Act Local, Go Global
The final seminar in the specialization of International Marketing Management (IMM) is called "Global Business Planning”. This seminar, which was held during the Winter Semester 2024/25, was organized by Dr. Elfriede Penz and Mag. Matthias Heilbrunner. The main purpose of this seminar was to use market entry theory to develop effective strategies for entering new markets. Additionally, the seminar aimed to carefully evaluate decisions and marketing strategies. As a result, business plans were created for Austrian startups, along with internationalization strategies that are now ready to be implemented. The IMM students specifically focused on identifying a product, service, or brand and devising strategies to introduce them into foreign markets.
The projects of previous semesters can be found here
Winter Semester 2024/2025
| Company | Heres a short overview of the projects: |
| KISSA | KISSA, an Austrian brand of the AIYA family, has championed sustainable organic farming for over 40 years, offering premium, organic-certified matcha teas cultivated without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Collaborating closely with Japanese tea manufacturers, KISSA preserves matcha traditions while ensuring top quality and environmental responsibility. With the growing demand for wellness and organic products in the UAE, Dubai, the "Marketing Connoisseurs" team (Varvara Emelyanova, Daria Honokhova, Varvara Krylova, Diana Schreiber, Menyhért Vajda) has developed a market entry strategy for KISSA, aiming to establish a loyal customer base in the new market. |
| SASU | SASU, an Austrian design store, embodies a unique mix of high-quality, sustainable, and carefully curated products spanning fashion, interior design, cosmetics, and technical goods. With a strong emphasis on authenticity and craftsmanship, SASU collaborates with small and mid-sized businesses to offer timeless, beyond-mainstream pieces.Recognizing the Netherlands as a prime market for premium design and sustainability-conscious consumers, the "Borderless Marketing Strategists" team (Finn Jonas Alter, Anna Amiary, Katharina Jansen, Julia Kildjuschkin, Elena Lola Rüsch) has created a market expansion plan for SASU with a goal of opening a new store in Haarlem. |
| Almdudler | Almdudler, Austria’s iconic family-owned brand, has been crafting its beloved herbal lemonade since 1957. With a blend of alpine herbs and a closely guarded recipe, Almdudler remains a symbol of tradition and authenticity. Building on the brand’s success in BENELUX, Germany, and Central Europe, the "International Impact" team (Daniel Koch, Niklas Kosak, Isabel Ortner, Emilie Striegl, Philip Zeis) has developed a strategic market entry plan to introduce Almdudler to Swedish consumers, aiming to establish it as a refreshing alternative in the local beverage scene. |
| Vinumis KG | Vinumis KG, Vienna’s expert in premium non-alcoholic beverages, has been redefining indulgence since 2008. With a diverse range of alcohol-free wines, sparkling wines, and aperitifs, the brand is committed to sustainability and exceptional taste. As the demand for sophisticated non-alcoholic options grows, the "Synergy Squad" team (Michelle Atanelov, Alex Debertol, Viktoriia Hresko, Anastasiia Klymenko, Aljosa Knezevic) has created a strategic plan for entering the Hungarian market, aiming to introduce Vinumis as the go-to choice for those seeking full flavor without the alcohol. |
| Fratelli Barbaro | Fratelli Barbaro combines Italian culinary tradition with Austrian excellence, offering gourmet convenience foods crafted with premium regional ingredients. Known for its fresh gnocchi, ravioli, and authentic sauces, the brand delivers restaurant-quality taste in a convenient format. With a legacy rooted in decades of gastronomy and a strong presence in Austria, Fratelli Barbaro stands out for its commitment to quality, authenticity, and innovation. Recognizing Denmark’s growing demand for premium Italian cuisine, the "Global Visionaries" team (Icyliebe Metheline Cabacaba, Jana Matea Grandits, Johnny Ladinig, Mathilda Sophie Seebacher, Imola Janka Tóth) has developed a strategic expansion plan to introduce the brand to Danish consumers and establish a strong local presence. |
| Evergreen | Evergreen stands out as a pioneer in high-quality plant-based foods, specializing in gourmet organic tofu and fresh sprouts. Rooted in Austrian craftsmanship and inspired by Taiwanese tradition, the brand combines sustainable sourcing with innovative production to create tofu with a firm texture and refined taste and BIO-certified sprouts, grown year-round in Lower Austria. With growing interest in sustainable and nutritious foods, the “MarketChic” team (Marina Arai Abrahamyan, Mihaela Janeva, Stefani Stefanova Kaldramova, Kateryna Kashurina, Marina Maria Waltl) has developed a market entry strategy to introduce Evergreen’s premium products to health-conscious consumers in the Netherlands. |
