Innovating HealthTransforming Lives.
MedLifeLab is the innovation hub of the Medical University Innsbruck.
We focus on accelerating innovation in highly effective and forward-looking areas such as personalized medicine, gene, cell and organ therapies or AI-supported health solutions.
MedLifeLab Sparks 2025
Join us for an inspiring evening at the forefront of innovation! Connect with researchers, innovators, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs as we 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. Be part of shaping innovation in 2025 and beyond!
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
Contact Persons
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. 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 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 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 scouting and business model design as well as business creation and development.
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 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 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.
