CHEFINFO interview with Georg Spiesberger: It's always about being together

Source: CHEFINFO

The "DIGITAL MILE Linz" (DiMi) stretches from the Tabakfabrik to the TECHCENTER and the NEUE WERFT. A mile of concentrated digital power and a strong community. Together, they implement topics that affect everyone. No envy or competition, as TECH HARBOR boss Georg Spiesberger explains.

What is the "DIGITAL MILE Linz" (DiMi) and what is the idea behind it?
Georg Spiesberger: The DIGITAL MILE Linz consists of nine core companies. We have determined that there are 110 other companies with digital value creation on this mile, employing around 3,500 people on this site. A conglomerate of innovative companies that have settled here. Real diamonds in the rough. Young companies with drive and fast implementation.

DiMi is not a classic organization or association, but it does pursue a specific purpose. What is the core of this purpose?
Spiesberger: IT companies with 150 employees are already relatively large in Austria. Compared to the industry, however, they are far too small. As an association with 3,500 specialists, on the other hand, we are already
large again. This is a good lever to get things moving and to implement them, for example with the RotWeißRotCard. DiMi executives have sat down with decision-makers and contributed their perspectives. So DiMi as a community is a door opener. We are not an association, we are not an institution, which means we are very free and independent. With us, people contribute themselves and everyone involved is behind it, from companies to politicians. No matter what emerges from the community, it should not belong to one person alone, but should serve the general public. It should make sense and always make sense. The goal of DiMi is to increase the charisma of Upper Austria as a business location. In all DiMi activities and measures, the community and the active involvement of all are in the foreground.

What are the biggest common themes among the DiMi companies?
Spiesberger: Even at the first workshop, many topics came up, from location to research projects and staff exchanges to our own DiMi soccer and volleyball team, new bus connections and childcare. Since we had no resources, we started with the smallest possible benefit: German courses for expats. Instead of bringing 80 people to WIFI, six trainers now came to us. Even with this small measure, we achieved a huge success in the community: Companies that are actually competing for the best brains worked together for the sake of the community. This success was the starting signal. The community creates the setting and the offer. Small IT companies also benefit from this, for example in the area of continuing education. A small start-up has highly qualified people who want to develop themselves further, but no personnel development resources. Together we have developed a training program and the feedback has been sensational. The bottom line is that a start-up that is part of DiMi can proudly say, "I offer my employees a wide range of sports, childcare, leadership development," all things it could not do on its own. That's a different level of quality.

A big topic in the tech industry is (international) recruiting. What is your idea on this?
Spiesberger: For us as TECH HARBOR, it is about our IT companies doing well. It was already the case five or six years ago that there were no IT staff left, everyone was trying to solve this issue for their own company. With DIGITAL MILE Linz, we are succeeding in jointly creating attractive conditions for employees at the Linz location, which makes more sense than competing with each other. Recruiting new means retaining employees, and to do that you have to offer something more than others.

Weren't there reservations, for example that you might poach each other's staff?
Spiesberger: Initially there was this fear, but it turned out quite differently. Communication among the companies is now much better and more open, there are short distances, people know each other personally and work toward a common goal, so there is no active poaching.

You already mentioned childcare. What approaches is the community taking in this area?
Spiesberger: This is an issue for all companies, especially in the summer. One DiMi member already organized a forest week for the kids, which is now open to all DiMi members. In 2020, we started our own DiMi summer camp for tech-savvy kids and teens. HTL Leonding jumped on board immediately. Children aged ten to 15 are offered a really cool technology program at
of HTL Leonding and at the Grand Garage. This year's program includes seven courses for a total of 180 children. The kids make friends at
, which in turn is passed on to the parents and further fuels the community.

You have very few human resources for organizing DIGITAL MILE Linz. How do you manage it all?
Spiesberger: It all has to be organized and supervised, so the focus is on volunteer efforts. Both companies and employees should get involved and make a contribution to the DiMi community.We create the structural conditions for this. This is also the case with our joint annual event. We wanted to plan our own, but then decided to cooperate with LINZ AG's Bubbledays. Why? To draw attention to DIGITAL MILE Linz on a broad scale and to enable all employees to participate in a great festival. There is a dedicated MS DIGITAL MILE and the ship's bar is run by DiMi employees. The proceeds from donations go to social institutions. All volunteer activities and measures are under the motto "DIGITAL SMILE" - to bring a smile to many other people. This inspires the entire community. This starts with jointly organized blood donations and goes all the way to a pop-up punch stand that was in front of a different DiMi core business each day. The proceeds from donations went to St. Anna Children's Hospital.