Industrial fires cause enormous damage every year – particularly in sectors where machinery operates round the clock and high temperatures can build up. This is precisely where AVIAN comes in: using artificial intelligence and thermal imaging technology, the team is developing a solution that detects potential hazards before a fire breaks out. Among those behind the company is Thomas Längle, a graduate of the TU Wien.
Längle completed his degree in electrical engineering at the TU Wien in 2017. His career then took him into the international deep-tech scene, where he works with an interdisciplinary team to develop technologies designed to make industrial processes safer. The idea for AVIAN arose from a specific challenge: Following a major fire at a Swiss sawmill, the question arose as to how similar incidents could be detected early and prevented in future.
The answer was an intelligent monitoring system: thermal imaging cameras continuously record temperature changes in industrial plants. AI-powered software analyses the data and distinguishes between normal fluctuations and actual warning signs. This enables companies to react more quickly and reduce risks. In addition to fire protection, the technology also enables the early detection of unusual developments in machinery and allows for more targeted maintenance planning.
Within just a few years, the original idea developed into an internationally active scale-up. AVIAN now operates in several countries and supports numerous industrial companies in running their facilities more safely. Following a funding round in 2025, the company is stepping up its international expansion, particularly in the USA.
For Längle, AVIAN’s development demonstrates the role that technical knowledge and scientific training can play in the creation of new solutions. “From TU Wien to the international start-up scene” exemplifies a path taken by many graduates: not only advancing research and technology, but also turning them into concrete applications for society and the economy.
TU Wien supports entrepreneurial spirit and technology-oriented start-ups through initiatives such as the Spinoff Factory and the Innovation Incubation Centre (i²c), which assist researchers and students in transforming scientific ideas into marketable innovations.