aptiTUdes.LAB

Time: March 24th, 18:00 - 21:00

Location: EI 10 Fritz Paschke HS, Gußhausstr. 27-29 - Neu El (Gußhausstraße 25-29), ground floor, 1040, Vienna

Language: English

Description:

Start Strong. Connect Across Disciplines. Grow Together.

Join us for the AptiTUdes.Lab Kick-off — the official launch of this semester’s workshop series. This event isn’t just an introduction — it’s your first step into a vibrant, cross-disciplinary community. Connect with students from TU Wien, meet future collaborators from different fields, and lay the groundwork for meaningful exchange and teamwork throughout the program.

Expect engaging activities to break the ice, thought-provoking conversations, and a relaxed networking session — with beverages provided by the TU Wien Innovation Incubation Center (i²c).

Agenda:

• Welcome & Introduction — Discover the purpose of aptiTUdes.Lab and what’s ahead
• Icebreaker Activities — Spark conversations and collaborations across disciplines
• Drinks & Informal Networking — Wrap up the evening with new ideas and connections from diverse disciplines

Let’s kick off aptiTUdes.LAB with energy, curiosity, and a strong sense of community!

Time: March 27th, 09:00 - 12:00

Location: Seminarraum Argentinierstrasse, Argentinierstr. 8, Argentinierstrasse 8 od. Paniglgasse, EG, 1040, Wien

Language: English

Description:

Understanding research and data lifecycles is foundational in many work settings, not limited to academia. In this workshop, we give an overview of research and data lifecycles, review data management practices, and provide an understanding of how to differentiate between different data and software license types. We explain the use of persistent identifiers, such as DOIs (Digital Object Identifiers), the FAIR principles for data (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), and how to apply them using metadata and standards for efficient (research) data management.

We will also describe the components of a Research Data Management (RDM) infrastructure, discussing differences between repository systems. All these topics will help understand the challenges of digital data preservation, planning and implementing reproducible experiments, and the application of Open Science principles.

Agenda:

• Introduction: Why does data management matter? What is the data lifecycle?
• Best practices: What does it take to manage data?
• Making your data reproducible: Persistent Identifiers and FAIR principles
• Data management Plans - Prepare your data right from the beginning
• Repositories (this is RDM infrastructure)
• Wrap-up & QnA

This workshop lays the foundation for…

• Gaining a foundational understanding of research and data lifecycles
• Learning best practices for effective data management
• Differentiating between various data and software license types
• Understanding the role of persistent identifiers (DOIs) and how to apply the FAIR principles
• Exploring different research data management infrastructures and repository systems
• Developing strategies for ensuring data preservation, reproducibility, and Open Science compliance

Lecturers:

Dr. Tomasz Miksa

Dr. Tomasz Miksa is a Senior Scientist at TU Wien, Centre for Research Data Management and Faculty of Informatics. He works in digital transformation for research data management, making data management more automated and machine-actionable. His research focuses on improving the interoperability of research data repositories and ensuring data is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and reproducible. He holds a PhD from TU Wien in “Verification and Validation of Scientific Workflow Re-executions”.

Dr. Florina Piroi

Dr. Florina Piroi is a Senior Scientist at TU Wien, Centre for Research Data Management and Faculty of Informatics. She is involved in interdisciplinary and industry-related projects in the domain of data science, focusing specifically on data analytics/machine learning and underlying processes. She received her PhD from Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria, where her work concentrated on mathematical knowledge retrieval and automatic theorem provers. She is also an Information Retrieval researcher with experience in domain-specific search and search engine evaluation.

Time: April 1st, 15:00-18:00

Location: BOKU Exnerhaus Seminarraum 30 (EXNH-DG/46), Peter-Jordan-Straße 82/DG, 1190, Vienna

Language: German

Description:

Nachhaltigkeit ist auch aus dem Finanzbereich nicht mehr wegzudenken. Doch wie viel davon ist eigentlich Greenwashing? Solltest du dich mit Finanzmärkten auseinandersetzen oder lieber die Finger davon lassen? In den letzten Jahren ist Investieren, besonders unter jungen Menschen, zunehmend beliebt geworden. Doch was sind die entscheidenden Punkte, auf die man achten sollte?

