Dr. Astrid Kaltenböck appointed Managing Director at EIT Health Austria

EIT Health Austria, the newest Co-Location Centre of EIT Health, which is part
of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union,
has appointed Dr. Astrid Kaltenböck as Managing Director.

Astrid brings +20 years of experience working across biotech and pharma, where her focus has been R&D, strategy and innovation, and organisational development, leading teams based in Austria, the EU and the US. She holds a PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Innsbruck and the Louis Pasteur University Strasbourg. Her last role before joining EIT Health, was working as the Head of Medical Affairs at Biogen AT.

Jean-Marc Bourez, CEO of EIT Health, says: “Astrid’s passion for healthcare innovation and dedication to driving positive change align seamlessly with our mission at EIT Health. Her strategic mindset, leadership acumen, global perspective and her emphasis on collaboration and teambuilding will undoubtedly contribute to our ongoing efforts to transform healthcare and make a lasting impact.”

Astrid takes over the role from Dr. Dirk Holste, who established the hub in Austria as Managing Director, ad interim.

Astrid about her new role: “I’m excited to join EIT Health Austria and to connect, collaborate and hear the ideas of our Austrian partners and stakeholders as our work is needed more than ever! Let’s make sure that the Austrian healthcare innovation power is visible and impactful across Europe and do our best to benefit patients as soon as possible.”

EIT Health is Europe’s largest health innovation network connecting business, research, education and healthcare delivery to address the biggest health challenges Europe faces. With a Central Office in Munich, Germany, the organisation has a pan-European presence, operating across seven Co-Location Centres, and Innostars, connecting innovators across Europe and beyond. EIT Health established a base in Austria in 2022. The organisation has supported over 2,500 start-ups, which have gone on to raise over €1.9BN in investment, and facilitated the development of 113 healthcare products and services which have since been launched to market.