At the Lower Austria-wide Demo Day of the Creative Pre-Incubator Programme, Adam Brestovanský, a third-semester student in the bachelor degree programme Informatics at IMC Krems, impressed the distinguished jury with his innovative business idea. As a result, he secured a place at the Berkeley Entrepreneurship Summer School in California. In mid-August, he travelled straight to the heart of the international start-up scene: Silicon Valley.
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From a start-up idea to Silicon Valley
Digital support for fitness coaching
Adam developed “TRAINR”, a digital solution for fitness coaches and their clients. The platform supports training management and reduces the administrative workload for coaches. An initial version of the application is already being tested successfully.
“The best ideas are often born where young people have the courage to explore new paths. This is exactly the entrepreneurial spirit we want to encourage in Lower Austria. Through our partnership with Berkeley, we are opening the door to Silicon Valley for our talented young people and creating international opportunities. Our goal is clear: the innovations of tomorrow should be developed in Lower Austria and create jobs in our region,” emphasised Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner.
Valuable international contacts
For the IMC Krems student from Slovakia, the trip to California was a unique opportunity to further develop his entrepreneurial idea and build an international network through workshops, seminars and insights into some of the world’s most innovative companies.
Programming and fitness
Adam’s interest in programming was sparked at the age of twelve. However, as he had many different hobbies and interests, it was not until the end of his school years that he began to focus on it more seriously.
Another important part of his life is fitness. This includes strength training, meal preparation, as well as the careful planning and tracking of his nutrition. In Krems, he developed an idea that combines his two greatest interests: programming and fitness.
“The trip to Berkeley was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from international experts, gain new perspectives and take ideas to the next level. Looking ahead, I plan to continue working on my start-up and build it into a successful company. Ideally, I would also like to make it the focus of my internship semester in the future. In addition, I will continue my training to further improve my strength and physical performance,” says Adam.
The second winner, Julian Pecho from St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences, also impressed the jury with his idea “Esports Broadcasting” and travelled to Berkeley.
International entrepreneurial expertise in Berkeley
The trip to Berkeley is part of the long-standing collaboration between the Province of Lower Austria, tecnet equity, the accent incubator and the University of California, Berkeley. Since 2017, this partnership has provided students and graduates from Lower Austria with access to international entrepreneurial expertise and valuable networks in Silicon Valley.
About the Creative Pre-Incubator
The Creative Pre-Incubator (CPI) was launched jointly by the accent incubator and St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences. The programme supports students, graduates and staff members with innovative business ideas. Through workshops, coaching sessions and networking opportunities within the start-up ecosystem, participants further develop their ideas and prepare for potential business ventures.
Text based on information provided by the Province of Lower Austria / Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government
