Austrian Business Agency
Austria's national investment-promotion agency for attracting and supporting foreign companies establishing operations in the country.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Austrian Business Agency (ABA), also presented as ABA-Invest in Austria, is the national investment-promotion company of the Republic of Austria. Its role is to attract foreign direct investment and help international companies establish subsidiaries, branches, production facilities, research activities, or other business operations in Austria. Rather than selling consumer products, the organization markets Austria as a business location and provides advisory services to prospective and expanding investors. The agency began in 1982 as ICD Austria, an investment-settlement organization founded by ÖBAG. It adopted the name Austrian Business Agency in 1995. In 2007, marking its 25th anniversary, it introduced a new corporate design and increasingly used the name ABA-Invest in Austria, a formulation intended to make its investment-promotion purpose clearer. The organization is therefore best understood as a public-sector corporate and service brand rather than a conventional commercial company. ABA's work covers the full early and expansion stages of an investment project. It provides information about Austria's economic, political, legal, tax, labor, and infrastructure environment; helps companies identify suitable locations; supplies comparative information on costs and business sectors; and connects investors with relevant public authorities, regional bodies, service providers, and other contacts. It also advises existing international companies on expansion investments. The agency's objective is to communicate Austria's industrial and commercial strengths internationally and compete with other countries and regions for foreign direct investment. The organization has supported the establishment of operations by prominent international companies including Sony, Infineon, IKEA, Matsushita Electric Works, Hutchison Mobilfunk, Holmes Place, and Starbucks. These examples illustrate the breadth of sectors served, spanning electronics, consumer goods, telecommunications, fitness, and retail or hospitality-related activities. ABA also supports startup investment projects and works across Austria's federal provinces, with Vienna historically receiving the largest share of supported location projects. A specialized ABA organization, Location Austria, has promoted Austria as an international film location since 1998. In cooperation with Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH, Location Austria coordinates funding measures under Film Industry Support Austria, an initiative of the responsible federal ministry. The scheme supported eligible Austrian cinema production costs through a non-repayable grant of 25 percent, and its continuation was extended after reported success. This film-location activity broadens ABA's remit beyond conventional industrial or corporate investment promotion. In 2019, ABA reported a record year: it supported 462 international companies in setting up operations in Austria. The projects represented EUR 1.85 billion in investment and 4,896 newly created jobs. Germany remained the leading source market with 143 projects, followed by Italy with 45. Twenty-four British companies established Austrian operations with ABA support, while 89 projects originated in Central and Southeastern Europe. ABA also supported 28 startups, ten more than in 2018. Vienna accounted for 235 projects, followed by Salzburg with 44, Lower Austria with 39, Upper Austria with 37, Tyrol and Carinthia with 33 each, Styria with 27, Burgenland with seven, and Vorarlberg with six. These figures describe a public investment-promotion program's reported outputs rather than commercial sales.
History
The Austrian Business Agency developed from Austria's public effort to attract internationally mobile business activity and strengthen the country's profile as an industrial and commercial location. It was established in 1982 as ICD Austria by ÖBAG. Its original function was to assist with the settlement of business operations and to promote Austria to potential international investors. In 1995, the organization adopted the name Austrian Business Agency, giving the investment-promotion body a more direct and internationally usable identity. The agency's mandate centers on foreign direct investment. It competes with investment-promotion organizations in other countries by communicating Austria's economic advantages and reducing the practical complexity of establishing a business there. Its assistance includes explanations of the country's economic, political, and legal framework; support in making contacts with Austrian institutions; identification of possible sites; collection of information on labor, infrastructure, taxation, and other cost factors; and advice on expansion projects. The service is intended to cover both initial market entry and later investment decisions. The agency marked its 25th anniversary in 2007 with a corporate-design change and greater use of the name ABA-Invest in Austria. The revised presentation made its core purpose more explicit: attracting investment into Austria. ABA's work has included support for international companies such as Sony, Infineon, IKEA, Matsushita Electric Works, Hutchison Mobilfunk, Holmes Place, and Starbucks as they established Austrian operations. A related specialization emerged through Location Austria, which has promoted Austria as an international film location since 1998. Working with Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH, it coordinates measures connected with Film Industry Support Austria. The initiative, associated with the federal economic and science policy framework, offered a non-repayable grant equal to 25 percent of eligible Austrian film-production costs for qualifying cinema projects. Its continuation was extended after the initiative was described as successful. ABA's reported 2019 performance provides a snapshot of its operating scale. It assisted 462 international companies with establishing operations in Austria. The projects represented EUR 1.85 billion of investment and 4,896 new jobs. Germany was the largest source market, with 143 projects, followed by Italy with 45. The agency also reported 24 projects from the United Kingdom, 89 from Central and Southeastern European markets, and 28 supported startups. Vienna was the leading destination with 235 projects, while Salzburg, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, Burgenland, and Vorarlberg accounted for the remainder. The available reference material does not identify current executives, a precise registered headquarters address, or a current official website URL.
