From the decision to execution in the market.
We support owners, managing directors and supervisory boards on growth, business model and internationalisation, from the decision on a market to execution on the ground. Established companies and family businesses, subsidiaries of international groups, and funded startups and scale-ups that already generate revenue.
Schedule a ConsultationSeven situations in which owners and managing directors bring us in.
Growth under uncertainty: our work for mid-sized companies →A new product, a new service or a new market starts cold, even in an established company. We validate demand, pricing logic and willingness to pay before production, sales and capital are committed. On launch day, demand is proven.
Schedule a Consultation →A second market, qualified before the first comes under pressure. We select and prioritise target markets, build the business case for budget approval, vet sales and technology partners and support the outreach at decision-maker level through to negotiation. DACH and CEE, the Gulf states, India and Southeast Asia, with our own contacts on the ground.
Schedule a Consultation →After a price collapse or the loss of a key account, you need a clear picture: which customer segments carry which contribution margin, what a customer really pays for, where effort yields no return. From there, the realignment, with scenarios and a response agreed in advance.
Schedule a Consultation →Figures, plan and storyline prepared so that funding applications, bank discussions and financing rounds hold up, whether the money comes from a public programme, a bank or an investor. Plus access to the Vienna investor and business angel community, in which we are invested ourselves.
Schedule a Consultation →“Everyone talks about AI. What does it mean for our business?” The answer lies first in the business model, then in the technology. Three to five costed use cases, a roadmap the management team can steer itself, and a first pilot in live operation before scaling up.
Schedule a Consultation →Handover, a partner coming in, or an acquisition: we prepare the commercial side, through to integration after the deal, and work at the level where the decision is made. For execution, we stay on board.
Schedule a Consultation →Where it is required, we take on line responsibility: full-time for a clearly limited phase, or on fixed days per week over a longer period. With leadership experience as COO of a US subsidiary, in Southeast Asia and in our own businesses.
Schedule a Consultation →We offer focused sprints and transformation programs for two distinct stages of growth.
Every engagement is scoped to the situation.
Each format is an entry point with a fixed goal and its own timeframe. After that, the company decides whether we continue, and we shape the mandate to fit.
Schedule a Consultation30 minutes, free and without obligation
Clarity, strategy, and execution from a single source. Our three-stage process ensures fast, informed decisions and sustainable results.
A deep-dive market & capability scan to provide a clear, data-driven basis for decisions. We identify the critical levers for your growth.
Developing the strategic blueprint for execution. In this phase, we activate our network, introduce key partners, and launch the first operational pilot.
Execution in the market. Where it is required, we take on line responsibility, scale the processes, put steering and key figures in place, and stay until the business carries itself.
The first conversation takes 30 minutes, is free and without obligation. We use it to understand your starting point and to say openly whether we are the right partners. After that we work to a defined brief with milestones and a fee, as a single project, an ongoing mandate, or with a success component. The contracting party is AGA Group GmbH, and it leads the mandate.
Where a mandate demands more, we work with a team of more than 40 specialists built up over years of working together on projects, across management consulting, tax, law, audit, marketing, technology, digitalisation and people, assembled for each mandate and steered by us throughout.
Schedule a Consultation30 minutes, free and without obligation
Our value is measured by the success of our clients and the ecosystems we help shape. The numbers speak for themselves.
Within three years (2005-2008) at a U.S. subsidiary, creating a business with over $5M USD in revenue.
Secured with a two-year run rate (2011-2012) for new market solutions.
With leading global carriers including T-Mobile, Orange, and NTT DoCoMo.
Our deep roots and active engagement in key innovation hubs give our clients a unique advantage: access to policy, capital, and talent.
Public innovation and funding bodiesVienna Business Agency, Start-up Services · aws Austria Wirtschaftsservice, First Incubator · EIT Health
Mentoring and jury rolesilabs, Innovation Labs of the University of Vienna · Founder Institute Vienna · Impact Hub Vienna · Social Impact Award · Junior Achievement Austria · Business France Austria · IFAV Hub, Abu Dhabi
Talks and juriesMiddle East Energy 2026, Dubai: panel speaker and judge of the Innovation Finale · IndiaSoft 2025, New Delhi: panel, as part of the ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA and WKO StartupNOW delegation · EIT Health Career Path 2025, Paris: workshop for more than 170 participants · aws Connect Day 2025: jury for the GreenTech pitches · 30 years of Junior Achievement Austria, Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, 2025: panel
PartnerHase & Igel, AI software for marketing and sales, sales partner for Austria and the Gulf states
Schedule a Consultation30 minutes, free and without obligation
Expansion into the Gulf region, from the target market to the first partners. The entry paid off, and the agency operates at a profit in the GCC today.
