WPZ Research GmbH

What WPZ Research GmbH does

WPZ Research GmbH is an independent Austrian research institute founded in 2016 in Vienna by Dr. Brigitte Ecker, specializing in evidence-based policy consulting across science, innovation, education, and fiscal policy. The firm is structured as a private limited company (GmbH) and operates with a small team of approximately 10–15 senior researchers, research fellows, scientific assistants, and administrative staff, under the scientific direction of Prof. Christian Keuschnigg (University of St. Gallen, CEPR, CESifo Fellow). Its core intellectual product is an Austria-unique suite of Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) macroeconomic models — including an Innovation and Growth Model, a Knowledge Transfer Model, a University Financing Model, and a developing Climate Model — used for policy simulation of R&D tax incentives, direct R&D subsidies, investment incentives, and university financing reforms. These quantitative tools are complemented by qualitative programme evaluations, policy briefs (WPZ Research Policy Brief series, Wirtschaftspolitische Beiträge), research news published in cooperation with the University of St. Gallen, and a dedicated Centre of Excellence for Higher Education Research.

The institute's go-to-market is sales-led and entirely B2G / institutional B2B: revenue is generated through commissioned research projects awarded via competitive public tendering or direct commissioning from Austrian federal ministries (BMBWF, BMK, BMDW/BMAW, BMF), regional governments (Lower Austria, Tirol, Salzburg), government agencies (aws, FFG), universities, industry associations, and international bodies (European Commission/EACEA, OECD). Pricing is project-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm coordinates the Austrian Research and Technology Report series in consortium with KMU Forschung Austria, Joanneum Research, Technopolis, and ZSI, and participates in international research consortia (CLOUD-HED, GET-AHED under Erasmus+). All distribution is direct via project contracts; there is no consumer-facing product, no app, no software platform, and no API offering. Marketing relies on institutional credibility, academic publications, a quarterly newsletter, policy briefs, and media commentary by senior staff.

Name

WPZ Research GmbH

Legal name

WPZ Research GmbH

Website

https://wpz-research.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WPZ Research GmbH is a Vienna-based independent policy research institute founded in 2016 that produces commissioned evidence-based studies and proprietary DSGE macroeconomic model simulations for Austrian federal ministries, regional governments, universities, and EU institutions across innovation, science, education, and fiscal policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Consulting

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA), Economic & Macroeconomic Research (BPAHALAD), Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Macroeconomic modelling
• Innovation policy consulting
• Higher education research
• Programme evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Research (Third-Party Funded Research): Primary revenue stream. WPZ Research works on commissioned basis for public and private clients including Austrian federal ministries (BMBWF, BMK, BMDW, BMF, BMWFW), regional governments, universities, industry associations, the European Commission, and international organizations. Projects are awarded through competitive tendering and direct commissions. This is the dominant and nearly exclusive revenue model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WPZ Research conducts commissioned evidence-based policy research, programme evaluations, and macroeconomic policy simulations for Austrian federal and regional ministries, government agencies, universities, and international organizations. The institute delivers quantitative impact assessments through a proprietary suite of Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) models covering innovation, knowledge transfer, university financing, and climate policy, combined with qualitative evaluation methodology and advisory services in science, innovation, education, and fiscal policy.

Product overview

WPZ Research GmbH is an independent research institute offering a portfolio of research services centered on evidence-based economic and innovation policy consulting. Its core intellectual product is a suite of DSGE macroeconomic models (Innovation and Growth, Knowledge Transfer, University Financing, and Climate models) used to simulate and quantify the effects of policy interventions. The company complements these modeling tools with commissioned scientific studies and projects, periodic publication series (WPZ Research Policy Briefs, Economic Policy Contributions, and Research News), and a dedicated Centre of Excellence for Higher Education Research. All offerings feed into evidence-based policy advisory services for Austrian federal ministries, EU institutions, and private-sector clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DSGE Model Suite A suite of Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) macroeconomic models — including the Innovation and Growth Model, Knowledge Transfer Model, University Financing Model, and Climate Model — used for policy simulation analyses to quantify short- and long-term effects of economic policy measures such as R&D tax incentives, direct R&D subsidies, and investment incentives. Bayesian statistical methods are used to estimate stochastic shock processes and behavioural parameters.
• Studien/Projekte (Studies and Projects)
• Kompetenzzentrum Hochschulforschung (Centre of Excellence for Higher Education Research)
• Evidence-Based Policy Consulting
• WPZ Research Policy Brief
• Wirtschaftspolitische Beiträge (Economic Policy Contributions)
• WPZ Forschungsnachrichten (Research News)
• Wissenschaftliche Publikationen (Scientific Publications)