| Sacher Torten Manufaktur GmbH | Sacher Torten Manufaktur GmbH embodies Viennese tradition, crafting the world-famous Original Sacher-Torte since 1832. Made with Franz Sacher’s secret recipe, each cake features a rich chocolate flavor, smooth apricot jam, and a glossy dark chocolate glaze. As part of the Sacher Group, the brand blends 19th-century elegance with modern indulgence. With the UK’s strong demand for premium baked goods, the “Cabman Group” team (Albert Dorofeev, Nina Harnischfeger, Antonia Johanna Heckmanns, Mira Antonella Mayr, Benedikt Lukas Schicht, Chrysanthos Skyllouriotis) has developed a market entry strategy to introduce this iconic Austrian delicacy to British consumers. |
| Kumari | Kumari redefines natural skincare by replacing water with 100% organic Aloe Vera plant juice, delivering deep hydration and visible skin regeneration. Rooted in Austrian expertise, the brand embodies wellness, sustainability, and holistic beauty. Operating in 20 European countries, Kumari offers vegan, cruelty-free formulations designed to enhance both skin health and overall well-being. Recognizing the UK’s demand for high-quality, plant-based cosmetics, the “Hexagon” team (Viktoria Radosavljevic, Sarah Sefer, Mariia Surina, Angelina Wörgetter, Mirna Yousif, Ying Miao Zhou) has crafted a strategy to launch Kumari’s pioneering skincare line in the British market. |
| FashionTouri | FashionTouri redefines shopping tourism by connecting international travelers with local fashion and design. The platform curates personalized shopping and sightseeing experiences, allowing visitors to discover unique brands beyond mainstream retail. With a vision to merge digital innovation and offline engagement, FashionTouri aims to expand its global footprint. Recognizing Istanbul’s vibrant fashion scene, the “Talented Managers” team (László Cziráki, Emre Hakan Karaca, Kerem Daniel Keki, Emirhan Tütüncü) has developed a market entry strategy to introduce FashionTouri’s services to style-conscious travelers in Turkey. |
| PopTop | PopTop specializes in ergonomic, height-adjustable desks designed to support children's natural need for movement while studying, playing, or creating. Manufactured in Austria with high-quality, sustainably sourced materials, PopTop desks empower children to choose between sitting, squatting, or standing, fostering creativity and comfort in their daily activities. By prioritizing adaptability and child-friendly design, PopTop aims to redefine learning spaces, making them more engaging and supportive of children's developmental needs. Acknowledging the growing demand for innovative children's furniture, the "Big Five" team (Viktoria Finster, Lisa Marie Jetzinger, Stefanie Maria Porodko, Jaris Steigenhöfer, Khrystyna Zapotichna) has designed a market entry strategy to introduce PopTop’s adaptable desks to families in the Netherlands. |
| Semester | Here is a short overview of the projects: |
|---|---|
| SS 2024 | XeNTIS is a Voitsberg-based leader in high-tech carbon bicycle components, specializing in lightweight, stable, and handcrafted carbon wheels. Known for pioneering carbon wheel production, the company has built a strong reputation for quality and innovation. In response to growing global interest, the group "Engaging Market" (Alexander Breuer, Laura Farmer, Luisa Lagger, Ines Pessenlehner, and Kristina Pöppl) developed a market entry strategy for XeNTIS to expand into the Sydney, Australia market, aiming to leverage the brand's unique craftsmanship and technology in a new region. |
| Frauenschuh, established in 1950 and headquartered in Kitzbühel, Austria, is celebrated for its luxury clothing line for men and women, including ski apparel, jackets, coats, sweaters, and accessories. Known for its timeless designs and commitment to exceptional quality, the brand places strong emphasis on craftsmanship and personal fulfillment. With deep roots in the Alpine traditions of Kitzbühel, Frauenschuh’s philosophy aligns well with the fashion-rich cultures of Veneto and Lombardy, Italy. “Team Frauenschuh” (Anna Di Donato, Emely Günther, Eva-Marie Rudolf, Iris Uiberrak, and Zlatina Valcheva) created a market entry strategy targeting these regions, aimed at increasing brand awareness, crafting unique content, positioning the brand in the premium high-quality segment, and establishing a loyal customer base. | |
| IMPIBAG, an Austrian brand founded in 2016 by Tina Glavanovitz, is celebrated for its blend of elegance, simplicity, and functionality in leather handbags. Specializing in luxurious leather phone cases designed to keep essentials close at hand, IMPIBAG caters to those who appreciate refined yet practical accessories. Team “Cosmo & Wanda Consulting Group" (Anna Bart, Hannah Herzog, Lynn Schauss, Eva Schmidtmayer, and Zeid Sediki) developed a strategy for entering the French market, focusing on partnering with local distributors in major cities to introduce IMPIBAG’s unique products to French consumers. | |
