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Xista Science Ventures operates as a venture capital firm, specializing in seed-stage investments for science-driven companies across Europe. It focuses on deep tech and life science academic spin-offs, backing enterprises built on profound research. The firm leverages an interdisciplinary approach to commercialize scientific advancements.
Founded in 2017 in Klosterneuburg, Austria, Xista Science Ventures emerged as an independent venture arm linked to the Institute of Science and Technology Austria. The insight was to bridge the gap between scientific innovation and market viability, creating a firm adept in both scientific discovery and venture financing to empower deep tech founders.
The firm partners with visionary science start-ups and academic spin-offs in deep tech and life sciences. Xista Science Ventures' vision is to cultivate an environment where groundbreaking scientific research translates into impactful market solutions. It aims to build a robust portfolio by nurturing research-intensive companies from their earliest stages.
Key people at xista science ventures.
xista science ventures was founded in 2017 by Markus Wanko (Founder and Managing Partner).
xista science ventures was founded in 2017 by Markus Wanko (Founder and Managing Partner).
xista science ventures has 3 tracked investments across 3 companies. The latest tracked deal is $3.1M Seed in AVES Reality in January 2026.
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 14, 2026 | AVES Reality | $3.1M Seed | Benedikt Kronberger | Bayern Kapital, Fraunhofer, Lightfield Equity, Xdeck |
| Jan 8, 2026 | vitrealab | $11.0M Series A | Marco Cravetto | Amazon, Constructor Capital, Gateway Ventures, Hermann Hauser Investment, Moveon Technologies, Photonventures |
| May 16, 2024 | HEPHAISTOS-Pharma | $4.9M Pharma - Seed | Florian Denis | Angels Sant, Femmes Business Angels, Fondation Fournier Majoie, Noshaq |
Key people at xista science ventures.
xista science ventures (xSV) is an independent venture capital firm based in Klosterneuburg, Austria, within the xista innovation ecosystem spearheaded by the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA). Its mission is to bridge science and business by investing in visionary early-stage deeptech and life science startups, particularly academic spinoffs, helping founders transition from research projects to scalable companies.[1][2][3] The firm's investment philosophy emphasizes hands-on support—covering IP negotiation, grants, HR, and finance—while fostering cross-fertilization among portfolio companies, with a focus on strong founding teams with grit in fields like biology, machine learning, chemistry, and robotics.[2][4][5] Key sectors include life sciences, software, and hardware, with investments across Europe (primarily Austria, DACH region, and beyond).[1][2][5] xSV has backed 22 portfolio companies, employing over 450 people from more than 30 nationalities; these have raised >€250M in grants and equity, demonstrating strong impact on Austria's deeptech startup ecosystem through Fund I (€45M, 21 investments) and Fund II (€70M target).[1][2]
xista science ventures was founded in 2017 as part of the xista ecosystem around ISTA, aiming to empower scientists lacking entrepreneurial tools and networks, starting with a focus on biology and life sciences due to Vienna and Austria's potential.[1][6] Key partners include Markus Wanko (Founder and Managing Partner), Alexander Schwartz and Ingrid Kelly Spillman (Partners), alongside principals like Annu Gmeiner, blending scientific and business expertise.[3][6] The firm evolved from local Austrian spinoffs—Fund I invested in 21 companies (17 in Austria, 4 international in France, Slovenia, and the US)—to a pan-European strategy with Fund II, which had its first closing end of 2024 and targets €75M+ for continued deeptech investments.[1][2]
xSV rides the deeptech wave, capitalizing on Europe's growing academic spinoff ecosystem amid rising demand for transformative tech in life sciences and hardware, where Austria's research hubs like ISTA provide a talent edge.[1][3][5] Timing aligns with increased grant funding (e.g., EIC partnerships) and the need for patient capital in high-risk, long-horizon deeptech—an "endurance game" requiring science-business fusion.[2][4][5] Market forces like Vienna's biotech potential and DACH expansion favor xSV, influencing the ecosystem by derisking spinoffs, boosting local employment (450+ jobs), and enabling international scaling, thus amplifying Austria's role in Europe's deeptech innovation.[1][2]
With Fund II deploying (€70M+), xSV is poised to double down on European deeptech, targeting Series A-ready spinoffs amid AI-bio convergence and synthetic biology booms. Trends like expanded grants, cross-border talent mobility, and ecosystem synergies (e.g., xista Park) will shape its path, potentially evolving influence toward larger funds and global exits. This positions xSV as a cornerstone for science-driven ventures, fulfilling its founding promise to turn ambitious ideas into societal progress.[1][2][4]
