Innovating Health.Transforming Lives.
Welcome to MedLifeLab – the innovation hub and strategic venture builder of the Medical University Innsbruck.
We empower researchers to transform knowledge into impact – creating spin-offs and partnerships that advance medicine and life sciences, improve health, and benefit society.
MedLifeLab Sparks 2025
An inspiring evening at the forefront of innovation! Researchers, innovators, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs explore how academic excellence and entrepreneurial spirit are shaping the future of medicine and life sciences. Featuring engaging keynotes, pioneering spin-offs, and the launch of MedLifeLab, this event offers insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and an innovation exhibition.
We deliver medical innovations thathumanity needs.
- We support innovative and passionate scientists in turning their ideas into patents, scalable business concepts and marketable inventions.
- We encourage students at MUI to work on innovations early in their medical education and to explore diverse career paths.
- We offer extensive mentoring and services in idea exploration, IP management, regulatory navigation, and business development as well as financing options that significantly accelerate start-ups in the complex life sciences sector.
- We provide network access for internationalization and build long-lasting partnerships in biotech and industry.
We create international medical innovation ecosystems that benefit society.
- We connect start-ups, research institutions, investors, and industry experts.
- We support investors who are looking for opportunities to invest in medical and life science innovations.
- We establish a trustworthy innovation ecosystem with a shared purpose, characterized by outstanding quality and qualifications of its participants, both in Tyrol and beyond.
- We offer a robust collaboration platform designed to adapt to future challenges in the medical innovation landscape.
We make medical science understandable and transparent to everyone.
- We help innovators in creating an inspiring and understandable story around their innovation.
- We design innovation communication strategies and provide tailor-made communication training so that innovators can effectively deliver their message to relevant audiences.
- We create remarkable events that provide a supportive stage for innovators to further develop their innovation.
- We ensure that user feedback is implemented in the development process from the start.
Innovation Path
We help you build your business through a tailor-made innovation process and an
accompanying upskilling program, which is based on your and your team’s strengths as well
as the needs of your project. We are experts in business creation and development across
the entire innovation and development cycle.
We offercustomized support
Access to Infrastructure
Access to Scientific Community
Access to Industry Partners
Access to Investment
Our Partners
MedLifeLabTeam
Birgit Hochenegger-Stoirer
Elisabeth M. Stiegler
Martin Ellmerer
Tatjana Heckel
Sandra Schaffenrath
Birgit is a finance expert with over 20 years of experience in international industries, specializing in financial restructuring, capital raising, and strategic realignment. She is a dynamic leader with a strong track record in founding and scaling businesses, including co-founding the global hydropower fund AIFMG (enso hydro GmbH) with a network of investors. Passionate about driving sustainable impact through finance and digitalization, Birgit takes a collaborative approach to problem-solving with fresh, innovative ideas. She is currently Vice-Rector for Finance, Digitalization, and Innovation at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, after holding Vice-Rector positions in finance, law, and digital transformation at the Medical Universities of Innsbruck and Graz. Birgit initiated MedLifeLab as the university innovation hub and company and served as its founding Managing Director before joining the advisory board. Here, she continues to contribute her expertise in developing sustainable financing strategies and maintaining investor relationships to ensure MedLifeLab's growth.
Elisabeth is an expert in entrepreneurship, general management, and organizational development with over 15 years of experience at the intersection of business, technology, and academia. She combines deep academic expertise with practical industry insight to drive innovation and build sustainable business strategies. Her research focused on entrepreneurship, business models, and corporate venturing, with a strong passion for fostering collaboration between startups, universities, and corporations. As Vice President of the Gründungsgarage Academic Startup Accelerator, she has supported more than 140 startup projects and helped shape Austria’s startup ecosystem.
At MedLifeLab, Elisabeth serves as Managing Director with responsibility for developing the innovation ecosystem in medicine and life sciences. She builds partnerships between academia, healthcare, and industry, strengthens a community of founders and innovators, and establishes entrepreneurship as a credible career path for scientists. Her work focuses on creating the structures, relationships, and visibility needed to move scientific discoveries toward real-world application.
Martin is an experienced manager and entrepreneur in medical technology with more than 25 years of experience spanning research, development, and commercialization. He co-founded two MedTech startups in diagnostics and successfully established a development and production site for the MedTech and pharmaceutical industries in Graz. Martin led a medical product from production setup and clinical trials through to market launch, gaining extensive expertise in regulatory processes and product scaling. Earlier in his career, he spent over a decade in basic and applied medical research in Austria and the U.S., including as scientific lead for EU-funded projects. In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, he advises startups across Austria, Switzerland, and Norway.
At MedLifeLab, Martin serves as Managing Director, where he leads venture scouting, business model design, and business creation. He focuses on identifying promising research with market potential, shaping new ventures at the interface of medicine and entrepreneurship, and guiding innovative ideas toward successful commercialization.