| Ebenbild is an Austrian company that specializes in handmade underwear and loungewear tailored to fit your body. Founded by Jennifer Windisch and Sophie Hutterer, the brand aims to challenge stereotypes of the “perfect body” by promoting body positivity through its designs. Each piece is crafted for comfort and adaptability, with an emphasis on high-quality materials and thoughtful design. The group "Fünf Freunde" (Simon Flatz, Jonas Pamminger, Vito Stefanutti, Husam Elawad, and Johanna Defranceschi) has developed a strategy for entering the Italian market, aiming to introduce the unique values of Ebenbild to new customers. | |
| Die Glaswelt – Empire of Glass is a family-owned company in Austria, passionately operated for three generations. Founded in the 1960s by Peter Kuchler I and Hilde Kuchler, the business has evolved from a traditional glass workshop into a hub for artistic craftsmanship under the leadership of Peter Kuchler II. The Kuchler family’s dedication to the unique material of glass has created a vibrant destination in Austria known as “Die Glaswelt,” where creativity and commitment to the art of glass are evident throughout the company. The "Marketmasters" team (Sueda Bakan, Leyla Kilic, Claudia Luef, and Karolina Trembecka) has developed a strategy to enter Paris, France, focusing on presenting the artistic skills and unique products of Die Glaswelt. | |
| Flasher is an Austrian technology startup that develops smart safety wearables to enhance visibility and safety for cyclists, e-scooter riders, and pedestrians. Their armbands feature an innovative snap mechanism for quick application around the upper arms and include functionalities like gesture-controlled turn signals, automatic brake lights, position lights, and vibration alerts. These features significantly improve the visibility and communication of users in traffic. The team "The Entrypreneurs" (Andreas Esterl, Antonin Lavicka, Moritz Roitner, Maximilian Santner, and Constantin Seyer) was working on a strategy to establish a strong brand presence in Sweden, particularly in Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö, with the goal of becoming a leading player in the bicycle accessories market. | |
| Sportogo is an Austrian rental platform for sports equipment, founded in 2021. With 50 locations across Austria and Germany, the company aims to be the leading digital platform for sports rentals. Through their app and automated rental stations, users can conveniently access high-quality sports gear anytime and anywhere—whether at a sports facility, park, pool, workplace, or hotel. Sportogo eliminates costs associated with purchasing, storing, and maintaining equipment, aligning with their vision: “Every sport, anytime, anywhere—Sportogo makes it possible!” The team "Four Sure" (Mirjam Gattei, Florian Goritschnig, Sára Stasová, and Sarp Taşkın Şenol) has developed a strategy to enter the Italian market. | |
| Barzflex is an Austrian company dedicated to making outdoor movement and fitness accessible. Specializing in the development, distribution, and construction of outdoor sports facilities, Barzflex promotes bodyweight training by providing tailored, high-quality solutions for both commercial and private clients. Barzflex actively supports the calisthenics and fitness community through various events, emphasizing their motto, "SPORT IS FOR EVERYONE." The team "Barzflex" (Alina Umarova, Ekaterina Litvinova, Julia Ettlmayr, Viktoria Gerhard, and Vladimir Artyushkin) was focused on setting a strategy for Barzflex to enter the Norwegian market. | |
| Wunderkern is an innovative Austrian company focused on reducing waste by transforming fruit pits, particularly from apricots, cherries, and plums, into healthy food alternatives. They produce vegan milk, cheese, spreads, and oils while promoting sustainability. With over 500 million kg of fruit pits wasted annually in Europe during juice and jam production, Wunderkern aims to end this waste by creating delicious and sustainable products from rescued fruit pits. The team "Kernretter" (Stefan Kanyik, Maya Lina Kremmel, Hanna Riebenbauer, and Tamás Ruff) has supported the company with entering the Swedish market, specifically Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. | |
| WM Fahrzeugteile Austria GmbH, headquartered in Vienna, is the second-largest car parts supplier in Austria, offering a comprehensive range of automotive parts, accessories, tires, and workshop equipment. With over 250,000 cataloged items, the company is one of Europe's leading wholesalers in the automotive sector. With over 200 sales locations across Europe and the USA, WM facilitates the automated commissioning of around 45 million items annually. The team "IMM Group 5" (Stefani Dimitric, Paul Simeon Ebner, Mario Kvasina, Konstantin Leeb, and Nadja Petrovic) has developed a market entry strategy for the Croatian market, specifically Zagreb. | |
