The future is full of options. We bring focus and get organizations moving.
For boards and heads of strategy who want to turn technology, market and industry shifts into transformative opportunities.
Management consulting for strategy & innovation · Vienna
Strategy is no longer a problem of insight. It is a problem of conviction, focus and mobilization.
AI makes analysis available to everyone. Value is created where leadership commits to a bold direction.
Organizations move when people at every level understand why, and start to act differently.
Anyone who wants to truly use AI redesigns how people and AI work together. That is strategy and transformation work.
That is exactly where Pioneers comes in. We combine the depth of a management consultancy with the energy of a startup, work with experienced teams and compact formats and support implementation until something really moves in the organization.
Transformative opportunities emerge where technologies, markets and industry logics shift. We track these shifts systematically and translate them with you into business models, fields of growth and clear priorities. That is how foresight becomes a strategy your leadership commits to.
Where are customer needs heading, and how fast?
What could technology soon make possible that seems unthinkable today?
Who could rewrite the rules of your industry?
Which regulatory, geopolitical or societal shifts could change your field of play?
From a bold strategy to an organization that really moves. Three modes, one recurring pattern: we start where your organization stands today.
We give orientation in a future full of options, and clarity on where to go and why. We analyze technology, market and industry shifts and work out where the transformative opportunities for your business lie.
You end up with a defined level of ambition and a focused strategy your leadership commits to.
References: Including CODICO, Hawle, MOON, ÖAMTC, REWE digital and Burgenland Energie.
We make organizations able to act and get them truly moving, with the structures, skills and mindset this takes.
You end up with an organization that really moves.
References: Intrapreneurship programs for ANDRITZ, Amundi, STRABAG, ÖBB, Wien Energie, Knorr-Bremse and RHI Magnesita. Across companies in the VERBUND X Accelerator and at Pioneers.Peak.
We turn ideas into market-ready products, ventures and AI solutions that actually make a difference.
You end up with new products, business models and sustainable growth.
References: Including VERBUND, 120 Ventures, STRABAG, Wüstenrot, CRIF and Vattenfall.
Both formats are compact, with a fixed outcome and a fixed price.
For leadership teams facing a decision about direction.
A two-day workshop that commits your leadership to a bold direction. You leave with a concrete picture of the future, your must-win battles and growth bets, and the strategic priorities that follow from them.
For leaders who want to put their innovation work to the test.
In a half-day workshop we go through the key questions with you, along our 9.5 Guidelines: strategic anchoring, organization and mobilization, resources and partnerships, management commitment, processes and sandboxes, impact measurement, and AI readiness. Afterwards you receive our point of view on gaps and potential, with first recommendations.
The Pioneers Innovation Strategy Blueprint
Our format for strategic work on the future. Leadership commits to a concrete, bold picture of the future and the strategic priorities that follow from it.
The language of strategic prioritization. Must-win battles secure the core business, growth bets define new fields of growth.
Our proven framework for successful innovation work, from strategic legitimation to be bold.
How strategy turns into movement: understand, enable, involve. From the strategy storyline to trainings and Pioneers.Talent to innovation days, hackathons and intrapreneurship programs.
Selected work with leadership teams who wanted to make something move.
The depth and reliability of a management consultancy, plus what Pioneers brings to the table.
| What you can expect from a management consultancy | What Pioneers adds |
|---|---|
| Sound analysis of markets, competition and technologies | Direct access to startups, technologies and an international venture network |
| A clear basis for decisions by the board and management | Compact entry formats with a fixed outcome and a fixed price |
| A robust strategy with a roadmap | Support with implementation until the organization moves |
| Experienced consultants | Senior involvement throughout and an AI-supported way of working |
We deliver at the highest level, with depth and reliability. Serious in how we show up, without losing our energy.
We become part of your team and stay until something moves. Personal, approachable and on equal footing.
You get direct access to experienced people throughout the entire project. At Pioneers this is the standard, not the exception.
Pioneers grew out of the startup scene, with the Pioneers Festival, our own investments and ventures built for corporates. We think like entrepreneurs, work pragmatically and with a focus on outcomes, and keep new technologies and market shifts in view.
AI is the foundation of how we work. It makes us faster and more focused, without giving up quality.
We work with energy, humor and lightness. Working with Pioneers should be enjoyable, and we mean that.
