Press Conference on Data Sovereignty
Upper Austria as an IT location focuses on innovation, data sovereignty, and expertise
Friedolin Baumann | 25.09.2025
Joachim Haindl-Grutsch, Markus Achleitner, Nikolaus Dürk, Markus Roth
25 years of X-Net: we look back with pride on a long and successful company history. To mark this occasion, X-Net invited prominent figures from politics and business to a press conference on the topic of 'Strengthening regionalism and innovation in Upper Austria as a digital location – data sovereignty and local IT expertise as decisive factors'.
“Only through regional value creation we will achieve digital sovereignty in Austria and Europe. X-Net has set itself the task of supporting industry and the economy in their digital transformation with secure IT solutions,” says Nikolaus Dürk.
25 years of innovation from Upper Austria
X-Net has grown steadily over the past 25 years, developing from a small sole proprietorship with no employees to a sustainable company with 35 employees. As a regional IT solutions provider, the company supports over 110 corporate networks from various industries. “We have become a reliable and stable partner in the IT sector. Many of our customers have been with us since the very beginning,” summarises founder and managing director Nikolaus Dürk.
Digitalisation requires regional expertise
Operating its own IT infrastructures in regional data centers and using open source technologies enables X-Net to remain independent. At the same time, sharing knowledge and expertise with partners is an essential part of the company's philosophy of establishing open source as the standard in the SME environment.
Data sovereignty and European independence
The operation of regional IT infrastructure is becoming increasingly important in order to maintain control over sensitive data and ensures independence. The portfolio of X-Net includes secure and resilient solutions for email, cloud and collaboration tools, video conferencing systems, and on-premises AI solutions. X-Net highlights the importance of retaining expertise in the region in order to enable regional innovation.
Joachim Haindl-Grutsch, Markus Roth, Nikolaus Dürk, Katharina Kloiber, Markus Achleitner, Monika Kerschbaumer, Wolfgang Eibner, Alexander Ebner
“X-Net in particular is a prime example of a provider of digital sovereignty, as the company demonstrates that it works and is also economically successful. It therefore stands for the factors that are crucial for an independent digital future for Upper Austria: regionality, security, partnership, and holistic solutions ‘Made in Upper Austria,’” said Provincial Councilor Achleitner.
Since 2009, X-Net has been conducting research in collaboration with partners from science and industry. Collaborations with Johannes Kepler University, Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences, AIT Austrian Institute of Technologies, AGES Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, and ÖIAT Austrian Institute for Applied Telecommunications, among others, contribute to cutting-edge IT research in Austria and drive the development of systems to protect society. The achievements of one of the research projects were recognised in 2024 with the Austrian State Prize for Digitalisation, among other awards.
„Digital sovereignty is more important today than ever before: it creates regional added value, makes our economy more resilient, and gives us a clear cybersecurity advantage. In Upper Austria, we have an incredible breadth of expertise with over 5,000 IT companies from one-person operations to corporations with over 1,000 employees. These companies cover all areas of IT, from classic infrastructure to artificial intelligence. They are therefore not only a driver of innovation, but also a guarantee for less dependence on the decisions of other countries. Investing in digital sovereignty and regional value creation means investing in resilience, security, and future opportunities for Europe," explains Markus Roth, Chairman of the Federal Information and Consulting Division of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.
Sustainability and regional jobs
Digitalisation has not only technological but also social aspects. X-Net emphasises the importance of sustainable jobs in connection with securing regional expertise. As an SME, X-Net has committed itself to regularly reviewing and documenting the sustainability of the company in a recurring sustainability report.
"Companies such as X-Net develop solutions for business and society with a high degree of innovation, regional responsibility, and international excellence. The IV OÖ warmly congratulates X-Net on its 25th anniversary. With its consistent work in the areas of data sovereignty, open source, and secure IT infrastructure, X-Net has set standards and is thus making a valuable contribution to the competitiveness of Upper Austria as a business location." Joachim Haindl-Grutsch, Managing Director of the Upper Austrian Industrial Association.
We look forward to the next 25 years and hope that our contribution to data sovereignty will have an impact and encourage other companies to work toward a sovereign Europe.