- 2019
Reported record investment-promotion year
[1]ABA reported 462 supported international-company projects, EUR 1.85 billion in investment, and 4,896 new jobs.
- 2007
Corporate redesign and ABA-Invest in Austria identity
[1]On its 25th anniversary, the agency changed its corporate design and began using ABA-Invest in Austria to clarify its investment-promotion role.
- 1998
Location Austria begins film-location promotion
[1]The specialized Location Austria organization began promoting Austria as an international film location.
- 1995
Renamed Austrian Business Agency
[1]ICD Austria adopted the Austrian Business Agency name.
- 1982
Established as ICD Austria
[1]ÖBAG founded the business-settlement organization that later became the Austrian Business Agency.
Products and positioning
A government-backed, neutral investment-promotion and business-location advisory service presenting Austria as a base for international companies, startups, and selected film productions.
Investment promotion
Invest in Austria
ABA's core investment-promotion service supports foreign companies considering or undertaking business operations in Austria. It supplies location and framework information, helps identify suitable sites, explains cost and tax considerations, and coordinates contacts with Austrian institutions and other relevant stakeholders. The service also extends to expansion investments by companies already operating in the country.
Film-location promotion · 1998
Location Austria
Location Austria is an ABA-affiliated organization focused on presenting Austria to international film producers and coordinating information about the country as a production location. Together with Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH, it has been involved in coordinating Film Industry Support Austria and related production-funding measures.
Film-production support
Film Industry Support Austria
Film Industry Support Austria is a public support initiative coordinated by Location Austria in cooperation with Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH. The referenced funding model provided a non-repayable grant equal to 25 percent of eligible Austrian film-production costs for qualifying cinema films. The model was extended after reported success.
Brand decisions
2007
Introduced ABA-Invest in Austria brandingStrategyBackground
The 25th anniversary provided an opportunity to modernize the agency's corporate presentation and make its purpose more immediately understandable.
Action taken
ABA changed its corporate design and used ABA-Invest in Austria as a more descriptive public-facing identity.
Aftermath
The investment-promotion purpose became more explicit in the agency's branding.
1995
Adopted the Austrian Business Agency nameStrategyBackground
The organization sought a clearer identity for its role in attracting and settling international business operations in Austria.
Action taken
ICD Austria was renamed Austrian Business Agency.
Aftermath
The new name became the agency's principal public identity before the later ABA-Invest in Austria branding.
Recent events
- 2019
ABA reports record investment-promotion results for 2019[1]
Other
The agency reported support for 462 international companies establishing operations in Austria, associated investment of EUR 1.85 billion, and 4,896 newly created jobs.
- 2019
ABA expands startup support activity[1]
Other
ABA reported that 28 startups were supported in establishing operations in Austria during 2019, ten more than in the preceding year.
Film Industry Support Austria funding model extended[1]
Other
The film-support funding model coordinated through Location Austria and Austria Wirtschaftsservice was extended for another two years following reported success.
Sources1 sources
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