Study visit within the Danube4SEecosystem Project in Vienna, Austria

Between September 17 – 18, 2025, the third study visit of the Danube4SEecosystem project took place in Vienna, Austria. The event was organized by Centre for Social Innovation - ZSI, a project partner. This two-day event aimed to share best practices for developing the social economy ecosystem in the Danube region, where participants had the opportunity to attend seminars, interactive discussions, and study visits leading social enterprises and initiatives in the region:

• Die HausWirtschaft e.Gen: an innovative housing and working cooperative located in Vienna’s Nordbahnviertel. It was established through a participatory process involving future residents, freelancers, creatives, and small businesses. Its mission is to create affordable, flexible, and sustainable spaces that foster collaboration, entrepreneurship, and community.
• Impact Hub Vienna: a vibrant community and coworking space dedicated to social innovation and entrepreneurship. Its mission is to empower social innovators and entrepreneurs by providing a collaborative space, resources, and support to develop solutions for pressing societal and environmental challenges.
• Sargfabrik: the largest self-managed residential and cultural project, located in Vienna’s 14th district. Originally a coffin factory, it was transformed in the 1990s by the non-profit association Verein für Integrative Lebensgestaltung (VIL) into a vibrant co-housing and cultural space. Its mission is to create an inclusive, self-managed community that integrates diverse lifestyles, cultures, and social needs through shared living and cultural spaces.
• Die Kümmerei: operated by Job-TransFair, is a socio-economic employment initiative that supports people disadvantaged in the labor market by offering training-on-the-job in nine professional fields. Its mission is to provide practical work experience, personalized mentoring, and skills development to help participants reintegrate into the regular job market.
• arbeit plus: a nationwide network of around 200 non-profit social enterprises across Austria, dedicated to supporting people who face barriers in the labor market. Its mission is to strengthen social enterprises by advocating for fair labor policies, promoting inclusive and sustainable employment, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.