UAS Technikum Wien Students Experience Silicon Valley

At the beginning of July, UAS Technikum Wien enabled four students to spend two weeks in Silicon Valley. The participants Linda Herrmann, Iris Raab, David Oberleitner and Sebastian Winkler completed the ABC Bootcamp at San José State University and immersed themselves in the world of innovation and technology and visited several leading companies.

Visiting Stanford University and winning the Business Pitch Competition

The classes at the ABC Bootcamp with Professor Laszlo Gyorffy were exciting and varied. Interactive lectures, theoretical inputs and various projects challenged the participants to give their best. The focus was not only on innovative approaches to finding ideas, but also on their refinement process and effective presentation. A product had to be developed in a team and finally, as the highlight of the two weeks, presented effectively in a pitching competition. A four-member jury with many years of experience from the Silicon Valley environment selected the winning team, which also included the four students from UAS Technikum Wien.

Students got to know companies in Silicon Valley: Apple, Intel, Google, Siemens, Oracle and Co.

During the two weeks of their trip, Linda Herrmann, Iris Raab, David Oberleitner and Sebastian Winkler immersed themselves in the innovative spirit of Silicon Valley and learned a lot about the local mentality. They had the opportunity to visit companies such as Google, NetApp, Apple, Oracle, Intel, venture capitalists, the accelerator Plug and Play as well as Siemens Mobility and ProTerra to visit and take part in presentations.

The students from four faculties gained insights into the working methods of the technology giants and were able to benefit from the best practices and innovative approaches. Claire McConnell from ProTerra showed the participants the company’s innovative battery technologies and explained how ProTerra is contributing to a more sustainable future. At Siemens Mobility in Sacramento, they gained valuable insights into the challenges of digitalization and current IT projects from Chander Khanna and Mark Bennett.

The ABC Bootcamp offered students an intensive program led by professors and guest speakers with world-class knowledge in innovation and entrepreneurship. Participants learned how to recognize and leverage disruptive technology trends and worked in teams to perfect their startup ideas.

Sightseeing and WKO – Foreign Trade Austria visits

In addition to the intensive learning program, the students also had the opportunity to visit local sights and experience the culture of Silicon Valley. They used the time away from the ABC Bootcamp for a visit to the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO – Außenwirtschaft Österreich), for example. They were invited to San Francisco, where they were given valuable insights into the opportunities for Austrian companies in the Bay Area. A special moment of the trip was the visit to Stanford University.

Pride Parade in San Francisco

Another highlight was the visit to Lake Tahoe. There they were able to enjoy the crystal-clear (but also very cold) lake water and the idyllic surroundings. After the excursions into nature, they visited the coastal town of Santa Cruz and also had the opportunity to take part in the Pride Parade in San Francisco. It was a special experience to see San Francisco under exceptional circumstances on this day and to see how Pride is celebrated in the USA.

The trip to Silicon Valley gave the UAS Technikum Wien students valuable insights and inspiration for their future careers. They return with new ideas and perspectives that they can incorporate into their further studies and professional development. The experience and knowledge they gained in Silicon Valley will certainly have a lasting impact on their professional future.

“We would especially like to thank UAS Technikum Wien, as well as Rebeka Dajak, Sandro Sertić and Laszlo Gyorffy for organizing such an enriching experience,” said the students.

Further opportunities at UAS Technikum Wien

UAS Technikum Wien attaches great importance to the internationalization of its students. In addition to the excellence program in Silicon Valley, the university offers a wide range of opportunities for international networking and further education, such as excursions lasting several days, semesters abroad and acting as an international buddy for other students.

Further links:

Preliminary report: Off to California: UAS Technikum Wien sends four scholarship holders to Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley Summer School 2023: Four students in the innovation region

Summer School 2022: Impressions from Silicon Valley

In the pictures: The four students from UAS Technikum Wien on their trip to Silicon Valley in July 2024: Linda Herrmann, David Oberleitner, Iris Raab and Sebastian Winkler.

Picture Gallery – ABC Bootcamp and Company visits:

Picture Gallery – Leisure activities:

Video Gallery: