB 4.0 – Entrepreneurship, this is exactly the challenge they are preparing to take on.
On October 10–11 and 17–18, participants gathered in Vienna for the program’s first two intensive training weekends. Four days of practical exercises, lively discussions, unexpected challenges, and direct interaction with Austrian entrepreneurship experts.
Learning by doing
The intensives introduced participants to entrepreneurial thinking and practical approaches to developing business ideas. But listening to presentations was only a small part of the experience.
Working individually and in groups, participants explored new concepts, challenged assumptions, discussed different approaches, and tested their ability to think creatively and respond to unfamiliar tasks.
One of the most memorable exercises was an creative pitching challenge. Participants were asked to develop and present unexpected business concepts, stepping outside their usual areas of expertise. The results were as creative as they were convincing, with participants demonstrating impressive confidence, imagination, and presentation skills.
The exercise captured the spirit of the training: entrepreneurship is something you learn by practising, experimenting, and being willing to try.
Learning from Austrian experts
The training was delivered by experts from IFTE #Entrepreneurship4Youth, the program’s curriculum partner:
- Prof. Johannes Lindner, Social Entrepreneur, IFTE #Entrepreneurship4Youth
- Alexander Spitzer, Entrepreneur and Habit Trainer
- Valentin Mayerhofer, COO, IFTE #Entrepreneurship4Youth
- Annamaria Teply, Event Manager
Their expertise brought practical perspectives to the sessions, connecting entrepreneurial concepts with the realities of building a business in Austria.
The participants’ engagement was equally important. Questions, group discussions, and exchanges of professional experience turned the training into a genuinely interactive process. Different backgrounds and perspectives became an advantage, allowing participants to learn from the experts and from one another.
Beyond the training room
The intensive weekends are one component of a broader learning process. Participants will continue working on their own business ideas through workshops, coaching, peer learning, and feedback sessions, gradually turning initial concepts into structured business projects.
They will also take part in three study visits to key Austrian institutions, gaining first-hand insights into the country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem:
- Start-Up Services and Founder-Services at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ)
- Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism
- Federation of Austrian Industries (Industriellenvereinigung)
These visits will offer opportunities to understand how Austrian institutions support businesses, engage directly with professionals, and connect classroom learning with the wider economic environment.
The first four days demonstrated the value of the new HUB format: practical learning, direct access to Austrian expertise, and the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge, and connections needed to build a business in Austria.
Explore the photo gallery from the event:
