Keynote speaker Chris Müller, former director of Tabakfabrik Linz, will set an exciting tone at the “Standortgespräch spezial”: Together with the participants, he will analyze the current situation in Waidhofen and present the concept of a vital innovation ecology for the city and region. The evening offers space for questions, new perspectives and networking – bold and practical at the same time. Important development projects such as the one at the ÖBB main station in Waidhofen or the Gstadt business park will also be presented.

What attracts the tobacco factory mastermind to Waidhofen?
Chris Müller has been out of office as director of Tabakfabrik Linz for more than three years. When he strolls through the area on Peter-Behrens-Platz, you don’t notice much of this: here he chats with the Thai restaurant owner, there with the AI programmer. On the next corner, he buys a bouquet of flowers and then eloquently explains the concept behind the “Strada del Start-up”.

Chris Müller is a visionary who brings things down to earth, a creative who appreciates and loves craftsmanship. When he began developing the derelict tobacco factory on behalf of the City of Linz in 2012, he was the only employee on the 38,000 square meter site. Today, 2,500 people work there, in 250 companies and organizations of various sizes. “Connected in the world’s first collaborative group”, as Chris Müller calls it. The “Quadrill” building ensemble will open in March, when it will also be possible to live in the tobacco factory or stay overnight as a hotel guest.

A new longing for Waidhofen
What does this have to do with Waidhofen? After resigning from his position as director of Tabakfabrik Linz, Chris Müller has started to bring his ideas and approaches to other cities and regions in order to develop so-called “brownfields” (former company premises), currently in Vienna (Otto Wagner site), Venice and Steyr, for example, and in Waidhofen he will be working with ÖBB on events for the new city quarter and has already helped to “build the new iron road and think of the city as a factory” on behalf of the city of Waidhofen. Locations such as Hammergasse, the Hoher Markt, the Old Town Hall, the beta campus, Rothschild Castle and many more are to play a role in this. “How do we create a longing for Waidhofen as a location?” he asks. The first answers are to be found at the “Standortgespräch spezial” on Thursday, February 26, at Rothschild Castle.

Mayor Werner Krammer focuses on looking ahead together: “Building the future together – that is the core of the Waidhofen location talks. It is precisely because framework conditions are changing rapidly that business, politics and administration need to join forces. If we address challenges openly and share knowledge, we can turn crises into opportunities.”

Registration: Participation is possible after registration. Please register by Tuesday, February 24 at the latest using the online form at waidhofen.at/standortgespraeche.

The report comes from the newspaper Der Ybbstaler – Ybbstal-Medien 1886 GMBH from Mon, 16.02.2026
Impulses for the business location Waidhofen : Chris Müller, former director of Tabakfabrik Linz, shows opportunities and ways to an innovation ecosystem for Waidhofen and the region

Photo (c) City of Waidhofen a/d Ybbs: Chris Müller (l.) and Mayor Werner Krammer at Tabakfabrik Linz, where a delegation from Waidhofen gathered for a preliminary meeting on February 3.