International scaling, competitive position, growth planning and target market analysis. Target markets defined, the right strategic go-to-market partners connected, each partnership set up with a structure and incentives that work for both sides. Sales through the partners have started.
Workshops and coaching from competitive positioning and product-market fit to expansion strategy.
Strategic support for the management and sales team, development of business model and market positioning.
Programmes for leadership teams on adapting the business model in the context of generative and agentic AI, including the introduction of HubSpot with AI functionality, in daily use there today.
Support for international founding teams in English, from business model validation through market entry to scaling.
Most advisors have either run a corporation or built a startup, rarely both, and almost never across half a dozen industries. Firas Saedaddin has done both, repeatedly, over a 28-year career spanning disciplined corporate leadership, hands-on entrepreneurship, and today, the role of trusted bridge builder between established business, innovation, and capital.
The corporate chapter was built inside global tech leadership. Over 16 years at Alcatel-Lucent (now part of Nokia) and Genesys, Firas held executive roles across Europe, the US, and Asia-Pacific, including COO of PacketVideo Network Solutions in San Diego, and built strategic alliances with IBM and HP that generated more than USD 145 million in business volume over two years. That discipline in execution and accountability still defines how AGA Group operates today.
The entrepreneurial chapter spans industries most advisors only theorize about: enterprise software (72solutions), health and fitness (multiple Bodystreet studios), food production and wholesale (sNUTS Trading), and residential real estate development, with several successful projects delivered. Add an active angel investment portfolio spanning further sectors, including ISTARI.AI, Repark, Impact AI, Talents & Company, and sendance, and the result is a rare, first-hand feel for almost any industry a client brings to the table.
As shareholder and Co-CEO of 72solutions, a Vienna software house, he built and sold into a base of more than a hundred Austrian clients, among them Stadt Wien Marketing, Red Bull Media and the Wiener Secession. Selling in this market, hiring for it and answering for the result is not something he only advises on.
What distinguishes AGA Group today is this rare combination, tested across sectors and backed by deep integration in the innovation ecosystem. As mentor and advisor to more than 500 founders and companies, working with Wirtschaftsagentur Wien, aws Austria Wirtschaftsservice, EIT Health, and the Founder Institute, and as co-author of How to Start-Up (Linde Verlag), Firas connects clients, whether an early-stage startup or an established SME, with the capital, partners, and hard-won operating experience that real growth requires. We are not just consultants; we are bridge builders.
Schedule a Consultation30 minutes, free and without obligation
Insights on market dynamics, innovation policy, and growth strategies relevant to today's leaders.
We need more awareness, visibility, and coverage across society, media, and politics for Austria's start-up ecosystem…
Read More →We need more awareness, visibility, and coverage across society, media, and politics for Austria's start-up ecosystem.
It is a common oversight to view start-ups as a niche segment of the economy. In reality, they are the high-torque engine of our future growth, operating as the essential backbone alongside our esteemed small and medium-sized businesses. These ventures are not merely creating jobs; they are addressing critical pain points with an agility that larger public sector bodies and corporations often haven't solved. They are the crucibles where innovation meets impact on society and the environment.
A significant breakthrough is on the horizon. Historic progress is being made on new regulations, specifically the Austrian parliament's "Flexible Kapitalgesellschaft" (Flexible Company) and "Mitarbeiterbeteiligung" (ESOP - employee stock option plan). This legislation is more than just administrative housekeeping; it's a fundamental shift that promises to dismantle needless bureaucracy and inject much-needed flexibility into our corporate framework.
I am honoured for the opportunity to contribute to this dialogue and advocate for these changes. It is a massive step for the Austrian context of corporate law, but we must recognize it as a milestone, not the final destination. More positive change is needed to ensure our ecosystem doesn't just survive, but thrives on a global stage.
