Draft:Houskapreis
 | Review waiting, please be patient.
This may take 5 weeks or more, since drafts are reviewed in no specific order. There are 2,573 pending submissions waiting for review.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Reviewer tools
|
| Houskapreis | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Application-oriented research in Austria |
| Sponsored by | B&C Privatstiftung |
| Location | Vienna |
| Country | Austria |
| Reward | 760,000 euros in total (2026) |
| First award | 2006 |
| Website | bcgruppe |
The Houskapreis is an Austrian research prize for application-oriented research, awarded each year since 2006 by the B&C Privatstiftung, a private foundation in Vienna.[1] It is named after Wolfgang Houska, who sat on the foundation's board from 2000 to 2005 and died a few months before the first ceremony.[2] The foundation describes it as the largest private prize for application-oriented research in Austria.[1]
The prize has three categories: research at universities, research at non-university institutions, and research and development in small and medium-sized enterprises. Since 2025 the total has been 760,000 euros.[3] The foundation states that it has awarded about 7.85 million euros in prize money since 2005.[4]
History
[edit]The B&C Privatstiftung created the prize in June 2005 under the name Dr.-Wolfgang-Houska-Preis für Wirtschaft und Forschung.[5] Wolfgang Houska was an auditor and tax adviser who died in May 2005.[6] The foundation calls him a former board member, while TU Wien calls him its chairman.[2][6]
The first ceremony was held on 25 January 2006 in the halls of the Vienna Stock Exchange. There were 22 submissions, judged by a jury of five chaired by Herbert Schimetschek. The prizes were presented by Gerhard Randa for the foundation, Veit Sorger as president of the Federation of Austrian Industries and Georg Winckler as rector of the University of Vienna.[5] Anton Glieder took first place and 100,000 euros, Rudolf Krska second with 50,000 euros and Hermann Hofbauer third with 30,000 euros.[7] The first round had 230,000 euros to distribute.[5] Until 2015 there was one category only, for university research; the 2014 round had 300,000 euros.[8]
A second category for research and development in small and medium-sized enterprises was added in 2016, and the total rose to 400,000 euros. Each of the two winning projects received 150,000 euros and the places from second to fifth 10,000 euros each.[9] For the 2019 round the foundation raised the total to 500,000 euros and opened the university category to private universities and universities of applied sciences, alongside the state universities, the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria.[10] That category was then called Universitäre Forschung; from the 2021 round the foundation has used the name Hochschulforschung.[11][1]
The 2022 round was a one-off All Stars edition given to two earlier winners.[12] On 1 September 2022 the foundation announced a third category for non-university research. Non-university institutions could enter for the first time, and the category was first awarded at the 2023 ceremony, bringing the annual total to 750,000 euros.[13]
The Mariella-Schurz-Preis was added in 2024, and its 10,000 euros brought the total to 760,000.[3] The 2025 round was the twentieth.[3] For 2026 the foundation cut the number of nominations from five to three per category and set the prize money at 150,000 euros for first place, 70,000 for second and 30,000 for third.[4] Entries for the 2027 round were open from 1 September to 28 October 2026, with the ceremony set for 20 April 2027.[14]
Categories
[edit]Hochschulforschung is open to universities, private universities, universities of applied sciences, the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria. Außeruniversitäre Forschung covers research institutions outside the universities based in Austria. Forschung & Entwicklung in KMU is for small and medium-sized enterprises that carry out research.[13][15]
Projects must have commercial application. In the first round the prize was open to researchers and teams at Austrian universities whose work had been carried out with Austrian companies during the previous three years.[5]
Selection
[edit]The three categories are judged separately in a two-stage process. Advisory boards commission external reviews and propose a first ranking, which an international jury then decides. Three projects are nominated in each category.[15] Up to 2025 there were as many as five, depending on the category.[16]
The 2026 jury was Markus Hengstschläger, Sabine Herlitschka, Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Stefan Poledna, Gerd Schatzmayr and Alexander Schwartz.[15]
Between about 2016 and 2021 an audience prize was decided by a live vote of the guests at the ceremony.[9] For the 2019 round the third place in each category, worth 20,000 euros, was reserved for that vote.[10]
Mariella-Schurz-Preis
[edit]The Mariella-Schurz-Preis has been awarded within the Houskapreis since 2024 in memory of Mariella Schurz, the foundation's secretary general. A senior school class assesses all the nominated projects and decides the winner as a jury. The award consists of a specially designed statue and 10,000 euros.[17]
The first went in 2024 to the project Feeblin at the CeMM, judged by a class from the BG/BRG Klosterneuburg.[18] In 2025 a class from the HTL Braunau chose Johannes Peham and Ivan Barisic of the Austrian Institute of Technology for a method of electrical cell lysis used in antibiotic resistance testing.[16] In 2026 a class from the Sir-Karl-Popper-Schule chose the SVAN surgical drilling project of the Medical University of Vienna.[19]
Trophy
[edit]
Winners have received a gold trophy designed by the Upper Austrian artist Michaela Schupfer since 2011. Schupfer drew on the actress and inventor Hedy Lamarr, and the statue shows her profile.[11][20] Sources differ on the first year it was presented: the foundation's 2018 information leaflet gives 2011 and its later page on the trophy gives 2012.[11][20]
Recipients
[edit]First places are recorded for every year. Second and third places appear only where a source gives them.[12]
University research
[edit]The category Hochschulforschung, called Universitäre Forschung until 2019.