Das und vieles mehr erfährst du in diesem Workshop!

Agenda:

• Grundlagen von Investment und Finanzwesen
• Wie du deinen persönlichen Finanzplan aufstellst
• Was nachhaltiges Investieren wirklich bedeutet und worauf du achten solltest
• Wie du mit deinen Investitionen einen echten Impact erzielen und Veränderungen bewirken kannst

Goals and Learnings:

Du erhältst ein tieferes Verständnis für nachhaltiges Investieren und lernst, Greenwashing zu erkennen. Zudem erfährst du, wie du mit deinem Kapital gesellschaftlichen und ökologischen Mehrwert schaffen kannst und wann es für dich als junge Person sinnvoll ist, zu investieren.

Lecturer:

Günter Berger

Günter Berger verbindet als BOKU Studierender und selbstständiger Berater im Finanzbereich zwei wichtige Themenbereiche: Nachhaltigkeit und das Finanzwesen. Mit über 6 Jahren Investment-Erfahrung und der aktiven Betreuung von rund 300 Kund*innen bringt er wertvolle Praxiserfahrung mit, besonders für junge Menschen.

Time: April 2nd, 9:00 - 12:00

Location: Seminarraum 366, 27-29 - Neu El (Gußhausstraße 25-29) - Stiege 3, 1040, Vienna

Language: English

Description:

Jeff Bezos, billionaire businessman and self-proclaimed philanthropist, once said:

"Your brand is what others say about you when you leave the room."

In other words, whether you realize it or not, you already have a brand. Congratulations!

But here’s the catch: right now, your brand is probably an accident—the inevitable result of everything you put out and how others perceive it. The real question is: Are you shaping this brand, or just leaving it to chance?

The "Go, Brand Yourself" workshop pulls back the curtain on branding, revealing how influential figures—from politicians and entrepreneurs to journalists and scientists—strategically shape their image and turn our perception into one of their greatest assets. This sharp, often humorous blend of lecture and hands-on exercises familiarizes you with key techniques, from brand positioning to storytelling, providing an intuitive, practical, and, above all, no-nonsense approach to owning your own narrative.

Agenda:

• A Matter of Perspectives – Key terms and essential models explained.
• Framing Excellence – How Personal Brands communicate—and why it works.
• From Accident to Purpose – How to focus communication—while staying true to yourself.
• A Shortcut to Meaning – How to lay the foundation of your own brand—without marketing expertise.
• Outlook – How your brand’s character influences communication—a Case Study.

This workshop lays the foundation for:

• Understanding Branding Fundamentals – Distinguish between brand and branding and recognize how perception shapes reality.
• Applying Branding Insights – Understand how brands and professionals shape perception—and how to do the same.
• Positioning Yourself Effectively – Define a clear and recognizable brand character instead of trying to appeal to everyone.
• Leveraging Framing Techniques – Control narratives by directing attention to what truly matters.
• Branding Yourself – Build an authentic and strategic identity with confidence.

Lecturer:

Mag. Florian Haemmerle

Florian is a brand strategist & designer—and the former CEO of his own branding company. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he decided to follow his desire for greater independence and founded David—The Designers Assembly for Visual Identity.

More than an agency, David is a principle—a dynamic collective of creatives that scales as needed, always bringing together the right talent for the right job. Rooted in strong values, David gives Florian the freedom to say 'no'—a stark contrast to the often restrictive realities of running a traditional business and, as he puts it, one of the greatest freedoms an entrepreneur can have.

Time: April 3rd, 13:00 - 17:00

Location: Seminarraum 366, 27-29 - Neu El (Gußhausstraße 25-29) - Stiege 3, 1040, Vienna

Language: English

Description:

Got a problem that won’t let you sleep at night? Learn how to turn it into a startup solution using entrepreneurial design, customer insights, and validation techniques!

