This week marked the official start of the ACT track’s consulting projects, an exciting opportunity where students will collaborate with several local companies over the next few months. As a central part of the program, these projects aim to challenge the students to develop their own, innovative and creative solutions to real-world challenges faced by the participating companies.
The program began with a company visit to KEBA Group AG, a leading automation technology provider with over 50 years of experience in various core branches – industrial, handover, and energy automation. During the visit, students attended an insightful presentation by Thomas Linde and Julian Bauer about the company, while also getting an idea of its future-oriented innovation approach, true to its motto: “Automation by Innovation”. The highlight of the visit was an exclusive tour of KEBA’s “Inno Space,” where several of the company’s latest technological advancements and product prototypes were showcased. Through its interactive setup and the detailed explanation provided by Mr. Linde, all students gained deeper insights into the company’s innovation processes and discovered unique developments in the field of operations, with the group assigned to work with KEBA beginning to develop first ideas.
In addition to the company visit at KEBA, several company presentations took place, including insights from the JKU Business School Alumni Association & Global Business Alumni Group, Krawinkler Solutions, the Business Upper Austria/Softwarepark Hagenberg, and the WKO Export Center. These sessions allowed the students to slowly but surely familiarize themselves with their assigned consulting topics, while gaining a better understanding of each company’s operations, strategic objectives, and industry challenges. Looking ahead, the students will visit Voestalpine AG in the upcoming week, where the last group will be able to immerse themselves in the context of their project.
Stay tuned for updates on the teams’ progress and the innovative solutions they develop throughout this transformative consulting journey!
Company insights:
The ACT track consulting projects bring together a diverse range of companies and organisations, each with a strong business presence and a commitment to fostering innovation:
- KEBA Group AG – A globally recognized automation expert with more than 50 years of experience, specializing in industrial, handover, and energy automation. The company is especially known for its innovative work in robotics, payment solutions, and sustainable energy management.
- Voestalpine AG – A world-leading steel and technology group that delivers high-performance materials and solutions for industries such as automotive, mobility (aerospace), construction, consumer goods, energy, and mechanical engineering. The company is renowned for its focus on innovation, sustainability and digitalization in steel production.
- JKU Business School Alumni Association and Global Business Alumni Group – The alumni association at the JKU Business School is dedicated to fostering professional networks, providing career counselling, and offering exclusive training opportunities for graduates.
- Wirtschaftskammer Oberösterreich (WKO) Export Center – The central hub for international trade and export support in Upper Austria. The WKO Export Center assists domestic companies in expanding their businesses globally by offering expert consulting, market entry strategies, financial guidance, and networking opportunities with international partners.
- Krawinkler Solutions GmbH – A specialized consulting firm with a strong focus on business process optimization, digital transformation, and strategic growth. The company provides tailored consulting services in areas such as supply chain management, IT integration, and operational efficiency improvements.
- – Business Upper Austria – The economic development agency of the province of Upper Austria, playing a crucial role in driving regional innovation and investment. Business Upper Austria supports local and international companies by providing customised solutions for investment and innovation projects, attracting and retaining employees, and establishing valuable collaboration networks between different actors in the region.
Softwarepark Hagenberg – A renowned technology and innovation hub, specializing in networking and the development of digital technologies. Softwarepark Hagenberg works to bring together companies, startups, and research institutions to collaborate on fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital media. Softwarepark Hagenberg consists of eight different clusters that each highlight a different technological or networking domain.
Written by student assistants Chiara Paprotny and Leah Welsh Rugh
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