Houska Prize 2026

Award Ceremony on 21 April 2026

Houska Prize 2026 Review

Austria’s top research projects were honored with the prestigious Houska Prize of the B&C Private Foundation on April 21, 2026, in front of more than 400 guests from academia and industry. The evening focused on the award-winning projects in the categories of University Research, Non-University Research, and Research & Development in SMEs. In 2026, for the first time, three projects per category were nominated, all of which were ultimately recognized as winners. In addition to scientific excellence, key criteria included the level of innovation, economic feasibility, and tangible impact.

TU Wien, AIT and sendance win the Houska Prize 2026

In the category of University Research, the team from TU Wien, led by Helmut Riedl-Tragenreif, impressed with micrometer-thin high-temperature coatings that make turbine components more resistant and extend their service life. In the category of Non-University Research, Bharath Varsh Rao and his team from the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology were recognized for "Voltera", an AI-based solution for the precise assessment and real-time management of low-voltage grids. In the category of Research & Development in SMEs, sendance, a company based in Linz, was awarded. The platform developed by the team around Robert Koeppe enables data-driven, highly precise customization of orthopedic aids, thereby improving patient care. The first-place winners receive prize money of €150,000 each.

The research team led by Gunpreet Coudert Oberoi and Ewald Unger from the Medical University of Vienna was awarded the Mariella Schurz Prize by students of the Sir Karl Popper School for their project “Smart Versatile Auto-Stop Navigation Drilling Platform (SVAN).”

Congratulations!

Watch project videos here.

The three categories – University Research, Research & Development in SMEs and Non-University Research – are evaluated independently of one another. Project submissions are evaluated in a two-step procedure by high-calibre Advisory Committees and an internationally recognized expert jury. The Advisory Committee engages external experts to provide a sound basis for evaluating the submissions. It proposes an initial ranking, on which the expert jury makes the final decision.

Three projects were nominated in each category. For the Mariella Schurz Prize, an upper highschool class from the Sir Karl Popper School selected its own winning project from among all nominated entries, regardless of the ranking assigned by the expert jury. The B&C Private Foundation awarded the Houska Prize at a ceremonial event on April 21, 2026. The total prize money amounted to €760,000. The first-place winners, as well as the Mariella Schurz Prize-winning team, also received a Houska Prize statue.

Houska Prize 2026: Award Ceremony on 21 April 2026

Live stream - 01:26 hrs, in German
Direction: Gregor Hofbauer
Production: Concept Solutions

Mariella Schurz Prize 2026

Students of the Sir Karl Popper School designed a dedicated statue for the Mariella Schurz Prize. Photo: Gregor Hofbauer

The Mariella Schurz Prize reflects the core funding priorities of the B&C Private Foundation: research and education. In cooperation with a high school class of the Sir Karl Popper School in Vienna, all nominated projects were re-analyzed and evaluated, giving students the opportunity to actively engage with cutting-edge research. The award was presented to a research team from the Medical University of Vienna for the “Smart Versatile Auto-Stop Navigation” drilling platform (SVAN), a technology designed to increase safety in surgical procedures.

Donia Lasinger, Head of Funding at the B&C Private Foundation, with students of the Sir Karl Popper School and the Houska Prize team. Photo: B&C

For the Mariella Schurz Prize, the B&C Private Foundation provides prize money of €10,000, thereby underlining the importance of the award for research and education. In addition, the winning team receives a Houska Prize statue, specially designed by students, as part of the ceremonial award presentation. This year, it was created by a highschool students from the Sir Karl Popper School in Vienna. Its color gradient transitions from red to blue and sparkles, symbolizing the radiance of research. Each statue is therefore a unique and lasting piece.