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• CHE Centrum für HochschulentwicklungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWPZ Research was commissioned by CHE Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung to conduct a qualitative interview study on digital and AI-supported learning processes at German universities.
• KMU Forschung AustriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding consortium partner in the Austrian Research and Technology Report series and other major research projects. WPZ Research coordinates while KMU Forschung Austria contributes expertise in SME research.
• Joanneum ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on multiple projects including the Austrian Research and Technology Report series and studies on counterfactual impact analysis for Austrian FTI policy.
• Technopolis GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research consultancy partnered in evaluation projects such as the 'Innovative Hochschule' programme evaluation in Germany, alongside iit (Institut für Innovation und Technik).
• Zentrum für Soziale Innovation (ZSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner in the Austrian Research and Technology Report consortium alongside WPZ Research, KMU Forschung Austria, and Technopolis Austria.
• Centre for Higher Education Policy Studies (CHEPS), University of TwentemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partner collaborated on evaluation of the 'Assoziierte Professur' career model at Danube University Krems. CHEPS provides higher education policy expertise complementing WPZ Research's analytical capabilities.
• Austria Wirtschaftsservice (aws)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partneraws, Austria's development bank, is a major repeat client commissioning WPZ Research for evaluations of its startup, venture capital, and innovation support programmes (aws Business Angel Fonds, AplusB Scale-up, Spin-off Fellowships, etc.).
• Erasmus+ / European Commission (EACEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and coordination partner for international higher education projects CLOUD-HED (Disaster Resilience in Higher Education) and GET-AHED (Green Education and Transition), managed by Erasmus+ National Agency OeAD.
• European Commission DG Research / BMBWFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated evaluation of the Austrian Erasmus+ programme impact report (European Commission, BMBWF) alongside other European national evaluations.
• Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft (LBG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for evaluation of LBG OIS Center and LBG Career Center, in cooperation with iit (Institut für Innovation und Technik).
• Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (WU Wien)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner in the climate plan research project funded by B&C Privatstiftung, developing a macro-economic climate model under the direction of Prof. Christian Keuschnigg.
• Lauder Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple WPZ Research team members (Prof. Verena Régent, Prof. Christian Reiner) hold teaching positions at Lauder Business School. Collaborative academic relationships exist in research methods and higher education.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Institut für Höhere Studien (IHS): Vienna-based social and economic research institute conducting policy analysis for Austrian and EU clients. Multiple WPZ staff previously worked at IHS, and both compete for federal ministry commissions in higher education, innovation, and labor market policy.
• WIFO – Österreichisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung: Austrian Institute of Economic Research; the country's leading macro-economic research provider and a direct competitor for BMF, BMDW, and EU macro-policy commissions, with overlapping DSGE and policy simulation capabilities.
• EcoAustria – Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung: Vienna-based economic policy research institute founded by IHS alumni (including former WPZ Research Fellow Ulrich Schuh) that competes directly for Austrian policy advisory mandates in fiscal, innovation, and labor economics.
• KMU Forschung Austria: Austria's SME research institute and longstanding consortium partner of WPZ Research on the Austrian Research and Technology Report; competes with WPZ on innovation, SME financing, and startup policy commissions.
• Joanneum Research: Large applied research institute in Graz and Vienna; core consortium partner on the Austrian Research and Technology Report and direct competitor for FTI policy and program evaluation commissions from ministries and FFG.
• Technopolis Group: International research and consulting firm specializing in policy evaluation, R&D, and higher education — co-partner on Innovative Hochschule evaluation and Austrian FTI reporting, with overlapping client base in EU and German policy research.
• CHE Centrum für Hochschulentwicklung: German higher education policy and consulting center; both commissions and competes with WPZ Research's Kompetenzzentrum Hochschulforschung in higher education system studies, digital learning, and quality assurance.

Broad incumbents

• ZEW – Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung: Larger German economic research institute with DSGE, evaluation, and innovation economics capabilities. Competes with WPZ for EU-level and comparative policy studies, especially within Horizon Europe-funded consortia.
• Fraunhofer ISI: Germany's leading institute for innovation and systems research; a broad incumbent in FTI policy evaluation with much larger scale, competing for EU, federal, and industry R&D evaluation mandates that overlap with WPZ's portfolio.

Regional players

• Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (WU Wien): Vienna-based university partner in WPZ's Climate Model project (with B&C Privatstiftung funding). While primarily academic, WU Wien competes for ministry-commissioned economic research and policy advisory contracts in Austria.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about WPZ Research GmbH