| Year | Place | Recipient | Institution | Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 | Anton Glieder | Graz University of Technology and University of Graz | R-NHL, a plant defence system |
| 2006 | 2 | Rudolf Krska | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna | Mycotoxins |
| 2006 | 3 | Hermann Hofbauer | TU Wien | Renewable fuels from wood |
| 2007 | 1 | Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch | University of Innsbruck | Thiomers, a generation of polymeric excipients |
| 2008 | 1 | Horst Cerjak | Graz University of Technology | Materials for efficiency in power generation |
| 2009 | 1 | Lutz Sparowitz | Graz University of Technology | Bridges made of UHPC |
| 2010 | 1 | Helmut Clemens | University of Leoben | Intermetallic high-temperature material for aircraft engines |
| 2011 | 1 | C. Oliver Kappe | University of Graz | Microwave reactors for chemical synthesis |
| 2012 | 1 | Erich Gnaiger | Medical University of Innsbruck | Mitochondrial function |
| 2013 | 1 | Armin Hansel | University of Innsbruck | PTR-TOF trace gas analysis |
| 2014 | 1 | Reingard Grabherr | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna | Enzymatic detoxification of fumonisins |
| 2015 | 1 | Oskar Aszmann | Medical University of Vienna | Bionic reconstruction of the upper limb |
| 2016 | 1 | Stefan Pogatscher | University of Leoben | |
| 2017 | 1 | Gunda Köllensperger | University of Vienna | Green standards in metabolomics |
| 2018 | 1 | Stefan Ameres | Austrian Academy of Sciences | SLAMseq |
| 2019 | 1 | Wolfgang Lechner | University of Innsbruck | Quantum optimisation |
| 2020 | 1 | Harald Plank | Graz University of Technology | 3D nano-printing |
| 2021 | 1 | Golta Khatibi | TU Wien | High-reliability power electronics |
| 2023 | 1 | Michael Harasek | TU Wien | Processing and compression of hydrogen for fuel cells |
| 2023 | 2 | Robert Konrat | University of Vienna | Computational structural biology |
| 2023 | 3 | Sabine Brandt | University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna | Immunotherapy of papillomavirus-induced skin cancer in horses |
| 2024 | 1 | Jürgen Knoblich | Austrian Academy of Sciences | Organoid model of human brain development |
| 2024 | 2 | Giulio Superti-Furga | Austrian Academy of Sciences | Feeblin, an approach to autoimmune disease |
| 2024 | 3 | Paul Mayrhofer | TU Wien | Data storage in ceramic |
| 2025 | 1 | Annette Mütze | Graz University of Technology | Small electric drives in cars |
| 2025 | 2 | Christoph Hametner | TU Wien | Operating strategies for fuel cell vehicles |
| 2025 | 3 | Andrius Baltuska | TU Wien | ELAN, laser architectures |
| 2026 | 1 | Helmut Riedl-Tragenreif | TU Wien | Micrometre-thin high-temperature coatings |
Non-university research
[edit]The category Außeruniversitäre Forschung, awarded since 2023.
| Year | Place | Recipient | Institution | Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | Elisabeth Häusler | Salzburg Research | Connected ski boot |
| 2023 | 2 | Angela Sessitsch | Austrian Institute of Technology | EndoBoost, endophyte-based technologies for plant production |
| 2023 | 3 | Hendrikus van Herwijnen | Kompetenzzentrum Holz | Sustainable adhesive for wood materials |
| 2024 | 1 | Katrin Tiffner | Joanneum Research | Dermal open-flow microperfusion |
| 2024 | 2 | Bernhard Haslhofer | Complexity Science Hub Vienna | CryptoFinance |
| 2024 | 3 | Martin Kornfeld | Austrian Center for Medical Innovation and Technology | RALV |
| 2025 | 1 | Markus Makoschitz | Austrian Institute of Technology | MEDUSA, multi-megawatt fast charging on the medium-voltage grid |
| 2025 | 2 | Jürgen M. Lackner | Joanneum Research | Electrically conductive wood surfaces |
| 2025 | 3 | Roland Kocijan | Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft | Fracture Liaison Service in Austria |
| 2026 | 1 | Bharath Varsh Rao | Austrian Institute of Technology | Voltera, AI-supported grid management |
Research in SMEs
[edit]The category Forschung & Entwicklung in KMU, awarded since 2016.