| WS 2023/24 | Cabinski is an Austrian startup specializing in offering eco-friendly accommodation through its uniquely designed wooden cabins, nestled in the heart of nature. At present, Cabinski operates exclusively in Vorarlberg, Austria, with a total of two locations, but the company looks for the opportunities to internationalize. The group “MarketMasters” (Mahammad Alizada, Adriana Bonova, Magdalena , Szabo Zsofia Steiner, Anna Dorka Toth) created a franchising strategy for the company to enter Italy. |
| Shaped by iB is a Vienna-based fitness startup focusing on High-Intensity Interval Training. Their USP lies in the unique atmosphere coupled with tailored workout sessions led by in-house trained instructors. This combination has led to a constantly growing demand for their classes. The group “Global Minds” (Laurenz Maximilian Krebs, Alexander Gierlinger, Tobias Mathis, Kristian Kovacic, Maximilian Ken Stein) prepared a market entry strategy for the Netherlands, Rotterdam. | |
| Destillerie Reif (also known as Neper Destillate) is a young company based in Lower Austria that focuses on crafting innovative spirits under the principle of "quality over quantity," emphasizing the utmost quality and purity. Their diverse portfolio includes vodka, gin, whisky, and more, distinguished by their commitment to high-quality, semi-automatic production in Austria and an organic certification that enhances their value. The group “Brand Builders” ( Sophie Marie Cseri, Nora Essalihi, Samara Reisinger, Lea Salbrechter, Nikol Simeonova) created a strategy to enter France with the company’s flagship product NEPoLUXX . | |
| Hobby Lobby is an Austrian non-profit organization founded in 2018 that offers more than 350 free hobby classes to children from financially challenged families, aiming to bridge the gap between privileged and underprivileged kids. With around 10 venues across Austria, it has the capacity to serve over 4,000 young students. The group “International Gurus” (Larissa Petermaier, Amra Kuc, Melanie Kopal, Antonia Jekelfalussy, Amelie Kosmath) worked on the market entry strategy for Hobby Lobby for their expansion to Italy. | |
| OMV, an international oil and gas leader based in Vienna, Austria, specializes in exploring, producing, refining, and selling energy products. As a significant step towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the company is rolling out eMotion Ultra-Fast Chargers in Austria, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary. The group “5 Forces” (Andreas Lettner, Jakob Schlöglmann, Julian Riesel, Kathrin Nömayer, Tom De Staercke) developed a strategy for entering the market in the Czech Republic. | |
| NUSSY is an Austrian health-conscious brand for snacks, breakfast products and cooking ingredients founded in 2014 by Carina Rahimi-Pirngruber, driven by her own dietary needs. With over 100 food items and a new cosmetic line, the brand commits to sustainable, affordable nutrition, emphasizing responsible sourcing and pure, indulgent flavors. Their USP relies on the five key pillars: all of their products are vegan, organic, palm oil free, lactose free and have no added sugar. The group “Newhorizon” (Jakub Bartek, Marlene Böhm, Katja Gruber, Sevval Kademoglu, Victoria Kersten, Julian Nöbauer) prepared a market expansion strategy for NUSSYY’s cookies in Sweden. | |
| Genusskoarl, founded by Karl Severin Traugott in 2016, is a pioneering Austrian company in the production of high-quality condiments. Specializing in organic seasoning sauces, soy sauce, misos, fish sauce, and spice mixes, all sourced locally and crafted through traditional fermentation methods, the company has garnered acclaim in Austria and Germany. Emphasizing environmental sustainability and a distinctive umami taste, the company repeatedly received awards such as "Organic Product of the Year" and "Vegan Product of the Year". The group “The Six Marketeers” (Sophia de Lijzer, Linda Winkler, Kathrin Erlebach, Tim Björklund, Hannah Brückler, Katrin Wasmayer) created a strategy for Gennusskoarl’s miso paste to enter the Netherlands. | |
| Frunix, an Austrian company based in Carinthia, specializes in producing vegan, low-fructose, and low-sorbitol products. Founded four years ago, their diverse range now includes over 30 items, from cough drops to vegan honey and garlic oil, aiming to cater to a growing market of individuals diagnosed with dietary fructose intolerance while prioritizing taste, broad customer appeal, and positive health and environmental impact. The group “The Fast and the Curious” (Đorđe Despotović, Michelle Dorner, Lorita Isaki, Luca Joekel, Eva Muxel, Rachelle Tschakoschian) chose Honix (a vegan version of honey) for developing a market entry strategy for the Netherlands. | |
| Previous Semesters | |