University of Graz
University of Graz is Austria's second-largest public research university, offering degree programs, applied research, industry technology transfer, and the University Library's heritage-conservation services across the DACH region and broader Europe.
- Company typePublic
- Founded-
- HeadquartersGraz, Austria
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What University of Graz does
University of Graz (Universität Graz) is a public research university and Austria's second-largest institution of higher education, located at Universitätsplatz 3 in Graz. Founded in 1585 from a Jesuit College established in 1573, it is supervised by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy under the Universities Act (UG 2002) and employs 1,001-5,000 staff including over 3,300 researchers. The university delivers degree programs at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, conducts fundamental and applied research across climate science, molecular biosciences, social sciences, and the humanities, and operates the University Library Graz — one of the largest educational and cultural institutions in Styria, holding approximately four million media items and around 300,000 special-collection objects.
The institution's core service portfolio encompasses academic teaching and examination (delivered through UNIGRAZonline and Moodle), research output dissemination, knowledge and technology transfer to industry (particularly SMEs) through a dedicated Forschungsmanagement function, in-house conservation and restoration of historical books and manuscripts, continuing-education programs for graduates and professionals, and donor-engagement programs including the Book Sponsorship (Buchpatenschaften) scheme and 'book building blocks' (€50 per unit). Its technology stack centers on standard academic platforms — UNIGRAZonline for student records and research portals, Moodle for learning, and Matomo for self-hosted web analytics — with notable domain-specific capabilities in heritage conservation and climate modeling, including a research station in Greenland and multi-year climate projections announced in 2026.
University of Graz is funded through a hybrid model combining government appropriations (primary), third-party research grants such as ERC Synergy Grants, tuition permitted under Austrian law, professional services from industry collaborations, continuing-education fees, and private donations. It distributes its offerings through direct enrollment for degree programs, dedicated industry-transfer offices, library services, the Youni mobile app, and outreach channels including UNIZEIT magazine and an extensive social-media presence across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Bluesky, and Snapchat. The university is a core partner in the Styrian research and innovation cluster — Science Space Styria, BioTechMed-Graz, NAWI Graz, the unicorn Start-Up & Innovation Hub, and Science Park Graz — and its operating geographies span Austria, broader Europe, and selected North American collaborations.
University of Graz firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of Graz
- Legal name
- Universität Graz
- Website
- https://uni-graz.at
- Company type
- Public
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- University of Graz is Austria's second-largest public research university, offering degree programs, applied research, industry technology transfer, and the University Library's heritage-conservation services across the DACH region and broader Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of Graz industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG), Public Research Universities with National Laboratories/Big Science Facilities (EDAHAAAJ)
Keywords
Where University of Graz is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Graz
- HQ country
- Austria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices12 records
Markets served
University of Graz business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Research Funding and Grants: As a public university, University of Graz receives substantial funding through research grants including ERC Synergy Grants (€9M and €10M mentioned for LMU Munich researchers in related projects), national funding programs, and third-party research contracts with industry partners.
- Fundraising and Donations: University operates active fundraising through 'Großes bewegen' (major donations), crowdfunding campaigns, and book sponsorship programs. Donations are tax-deductible under Austrian law. Book sponsorships start from €350 for individual items, with 'book building blocks' at €50 per unit.
- Tuition and Student Fees: As a public university under the Austrian Universities Act (UG 2002), the university may charge tuition fees as permitted by law for certain programs and student categories.
- Knowledge and Technology Transfer Services: Services for companies include expert mediation, R&D project support, feasibility studies, scientific services (measurements, studies, consultations, expert opinions), and access to research results. Services target companies of all sizes, particularly SMEs.
- Continuing Education: University provides continuing education programs for graduates and professionals as part of its statutory mandate under the Austrian Universities Act.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Book Sponsorship (Individual Items) |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Book Building Blocks |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
University of Graz product offering
Product offeringCore offering
University of Graz is a public research university delivering higher education degree programs (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD) and conducting fundamental and applied research across multiple disciplines. It additionally provides knowledge and technology transfer services to businesses (R&D projects, feasibility studies, scientific services, patent licensing), continuing education for professionals, and operates the University Library Graz including its Special Collections with in-house restoration services.
Product overview
The University of Graz is Austria's second-largest university offering educational, research, and community services through a digital ecosystem of platforms and physical facilities. The core digital offerings include the institutional website (www.uni-graz.at), the UNIGRAZonline information system, and the Moodle learning platform. The university also operates the University Library Graz (with approximately four million items), the Book Sponsorship Program for restoring historical treasures, and provides technology transfer services through its Research Management division. The most notable recent discovery is the Graz Mummy Book, the world's oldest known book fragment in codex form. The Youni mobile app provides campus connectivity. These services collectively support the university's mission of scientific research, education, and public engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Degree Programs (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD)
Quantifiable outcome
- Climate predictions 1-2 years in advance (1.62°C for 2026, 1.71°C for 2027)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use University of Graz
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
University of Graz technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
University of Graz partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- European Research Council (ERC)coreERC Synergy Grants awarded to researchers (context: LMU Munich researchers collaborating with international university partners across Europe and the United States). Liedl's DNA4RENOMS project €9M; Beckmann's snoOPERA project €10M.