In Austria, a powerful economic story is unfolding, one that is often underrepresented in mainstream business discussions…
Read More →In Austria, a powerful economic story is unfolding, one that is often underrepresented in mainstream business discussions. With over 2,500 social enterprises and 6,000 nonprofit organizations, this sector contributes more than €20 billion in economic value. It's a vital force for change, and Austrian studies confirm that more than half of all start-ups pursue social or environmental goals.
The mitSinn initiative, which I am proud to support as a member of the steering committee, builds on this momentum. This is not a top-down directive but a participatory process involving over 250 stakeholders. We have delivered a clear roadmap with five key recommendations to create better conditions for social innovation.
Working alongside visionaries like Georg Schoen, Banan Sakbani, and Poxleitner has been both inspiring and deeply insightful. It is through initiatives like this that civil society, nonprofits, and social enterprises can come together to shape a sustainable and equitable future. This is the new frontier of enterprise—where profit and purpose are not mutually exclusive but mutually reinforcing.
There are moments in business that transcend transactions and become truly transformational. My recent visit to India…
Read More →There are moments in business that transcend transactions and become truly transformational. My recent visit to India, as part of a delegation with ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA INDIA and WKO StartupNOW, was precisely that. This mission was a powerful reminder that we are building an international platform for cutting-edge technologies and cross-border innovation.
Key Takeaway: India is on a clear trajectory to become the world's third-largest economy by 2030, with a projected growth rate of over 6.7%. This dynamic market presents a unique, time-sensitive opportunity for Austrian start-ups and SMEs to collaborate, scale, and lead.
The tangible outcomes speak for themselves. The signing of two MoUs—one with Rajesh Revankar, CEO of DTC Infotech, and another with Niveditha Suchak, Chairperson of ESC—is a testament to our shared commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. The warmth of the welcome from Indian ecosystem builders like Sandeep Aggarwal confirms that the appetite for partnership is mutual. We must seize this moment.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are not buzzwords; they are fundamental principles that I have seen deliver tangible value…
Read More →Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are not buzzwords; they are fundamental principles that I have seen deliver tangible value throughout my career. My experiences have shown me firsthand the profound, positive effects of a truly cooperative and inclusive environment.
During my years at Alcatel-Lucent, a multinational company now part of Nokia, I had the privilege of working in diverse global hubs: Paris, Shanghai, San Diego, and Kuala Lumpur. Each of these offices incorporated distinct DEI values which were not just enforced but enjoyed, creating a clear advantage for the business, especially in a sector driven by relentless innovation.
This perspective extends from the corporate world to the civic sphere. Here in the City of Vienna, projects like CORE (Centre of Refugee Enablement) exemplify this. This EU-funded cooperation brings together the Vienna Social Fund (FSW), the Vienna Employment Promotion Fund (waff), and the Vienna Board of Education to provide critical impulses for development in the area of integration.
It’s through these concerted efforts—and the invaluable work of individuals and organizations like Train of Hope—that we pave the way for a more inclusive and prosperous society.
Vienna is a vibrant, dynamic, and growing federal state in Austria. Yet, this growth presents a critical challenge that we cannot afford to ignore…
Read More →Vienna is a vibrant, dynamic, and growing federal state in Austria. Yet, this growth presents a critical challenge that we cannot afford to ignore: youth unemployment. Among those under 25, this is a demographic reality that requires immediate and strategic action, not just for creating a brighter future, but for securing the sustainability of our entire economic system.
The Reality: In Vienna, 5.2 young people compete for every single open apprenticeship position. This gap highlights the urgent need to expand vocational training opportunities and deliver targeted support systems that help these individuals unlock their full potential.
Vienna is already making strides with its Job Offensive, aiming to create 21,000 new jobs and expand apprenticeship placements by 2030. These are vital investments. Our young people are our greatest asset. By empowering them with opportunity, we are not only driving economic growth but also ensuring the long-term sustainability of our pension systems. This is a challenge we must rise to meet, together.
Start a conversation that could transform your enterprise. Schedule a first conversation of 30 minutes, free and without obligation, to discuss your starting point and next steps.
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