Agenda:

• Understand your customer & problem deeply
• Design your Business Model & Value Proposition
• Test & Validate: Will your idea actually work?
• Pitch with Impact & Authenticity

This workshop lays the foundation for…

• Developing a structured business model using the Business Model Canvas.
• Identifying and analyze real-world problems in a solution-oriented way.
• Validating ideas with real customer insights.
• Delivering impactful and authentic startup pitches.
• Applying an entrepreneurial mindset to their own projects and careers.

Lecturer:

Christoph Nowotny, BSc.

Christoph Nowotny is the Founder of Dextrovert, Entrepreneurship & Pitching Trainer and has mentored over 200 startups in pitching and spreading their ideas with the world in an impactful way. As an introvert, Christoph has learnt to use his strengths strategically and see challenges as opportunities - an attitude that helped him to run a martial arts school at the age of 18 and create Europe's largest martial arts system.

Today, he uses this experience in his workshops to show people how to develop their unique character traits and improve their communication skills. As an entrepreneurship trainer, at Austrian Startups, founder of Dextrovert communication trainings and podcaster for companies, Christoph has a lot of experience in communication and presentation. His goal is to help particularly introverted talents to step out of the shadows and realise their superpowers.

Time: April 9th, 09:00 - 13:00

Location: Seminarraum CHEG - ETIT, Gußhausstraße 25-25a, 1040, Vienna

Language: English

Description:

Data and discoveries are powerful—but without a compelling story, they can get lost in translation. This interactive workshop is designed for students, scientists, and researchers looking to make their work more engaging and accessible. Learn how to transform complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives that capture attention, inspire action, and resonate with diverse audiences.

Join us to sharpen your storytelling skills and bring your research to life!

Agenda:

• Introduction and the Power of Storytelling
• The Anatomy of a Compelling Story
• Tailoring Stories for Different Audiences
• Crafting Your Story
• Practice, Practice, Practice

This workshop is designed to be interactive and give you the opportunity to practice building skills and not just storytelling theory.

This workshop lays the foundation for…

• Learning the elements of crafting a compelling story
• Creating your own elevator pitch
• Understanding how to better communicate technical scientific or research concepts to a non-technical audience

The goal is to not only help you communicate your ideas more clearly but also to build your confidence in speaking publicly.

Lecturer:

Julie Sufana, BSc., MSc.

Julie Sufana is a seasoned marketing generalist with a diverse background in business development, entrepreneurship, and project management. She currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer at contextflow GmbH, an award-winning startup focused on developing AI-powered medical devices to combat the 3 leading causes of premature death globally.

Julie is an Advisor-in-Residence at the Technical University of Vienna’s Innovation Incubation Center (i2c), supporting early-stage startups with their pitching and storytelling skills, which she built from her decade-long experience working in the entertainment industry.

She holds a BSc from the University of Southern California (USC) and an MSc from Vienna University of Business & Economics (WU). In her free time, you’ll often find Julie on her yoga mat or running long distances.

Time: April 10th, 09:00 - 13:00

Location: WU Gründungszentrum, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Welthandelspl. 1, 1020 Wien

Language: English

Description:

Today, people are the most valuable resource. However, finding the right people for your team can be challenging. How do you build a strong team? Should you only evaluate professional qualifications, or should personal qualities also be considered?

In our workshop, we will answer these questions and more. We will discuss how to select people for your team, form a team, and motivate them. Our speaker will provide you with practical frameworks based on their experience. These frameworks will help you better understand people’s characteristics, motivations, and strengths.

Agenda:

• Introduction
• Tools for finding people
• Tools for identifying the necessary characteristics of a person: professional and personal
• Forming a candidate profile
• Theoretical part: the framework of identifying human motivation and forming a solid team

This workshop lays the foundation for…

• Learning practical tools and techniques for selecting and interacting with potential team members
• Creating a candidate profile
• Acquiring a toolset to form a strong team
• Understanding how to motivate your team
• Deriving specific steps to take for building your dream team

Lecturer:

Yana Reznyk, BSc.