- unicorn Start-Up & Innovation HubcoreStartup and innovation hub providing professional support for founding-oriented projects. Gründungsvorhaben (founding projects) are supported by this hub alongside Forschungsmanagement.
- Science Park GrazcoreSupports turning startup visions into reality through physical infrastructure and business development services.
- START-UP UNIminorProgram helping students start their own businesses during their education.
- GründungsgarageminorStartup garage program providing university support for students' own businesses.
- Science Fit and WTZ SüdminorInitiatives strengthening knowledge transfer through Science Fit and WTZ Süd programs.
- Science Space StyriacoreCooperation of nine Styrian universities coordinating on research, education policy, and institutional collaboration. Graz and Styria are characterized by intensive university cooperation.
- BioTechMed-GrazcoreJoint research for health combining expertise from multiple institutions for medical and biotechnology research.
- NAWI GrazcoreNatural Sciences training cooperation between Styrian universities providing interdisciplinary science education.
- Entwicklungsverbund Süd-OstminorTeacher training coordination for the southeast Austrian region.
- Pan-European Seal Young Professionals ProgrammeminorUniversity of Graz is a member of the Pan-European Seal Programme, connecting with the European Patent Office for intellectual property professional development.
- European Patent Office (EPO)minorThrough Pan-European Seal membership, university connects with EPO for patent-related professional opportunities.
- ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation)minorORF Steiermark produced 'Wissenswert' segment featuring University Library Graz book sponsorship project, broadcasting to general public through 'Steiermark heute' news program.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
University of Graz competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- University of Klagenfurt: Smaller Austrian public university with a strong interdisciplinary and cultural-research profile. Comparable in mission type (public Austrian comprehensive university) and competes in similar student-recruitment funnels.
- University of Vienna: Austria's largest public research university and the natural head-to-head comparator for University of Graz. Both are public, multi-disciplinary Austrian universities operating under the same Universities Act with overlapping faculties, joint Styrian/Vienna research networks, and shared competition for ERC funding and top faculty.
- Medical University of Graz: Co-located Austrian public university specializing in medicine and life sciences; co-member of BioTechMed-Graz. A direct peer for health/life-science research collaboration and joint funding applications.
- University of Innsbruck: Austrian public research university of comparable size and comprehensive multi-disciplinary profile, competing with Graz for students, faculty, and national research funding. A natural benchmark for the 'second-tier Austrian comprehensive university' positioning.
- Graz University of Technology (TU Graz): The technical university sharing the city of Graz and a co-member of NAWI Graz and BioTechMed-Graz. While narrower in scope (engineering/natural sciences), it is the most direct local peer for research collaboration, faculty recruitment, and STEM student share.
- WU Vienna (Vienna University of Economics and Business): Austrian public university specializing in business, economics, and social sciences — the natural peer for the social/economic sciences portfolio that University of Graz houses in the RESOWI Centre. Direct competition for faculty and applied economics research.
- Paris Lodron University of Salzburg: Austrian public research university with similar size, multi-disciplinary portfolio, and humanities/social-science emphasis. Direct head-to-head for Austrian students choosing between regional comprehensive universities.
- Johannes Kepler University Linz: Austrian public research university of similar scale, with comparable faculties in social sciences, law, and natural sciences. Competes with Graz for upper-Austrian students and shares overlapping industry-transfer functions.
Regional players
- LMU Munich: Major German-speaking public research university of substantially larger scale. Comparable in comprehensive multi-disciplinary profile and explicitly referenced in the data as a partner on multi-million-euro ERC Synergy Grant projects. Sets the upper bound for what an Austrian university of similar character could aspire to in research funding.
Broad incumbents
- ETH Zurich: Top European public research university operating at substantially larger scale across STEM and interdisciplinary research. A benchmark for research output intensity and a competitor for top faculty and ERC funding in overlapping fields (climate, molecular biosciences).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights8 records
Customer concentration
University of Graz social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of Graz financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of Graz leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
University of Graz subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
University of Graz funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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University of Graz M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of Graz
What does University of Graz do?
University of Graz is a public research university delivering higher education degree programs (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD) and conducting fundamental and applied research across multiple disciplines. It additionally provides knowledge and technology transfer services to businesses (R&D projects, feasibility studies, scientific services, patent licensing), continuing education for professionals, and operates the University Library Graz including its Special Collections with in-house restoration services.
Is University of Graz a public or private company?
University of Graz is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University of Graz founded?
University of Graz was founded in -1. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is University of Graz based?
University of Graz is headquartered in Graz, Austria, in the Europe region.
How does University of Graz make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Research Funding and Grants are the primary driver. The others are fundraising and Donations, tuition and Student Fees, knowledge and Technology Transfer Services and continuing Education.
Who are University of Graz's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are University of Klagenfurt, University of Vienna, Medical University of Graz, University of Innsbruck, Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), WU Vienna (Vienna University of Economics and Business), Paris Lodron University of Salzburg and Johannes Kepler University Linz. LMU Munich is listed as a regional player. ETH Zurich is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does University of Graz have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of Graz.
What industry is University of Graz in?
University of Graz's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAF, Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools, with a secondary code of EDAHAAAG, Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.