From 1-9 May 2022, a delegation led by Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the provincial governor of Lower Austria, traveled to Austin, Denver, and San Francisco to promote Austrian-American business ties and collaboration on technology.
After a first stopping at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, the delegation visited the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas, followed by a meeting with Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The conversation focused on science and technology as a catalyst for economic growth. Further stops included a visit to “Cognitive Scale”, a tech-firm specializing in AI-technology and “Capital Factory”, the largest start up accelerator program and co-working space in Texas.
In Colorado, the delegation was hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as well as Austrian Firms F/List & Pilatus Business. In a follow-up meeting with Colorado's Vice Governor Dianne Primavera a “Memorandum of Understanding” was signed to deepen cultural ties and encourage scientific and technological collaboration between Lower Austria and Colorado. The trip concluded with a stop in San Francisco, where Johanna Mikl-Leitner met with Vice Governor of California Eleni Kounalakis.