| Year | Place | Recipient | Company | Project |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | Eva Prieschl-Grassauer | Marinomed Biotech AG | Treatment for colds and influenza infections |
| 2017 | 1 | Jens-Christian Schwindt | SIMCharacters GmbH | Premature infant simulator Paul |
| 2018 | 1 | Martin Putschek | Swimsol GmbH | SolarSea floating solar system |
| 2019 | 1 | Michael Zillich | Blue Danube Robotics GmbH | Airskin |
| 2020 | 1 | Christian Harwanegg | MacroArray Diagnostics GmbH | Allergy Explorer |
| 2021 | 1 | Jama Nateqi | Symptoma GmbH | Symptoma |
| 2023 | 1 | Bernhard Ronacher | Cube Dx GmbH | Compact sequencing for sepsis diagnostics |
| 2023 | 2 | Patrick Hergan | 4a manufacturing GmbH | CIMERA Radome |
| 2023 | 3 | Amir Sadeghipour | RetInSight GmbH | AI monitoring of wet macular degeneration |
| 2024 | 1 | Gerald Mitteramskogler | Incus GmbH | Lithography-based metal manufacturing |
| 2024 | 2 | Erich Neubauer | RHP-Technology GmbH | MeDiCo |
| 2024 | 3 | Andreas Krug | decide Clinical Software GmbH | GlucoTab |
| 2025 | 1 | Siegfried Einhellig | P+F Products + Features GmbH | TricValve transcatheter valve system |
| 2025 | 2 | Matthias Jeindl | Insort GmbH | Food sorting by chemical imaging |
| 2025 | 3 | Katharina Unger | Livin Farms AgriFood GmbH | Zero-waste insect protein plant |
| 2026 | 1 | Robert Koeppe | sendance GmbH | sendance platform |
All Stars 2022
[edit]In 2022 the prize was given once as an All Stars edition to two earlier winners: Stefan Pogatscher of the University of Leoben for work on the hardening kinetics of aluminium, and Clemens Zierhofer of the University of Innsbruck for a cochlear implant system using fine structure stimulation.[12]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Houskapreis" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Geschichte" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "20 Jahre Houskapreis: B&C Privatstiftung vergibt 760.000 Euro für österreichische Spitzenforschung" (Press release) (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2026 – via APA-OTS.
- 1 2 "Houskapreis 2026: B&C Privatstiftung vergibt 760.000 Euro für anwendungsnahe Forschung" (Press release) (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 1 September 2025. Retrieved 19 September 2026 – via APA-OTS.
- 1 2 3 4 "Der Dr. Wolfgang Houska-Preis" (PDF). Der Reaktor (in German) (73): 22. 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Dr. Wolfgang Houska Preis 2008" (in German). TU Wien. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Die ersten Houska-Preise vergeben" (PDF). Chemiereport (in German) (1/2006): 43. 2006. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Houskapreis 2014: BOKU Wien gewinnt Forschungspreis der B&C Privatstiftung" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Houskapreis 2016" (PDF) (in German). Medical University of Graz. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Start für Houskapreis 2019: B&C erhöht Preisgeld auf insgesamt 500.000 Euro" (Press release) (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2026 – via APA-OTS.
- 1 2 3 "Infoflyer Houskapreis 2019" (PDF) (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Preisträger" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Houskapreis 2023: Außeruniversitäre Forschungseinrichtungen können erstmals einreichen" (Press release) (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2026 – via APA-OTS.
- ↑ "Houskapreis 2027: B&C Privatstiftung sucht Forschung mit wirtschaftlicher Wirkung" (Press release) (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 2 September 2026. Retrieved 19 September 2026 – via APA-OTS.
- 1 2 3 "Jury und Fachbeiräte" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Das war der Houskapreis 2025" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Mariella-Schurz-Preis" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Das war der Houskapreis 2024" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- ↑ "Das war der Houskapreis 2026" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Houskapreis-Trophäe" (in German). B&C Privatstiftung. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
External links
[edit]Category:Austrian science and technology awards Category:Awards established in 2006 Category:2006 establishments in Austria Category:Research awards