Tatjana is a specialist in technology transfer, intellectual property (IP) management, and research coordination. She supports scientists and research institutions in protecting, commercializing, and strategically leveraging their innovations. With extensive experience in patenting, licensing, and collaborative research agreements, she builds bridges between academia and industry, ensuring that scientific discoveries create real-world impact. With a background in chemistry and expertise in research management and project acquisition, Tatjana successfully navigates complex innovation ecosystems. She has led research institutions, facilitated interdisciplinary collaborations, and guided researchers through funding applications and strategic partnerships. Additionally, she is actively involved in science communication and public engagement, strengthening the visibility and societal relevance of research. By combining scientific expertise with strategic IP and technology transfer management, Tatjana contributes to the sustainable development of innovation ecosystems. Her mission is to help research institutions maximize the societal and economic value of their discoveries.
Sandra is an experienced expert in patent law and life sciences, with deep expertise in quality management within the pharmaceutical industry. She earned her PhD from the Medical University of Innsbruck in personalized immunotherapy and has a strong background in immunology, oncology, and molecular biology. Sandra’s analytical mindset and excellent communication skills allow her to work efficiently with interdisciplinary research teams and international stakeholders. In her current role, she operates at the intersection of research, innovation, and law, overseeing patent prosecution, international IP portfolios, and licensing. As Intellectual Property Manager at MedLifeLab, Sandra is your go-to person for science and technology transfer and is responsible for intellectual property strategies, especially for patent matters.
Birgit Hochenegger-Stoirer
Birgit is a finance expert with over 20 years of experience in international industries, specializing in financial restructuring, capital raising, and strategic realignment. She is a dynamic leader with a strong track record in founding and scaling businesses, including co-founding the global hydropower fund AIFMG (enso hydro GmbH) with a network of investors. Passionate about driving sustainable impact through finance and digitalization, Birgit takes a collaborative approach to problem-solving with fresh, innovative ideas. Currently, she serves as Vice-Rector for Finance, Law, and Digitalization at the Medical University of Innsbruck, after a successful term in the same role at the Medical University of Graz. Birgit initiated MedLifeLab as the university innovation hub and company and has been Managing Director since its foundation. Her core responsibilities at MedLifeLab include developing sustainable financing strategies and managing investor relationships to ensure MedLifeLab's growth.
Elisabeth M. Stiegler
Elisabeth is an expert in entrepreneurship, general management, and organizational development, with over a decade of experience at the intersection of business, technology, and academia. She combines deep academic knowledge with practical industry expertise to drive innovation and build sustainable business strategies. Her research focuses on entrepreneurship, business models, and corporate venturing, with a passion for fostering collaboration between startups, universities, and corporations. As Vice President of the Gründungsgarage Academic Startup Accelerator, Elisabeth has supported over 140 startup projects and helped shape the startup ecosystem in Austria. At MedLifeLab, she continues to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and community building. Elisabeth is responsible for community management and strategic partnerships, developing education initiatives, and fostering entrepreneurship as a career option for scientists.
Martin Ellmerer
Martin is an experienced manager in medical technology with over 25 years of experience in founding startups, managing companies, R&D, and product commercialization. He has co-founded two MedTech startups in diagnostics. He has successfully established a development and production site in the MedTech and pharma industries in Graz and led a medical product from production setup and clinical trials to market launch. Earlier in his career, Martin spent over 10 years in basic and applied medical research in Austria and the U.S., including as scientific lead for EU projects. Alongside his entrepreneurial work, he advises startups across Austria, Switzerland, and Norway. At MedLifeLab, Martin is responsible for technology management, scouting and business model design as well as business creation and development.
Tatjana Heckel
Tatjana Heckel is a specialist in technology transfer, intellectual property (IP) management, and research coordination. She supports scientists and research institutions in protecting, commercializing, and strategically leveraging their innovations. With extensive experience in patenting, licensing, and collaborative research agreements, she builds bridges between academia and industry, ensuring that scientific discoveries create real-world impact. With a background in chemistry and expertise in research management and project acquisition, Tatjana successfully navigates complex innovation ecosystems. She has led research institutions, facilitated interdisciplinary collaborations, and guided researchers through funding applications and strategic partnerships. Additionally, she is actively involved in science communication and public engagement, strengthening the visibility and societal relevance of research. By combining scientific expertise with strategic IP and technology transfer management, Tatjana contributes to the sustainable development of innovation ecosystems. Her mission is to help research institutions maximize the societal and economic value of their discoveries.
Sandra Schaffenrath
Sandra is an experienced expert in patent law and life sciences, with deep expertise in quality management within the pharmaceutical industry. She earned her PhD from the Medical University of Innsbruck in personalized immunotherapy and has a strong background in immunology, oncology, and molecular biology. Sandra’s analytical mindset and excellent communication skills allow her to work efficiently with interdisciplinary research teams and international stakeholders. In her current role, she operates at the intersection of research, innovation, and law, overseeing patent prosecution, international IP portfolios, and licensing. As Intellectual Property Manager at MedLifeLab, Sandra is your go-to person for science and technology transfer and is responsible for intellectual property strategies, especially for patent matters.
Jobs
We’re building the future of health innovation. Be part of it – opportunities coming soon.