Not because it’s in our name, but because it describes how we think, how we work and what we make possible for our clients. We think strategically, we work like founders, and we stay until something really moves.
At Pioneers you work with experienced people from the first hour to the last. A core team of 15 and a strong ecosystem of scouting and implementation partners.
Managing Partner
Anton leads Pioneers as Managing Partner. His focus is helping corporates reach their innovation goals by working with startups and building new ventures.
Managing Partner
Thomas joined Pioneers after a career in strategy consulting at Contrast and EY-Parthenon. He has transformed organizations across several industries, with a focus on strategy, organization and performance management.
Partner
Alex spent six years at REWE Group, most recently as Head of Innovation & Digitalization at jö Bonus Club. At Pioneers he leads B2C innovation for clients in retail, banking and financial services.
Innovation Strategy
Sophie works on innovation strategy. She has more than eight years of experience in digital strategy and transformation projects, as a consultant and in corporate roles.
Venture Clienting
Julian works on innovation strategy, idea development and business model innovation. He knows the Austrian startup ecosystem and holds the SIMC master’s degree from WU Vienna.
Innovation Setup
Christina helped build a tech startup and led company-wide projects on digitalization, restructuring and strategy execution in corporates, including energy, banking and construction.
Pioneers.Talent
Rupert started out in management consulting and today fills leadership and key roles in corporates, scale-ups and corporate ventures.
„Together with the Pioneers team, we developed the CODICO strategy 2030 […]. By applying the Pioneers strategy framework, we anchored the strategy in the future external and internal realities, derived must-win battles and growth bets and set strategic priorities.“
Karin KrumpelCEO, CODICO „With Pioneers’ expertise PHS has successfully established a new innovation community. Their support in strategy development and innovation framework setup has been key to our effective implementation.“
Florian SteinerHead of Strategy, Porsche Holding Salzburg „Pioneers helped us develop a clear picture of the e-mobility ecosystem and shape our scaling strategy and roadmap. We particularly valued the practical approach that let us move straight into action.“
Translated from German.
„We are excited about the outcomes from our partnership with Pioneers. The joint project has been instrumental in unlocking future potential through collaboration and innovation with startups. Huge thanks to everyone at Pioneers for making this happen!“
Franz ZöchbauerManaging Director, VERBUND X Ventures „It was a pleasure to work with the Pioneers team on the ANDRITZ Ventures Startup Contest. They […] provided valuable know-how around corporate venture building which was crucial for the success of our program.“
Harald AsböckANDRITZ „Partnering with Pioneers to get our corporate venture studio, 120 Ventures, off the ground was a key move. Their practical approach to developing innovation & growth strategies and their supportive role in our venture building process really helped us move forward.“
Christian HuterInnovation Manager, ÖAMTC Like a management consultancy: with sound analysis, a clear basis for leadership decisions and experienced teams. On top of that come our startup DNA, an international venture network and an AI-supported way of working. You work with senior consultants throughout, and on request we also support implementation.
For boards, managing directors and heads of strategy at corporates and ambitious mid-sized companies, mainly in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Our clients include Verbund, ANDRITZ, STRABAG, ENI, CODICO, Hawle and ÖAMTC. So far we have delivered projects in more than 20 countries.
With one of our compact formats, each with a fixed outcome and a fixed price. Anchor in the Future is a two-day strategy workshop for leadership teams facing a decision about direction. The Innovation Pulse Check is a half-day workshop that puts your innovation work to the test. The AI Disruption Workshop shows in one day where AI changes your business. You can also come to us with a specific question.
Venture clienting starts with a concrete use case from a business unit. For that problem you find the right startup solution and become the startup’s customer, instead of building it yourself or investing. What matters is that successful pilots actually move into operations. We design venture clienting for that from day one.
We analyze technology, market and industry shifts and derive new business models and fields of growth. In the AI Disruption Workshop we work out with you where AI changes your business model and where you should act first. In our own work we use AI for analyses, scouting and scenarios, so your leadership can decide faster.
With our Senior Leadership Team. You have direct access to experienced people throughout the project.
Tell us where you stand and what should move.
General: hi@pioneers.io
A few sentences on your situation and goal are enough. We will get back to you personally.
hi@pioneers.io
