The favourite place for founders: by the lake
Founding a company is sometimes like jumping in at the deep end. Fortunately, the Wörthersee in Carinthia is considered the warmest lake in the Alps – and founders can work there at the Businessbeach in a relaxed atmosphere and decide for themselves when a refreshing dip would do them good. This is how work-lake balance works in Carinthia.
All beginnings are difficult, and this is often true for founders with new ideas for the world of tomorrow. Because no matter how good the future product or service may be, it takes a lot of strength, energy, confidence and many sleepless nights before the initial idea becomes a real business success.
Inspiration and exchange
Alongside consulting, funding, the right networks and good market access, an inspiring environment is all the more important. Founders can find a feel-good workspace at the Makerspace Carinthia, for example. The mix of workshop and various work opportunities leaves plenty of room – for intensive work, including the possibility of using high-performance equipment such as a water jet cutting system or an industrial 3D printer, and also for getting to know each other and networking.
Another hot spot for the startup community is the “see:PORT” in Pörtschach. With around 100 events per year, the startup centre regularly offers startup events that impart knowledge and provide a place for networking, including expert workshops, entrepreneurship evenings, fireside chats, innovation breakfasts and the InvestorCircle Talk. One of the most popular formats is “Start(up) Friday”, a pioneering innovation event that has been providing important impetus for the entrepreneur scene at see:PORT for several years.
Just 15 minutes away, founders will find one of the most special workplaces in the region, the Businessbeach. Laptop seats and the necessary infrastructure can be used there without prior reservation. “Sit down – log in – work – take a dip – repeat” are the simple instructions for working outdoors. In summer in Carinthia, the work-life balance quickly becomes a relaxed and refreshing work-lake balance.
© Michael Stabentheiner
A holiday feeling to recharge your batteries
For Susanne Palli, Managing Director of the startup go-e, founded in 2015, Lake Wörthersee is also the perfect place to recharge her batteries: “I think it’s particularly important in our field to always be able to relax and unwind. I like to paddle out into the middle of the lake and enjoy the view of the Pyramidenkogel tower.” There is no question that a lot of energy was required for the success story of go-e: the Austrian manufacturer is one of the pioneers of e-mobility, currently employs around 125 people and is synonymous with smart charging stations for electric cars with excellent value for money.
Susanne Palli now sees the Pyramidenkogel almost every day on her way to the office: the well-known landmark stands in the foyer of the company in the form of the “Carinthiacus Award”, an artistic sculpture made of glass. The award honoured Susanne Palli’s achievements, and in 2022 she was the first winner in the category of national projects. Today, it reminds her of what they have achieved together as a team with go-e: “For me, the Carinthiacus Award is a recognition of the performance and development of many great employees and at the same time a motivation to keep going.” Because the plans are (what else?) ambitious: go-e aims to become the market leader for e-chargers by 2030. Fortunately, Lake Wörthersee is not far away for paddling and recharging batteries.
Susanne Palli, CEO of go-e GmbH
“Carinthia in three words? Lakes, mountains, quality of life.”
