Austrian Research Award to Investigate Geographic Concentration of Software Growth
Frank Neffke of the Complexity Science Hub has been awarded the prestigious ”netidee SCIENCE” funding - Austria‘s largest privately-funded research prize – in 2025.The approximately €400,000 grant, awarded through the FWF Science Fund by the Internet Foundation, will support Neffke’s research into why software development remains concentrated in specific regions despite the potential for global, digital collaboration.
Neffke’s project, “Skills and the Geography of Software Startups,” will analyze extensive data from platforms like GitHub and Stack Overflow to map the skills of millions of developers and correlate them with the success of new software companies. The research aims to understand the dynamics of the digital industry and identify the factors that make certain locations attractive for investment and innovation.
The study seeks to explain why global software giants like Microsoft,Google,and Apple are clustered in areas like Silicon Valley and Bangalore,despite the geographically unbound nature of software creation. The findings will offer insights into regional value creation, location policy, and the digital labor market.
“This study not only provides new insights into the geographical distribution of software development,but also into the dynamics of companies and employees as well as the opportunities of different regions around the world to be competitive in this sector,” saeid Neffke.
Andreas Schildberger, Board Member of the Internet Foundation, emphasized the importance of the project for Austria’s digital future: “Promoting projects like Frank Neffke’s is a central part of our mission to strengthen digital competence and innovative strength in Austria…we can specifically help establish Austria as a leading location in the digital economy and promote Europe’s technological sovereignty.”
Stefan Thurner,President of the Complexity science Hub,and Ursula Jakubek,commercial vice president of the FWF,also congratulated Neffke,highlighting the research’s potential to inform economic development and strengthen Europe’s digital capabilities.
The “netidee SCIENCE” funding is facilitated by the FWF’s alpha+ Foundation, which provides a platform for philanthropic support of Austrian research alongside other awards focused on climate research and medicine. The FWF manages the awards using its established peer-review process.
For more details: www.alphaplusstiftung.at
