Early Life and Education
Michael Tojner was born on March 31, 1966, in Steyr, Austria. He spent his childhood in Haag, Lower Austria. He attended the Bundesrealgymnasium Amstetten, graduating in 1984. Tojner pursued higher education at the University of Vienna, earning degrees in both business administration and law, and obtaining doctorates in both fields in 1990/1991. He also participated in executive programs at Stanford University (2001) and Harvard Business School (2002).
Rise to Success
Tojner's entrepreneurial career began in the 1990s with a focus on venture capital and restructuring companies. He founded Global Equity Partners (GEP) in 1998. One of his most notable early investments was in betandwin, which later became bwin, a major European gambling company. He sold his interest in bwin in 2005. In 2006, he founded Montana Tech Components, an industrial holding company, through which he made significant investments in various industries. A pivotal moment was the acquisition of Varta Microbattery in 2007 for $40 million.
Key Business Strategies
Tojner's business strategy involves acquiring and developing companies in technology-driven niche markets. He focuses on long-term investments. A key aspect of his strategy is to identify and acquire promising companies and then foster their growth, as seen with Varta, which he took public in 2017. Tojner has also been involved in real estate, with projects like the Hotel InterContinental Vienna. His approach includes a strong emphasis on financial performance and growth, setting targets such as a 50% annual revenue increase.
Philanthropy
Michael Tojner has shown an interest in supporting education and innovation. He has been connected with the Vienna University of Economics and Business for over 20 years. In January 2021, he, together with the B&C Privatstiftung, allocated eleven million euros towards research funding for the university, which is the largest direct private funding in Austria. He also founded the "Verein zur Förderung von Innovation, Unternehmertum und Internationalisierung" in 2020.
