New Design University

What New Design University does

New Design University (legal entity: New Design University Privatuniversität GesmbH) is a state-accredited, non-profit private university located in St. Pölten, Austria, founded in 2004 by the Wirtschaftskammer Niederösterreich (WKNÖ) and WIFI NÖ. It serves approximately 600 students across a portfolio of 5 Bachelor programs (including BWL Management by Design, Event Engineering, Design/Handwerk/Materielle Kultur, Grafik- & Informationsdesign, and Innenarchitektur & 3D-Gestaltung), 2 Master programs (BWL Management by Innovation, Innenarchitektur & visuelle Kommunikation), 1 Doctoral program (Value through Design), 7 continuing-education University Courses, a Foundation Course, and Summer Schools. Its underlying teaching infrastructure is the Zentrum für Technologie & Design, which houses workshops, laboratories, and design-faculty facilities, complemented by an online CampusNet-based Webportal for applications and student services.

The institution's business model is a non-profit, subscription-style tuition model: students pay tuition monthly or per semester, with approximately 50% of operating costs covered by base financing from WKNÖ and the remainder by tuition fees. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through the institutional website, education fairs, walk-in campus tours, "Student for a Day" experiences, online info sessions, and a broad social-media footprint (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, XING, Pinterest); admission is gated by an entrance exam (Aufnahmeklausur). Distribution extends internationally via the Erasmus+ exchange network, and the Future Lab program creates structured industry-project partnerships with companies such as Burger-Gartenmöbel, Greiner, KinderKunstLabor, ÖGK, and TUI.

Name

New Design University

Legal name

New Design University Privatuniversität GesmbH

Website

https://ndu.ac.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Design University is a state-accredited, non-profit private university in St. Pölten, Austria, founded in 2004 by WKNÖ and WIFI NÖ, offering design-focussed Bachelor, Master, Doctoral, and continuing-education programs to approximately 600 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Private University, Design-focused)

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610)

akta.pro primary industry

Design Colleges (Graphic, Industrial, UX/UI, Interior) (EDAHAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Private university education
• Design education programs
• Higher education degrees
• Continuing education courses
• University degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pölten

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Semester Fees: As a non-profit private university, NDU generates revenue primarily through tuition fees paid by students. These fees are charged either monthly or per semester and are structured to cover operating costs without generating profit. The university operates on a cost-covering (non-profit) basis, with approximately 50% of operating costs covered by the base financing from WKNÖ and the remaining covered by tuition fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

New Design University (NDU) is a state-accredited private university that sells higher-education degree programs (Bachelor, Master, Doctorate) plus continuing-education University Courses focused on design disciplines, ranging from business administration with design, event engineering, and graphic/information design to interior architecture, product design, and a "Value through Design" doctorate. Instruction is delivered through the Zentrum für Technologie & Design, combining small-class, project-based learning with workshops and labs, and supported by industry collaborations via the Future Lab program.

Product overview

New Design University is a private university offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs. The core offering consists of 5 Bachelor programs (BWL Management by Design, Event Engineering, Design/Handwerk/materielle Kultur, Grafik-/Informationsdesign, Innenarchitektur/3D-Gestaltung), 2 Master programs (BWL Management by Innovation, Innenarchitektur/visuelle Kommunikation), and 1 Doctoral program (Value through Design). Additionally, the university provides 7 University Courses for continuing education (Akustik/Design, Buchgestaltung, Design Thinking, Food/Design, Lichttechnik, Produktdesign, Werbetext/Kreation), a Foundation Course for orientation, an online Webportal for student services, and a Future Lab program for industry partnerships. The university was founded in 2004 by the Economic Chamber of Lower Austria (WKNÖ) and WIFI NÖ, and serves approximately 600 students with a focus on personal attention and practical project-based learning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BWL »Management by Design« (Bachelor)

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Wirtschaftskammer Niederösterreich (WKNÖ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004The WKNÖ is the founding organization and primary financial supporter of the New Design University. As the economic chamber of Lower Austria, WKNÖ provides approximately 50% of the university's base financing and also funded the initial investment in modern infrastructure. NDU is described as the 'private university of WKNÖ and its WIFI'.
• WIFI NÖcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWIFI NÖ (Wirtschaftsförderungsinstitut Niederösterreich) co-founded the New Design University alongside WKNÖ in 2004. It is the educational institute of the Economic Chamber of Lower Austria.
• AQ Austria (Agentur für Qualitätssicherung und Akkreditierung Austria)coreOthersAQ Austria is the official accreditation agency for Austrian higher education institutions. NDU holds accreditation through AQ Austria and displays their quality seal on its website, indicating formal governmental recognition and quality assurance.
• Erasmus Partner UniversitiessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDU participates in the Erasmus+ program, offering outgoing students opportunities to study abroad at partner universities and hosting incoming international students. The International Office coordinates these exchange programs.
• Design AustriasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDU maintains a relationship with Design Austria, evidenced by the 'Future Lab' project creating the anniversary poster for Design Austria, demonstrating industry connections with the design professional community.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Domus Academy: Italy-based private postgraduate design school with a tuition-driven model similar to NDU's continuing education segment. Comparable positioning as a specialized, tuition-dependent design school targeting fee-paying international postgraduate students.
• FH Joanneum: Austrian University of Applied Sciences offering design, media, and creative industry programs at modest tuition fees. Comparable applied-design and continuing-education portfolio and direct competition for Austrian applicants seeking design degrees with practical orientation.
• Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien (University of Applied Arts Vienna): Austria's leading public arts and design university, headquartered in Vienna. The most direct domestic competitor for the same cohort of Austrian design students; competes on talent brand but offers heavily subsidized public tuition versus NDU's tuition-driven model.
• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): US private design-focused college with strong brand reputation, tuition-driven revenue model, and a comparable single-discipline portfolio. Comparable as a top-ranked specialized design college competing for design-oriented applicants globally.
• Design Academy Eindhoven: Dutch public design-focused university with similar small scale, design-only program portfolio, and strong applied-research orientation. Comparable operational profile as a specialized single-discipline creative university and a benchmark for European design-only institutions.
• ECAL (École cantonale d'art de Lausanne): Swiss design and fine arts school of comparable size with a similar Bachelor/Master structure and applied-design focus. Highly respected European design institution competing for the same international design-student segment.
• SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design): Private, tuition-driven design and arts university in the United States with multiple campuses and an applied creative curriculum. Comparable private, tuition-dependent operating model to a WKNÖ-backed NDU, scaled up significantly.

Broad incumbents

• Parsons School of Design (The New School): US-based private design school within The New School university system, offering a design-only portfolio plus broader university context. Directly comparable in tuition-driven private design education and brand-driven applicant recruitment.
• Central Saint Martins (University of the Arts London): Large, prestigious UK arts and design institution under University of the Arts London. Broader portfolio than NDU but competes for the same international pool of design applicants who value a design-school brand.
• Royal College of Art: UK postgraduate-only design institution with global reputation for design innovation. Competes for top-tier international design talent applying to NDU's Master's programs and an aspirational peer for NDU's research profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NewDesignUniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/newdesignuniversity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/new-design-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/newdesignuniversity
• Pinterestde.pinterest.com/newdesignuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@newdesignuniversity
• Xx.com/NewDesignUni

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Design University