On 19 March 2026, FI4INN results and pilot insights were presented in Klagenfurt (Austria) as part of the build! Demo Day, one of the flagship events of the regional innovation ecosystem in Carinthia.
By integrating the dissemination activity into an established ecosystem event, FI4INN reached a broad audience of around 200 participants, including startups, investors, public authorities, incubators, and innovation support organisations.
Bringing innovation finance into a real ecosystem setting
The FI4INN session introduced the Carinthian pilot action within a real-world entrepreneurial environment, ensuring strong visibility and direct relevance for regional stakeholders.
The presentation focused on:
- key challenges in the regional funding and financing landscape
- the need for a more coordinated funding–financing–support pathway
- the transformation of traditional grant instruments into hybrid and equity-oriented models
- initial results and lessons learned from the pilot process
This format helped position the pilot not as an isolated project activity, but as part of a broader discussion on the future of innovation finance in Carinthia.
From fragmented support to coordinated pathways
A central message of the presentation was the need to improve coordination between public funding, financing instruments, and support services.
The FI4INN pilot in Carinthia responds to a structural gap in the regional ecosystem: while support measures exist, the pathway from grants to growth financing is often fragmented and lacks continuity. The pilot therefore explores how traditional non-repayable grants can evolve into more sustainable hybrid or equity-oriented instruments.
Strong relevance for startups, investors and public actors
The Demo Day format enabled the session to reach not only established stakeholders, but also early-stage founders and potential future beneficiaries, broadening the impact of the dissemination activity.
Participants showed particular interest in:
- clearer and more transparent funding pathways
- stronger alignment between public support and private investment
- more sustainable use of public resources through revolving mechanisms
Informal feedback and discussions during the event confirmed that the challenges identified by the pilot—especially fragmentation, complexity, and lack of continuity—are highly relevant for the regional ecosystem.
A high-impact dissemination format
Embedding the FI4INN presentation into the build! Demo Day proved to be an effective and resource-efficient dissemination approach. It ensured strong outreach while benefiting from the event’s existing audience and dynamics.
The event also reinforced the importance of close cooperation between public authorities, financial actors and incubators, showing that ecosystem collaboration will be essential for the further development and implementation of the Carinthian pilot.
Looking ahead
Following the event, next steps for the pilot will focus on:
- refining the design of hybrid and equity-oriented instruments
- addressing regulatory and governance requirements
- strengthening coordination between KWF, CVF and build!
- further developing the pilot into a transferable model within the FI4INN framework
Overall, the Klagenfurt event confirmed the value of combining practical ecosystem engagement with strategic dissemination, helping FI4INN bring innovation finance closer to the actors who will shape its future.