Yana Reznyk is an expert in human resources and career development. She holds a business degree from WU and psychology from the Open University in London. She has also completed coaching education at Erickson University of Coaching in Canada.

With more than 5 years of experience in career coaching and 2 years of experience in HR, Yana has conducted over 40 workshops and 100 career coaching sessions, working with both adults and students as a team leader.

Yana's unique background in business and psychology has helped her understand both the needs of companies and the desires of employees, allowing her to foster strong cooperation and achieve significant business results while ensuring employee satisfaction.

She also founded the "FutureMaker" program, a comprehensive career orientation program consisting of 11 modules designed for young people.

In 2022, Yana served as the team leader of the BBE Ukraine program, a career-oriented program for refugees from Ukraine which saw over 1000 participants. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and skills and regularly conducts trainings and workshops.

Time: April 29th, 16:00 - 19:00

Location: ONLINE (a Zoom link will be sent in advance to registered participants)

Language: English

Description:

Your innovations deserve protection. This interactive workshop, led by experts from the Austrian Patent Office, will guide you through the essentials of intellectual property (IP) — from patents and trademarks to design rights.

Through real-life examples, you'll discover how successful innovators protect their work — and what happens when they don’t. Whether you're developing a product, brand, or groundbreaking technology, this session will equip you with the tools to turn creativity into protected assets.

Agenda:

• Welcome & Introduction
• Understanding Intellectual Property (IP)
• Deep Dive: Patents
• Trademarks & Design Protection
• Q&A & Open Discussion
• Closing & Key Takeaways, Next Steps

This workshop lays the foundation for…

• Understanding the fundamentals of intellectual property — patents, trademarks, and design rights.
• Identifying what can and cannot be protected under IP law and why this is crucial for startups and innovators.
• Differentiating between trademarks and design protections and knowing when to use each.
• Getting familiar with the patent application process and learning to avoid common mistakes that can jeopardize your rights.
• Connecting with experts from the Austrian Patent Office and gaining resources for your own innovation journey.

Lecturers:

Dr. Hildegard Etz

Dr. Hildegard Etz has been a technical examiner at the Austrian Patent Office since 2004. In addition to her main job of examining patent applications, she travels throughout Austria as an ambassador for the Patent Office, giving lectures, leading workshops and advising on all issues relating to IP protection.

Mag. Gudrun Strasser

Mag. Gudrun Strasser has been working at the Austrian Patent Office in the legal department for Austrian trademarks since 2006. Her areas of activity include examining the protectability of trademarks and assessing oppositions. She specializes in the national brand.

Time: May 5th, 16:00 - 20:00

Location: Seminarraum CHEG - ETIT, Gußhausstraße 25-25a, 1040, Vienna

Language: English

Description:

Celebrate Achievements. Connect For The Future.

As the aptiTUdes.Lab workshop series comes to a close, we invite you to join us for a memorable evening of reflection, recognition, and connection. This event is about celebrating the skills you’ve gained, the collaborations you’ve built across disciplines and universities, and the community you are now a part of.

We’ll be awarding participation certificates to those who completed three workshops — but the journey doesn’t end here. By taking part in aptiTUdes.Lab, you’ve joined a growing network of curious, driven individuals who support each other’s growth and success.

Let’s come together one last time — for good conversations, new connections, and drinks provided by the TU Wien Innovation Incubation Center (i²c) — and carry the spirit of aptiTUdes.Lab forward.

Agenda:

• Welcome & Reflections — Looking back at what we’ve achieved together
• Certificate Ceremony — Recognizing your commitment and participation
• Cross-Disciplinary Networking — Connect with fellow participants and collaborators
• Drinks & Informal Networking — Celebrate the end of the series, but not the end of the community