Fireside Chat – Beyond Borders

Under the title “Beyond Borders: Navigating the Startup Global Journey,” we dive into one of the most exciting yet challenging chapters for any young company: taking the step beyond national borders. We will discuss how startups can successfully enter new markets, which strategic decisions are crucial in the internationalization process, and which common obstacles founders can expect along the way.

From market analysis and cultural adaptation to scaling processes and regulatory hurdles – we will explore what it truly takes to grow globally and succeed on an international stage.

Panelists

Katrin Wallner (Co-Founder & CEO, Lanbiotic)
Dominique Waddoup (Co-Founder & CEO, BirdShades)
Hannah Wundsam (Managing Director, Austrian Startups)

Moderator: Craig Matthews, Science Park Graz

Meet the Panelists

Katrin Wallner, Co-Founder and CEO of Lanbiotic

Katrin Wallner is the co-founder and CEO of Lanbiotic, a Graz-based biotech startup developing probiotic skincare for sensitive skin and neurodermatitis. With a strong medical background, she helped discover and patent a novel bacterial strain that restores the skin’s microbiome and has led Lanbiotic’s growth into several European markets, including Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy and Luxembourg. Her work bridges science and entrepreneurship, bringing innovative, microbiome-based solutions to patients and consumers across Europe.

Dominique Waddoup, Co-Founder and CEO of Birdshades

Dominique Waddoup is founder and CEO of BirdShades, an Austrian-based impact startup developing an innovative transparent window film that makes glass visible to birds – preventing deadly collisions – while remaining virtually invisible to humans. With a master’s degree in biology and animal behaviour from the University of Graz, she has guided BirdShades from scientific research to real-world implementation, targeting both residential and commercial buildings. Her work highlights how science-based entrepreneursip can create practical solutions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable building design. Birdshades is currently in expansion phase, pursuing to enter new markets in and outside of Europe.

Hannah Wundsam, Austrian Startups

Hannah Wundsam is the Managing Director of Austrian Startups and one of the most influential voices in Austria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Known for her visionary mindset and her ability to bring people, ideas, and opportunities together, she has played a key role in shaping a more accessible, inclusive, and innovation-driven startup landscape. Hannah is deeply committed to empowering founders, especially young and underrepresented entrepreneurs, and is the driving force behind numerous flagship initiatives, from education programs to policy advocacy. With her strategic clarity, contagious energy, and genuine passion for community-building, she has become a catalyst for positive change and a role model for the next generation of founders in Austria.

Special guests

Special guests at the Fireside chat are Robee Sallegue, the Commercial Specialist at the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the delegation of professors and female entrepreneurs from Oulu Business School from University of Oulu, Finland.

Agenda

17:00-17:30 – Registration

17:30-18:00 – Presenting the panelists and guests

18:00-19:00 – Fireside chat

19:00-21:00 – Networking with catering