Tuning In Without Barriers: Impact Hub Vienna’s Measures Toward Inclusion [Accessibility Guide]

Did you know that around 1.71 million people in Austria live with hearing loss?

In most public and private event spaces, standard sound systems aren’t enough to make spoken content fully accessible—especially in noisy or echo-prone environments.

At Impact Hub Vienna, we recognize this need.

That’s why, in collaboration with VOX – Schwerhörigenzentrum Wien and Akustik Pro, we’ve installed audio induction loops in our two main event spaces: The Stage and The Atelier. These spaces host up to 120 and 60 people respectively and are now equipped to better serve our community.

Accessibility Guide Available for Download

Want to learn more about how to use the audio induction loop system at Impact Hub Vienna? We’ve created an easy-to-follow Accessibility Guide to help you make the most of your visit.

(Available in German and English)

We’re committed to making our spaces as inclusive and accessible as possible—for everyone.

The system—installed in March 2025—allows people with hearing aids or implants that support the T-coil setting to receive crystal-clear audio directly into their device, without background noise or interference. This means no more guessing, lip-reading, or missing important parts of a conversation.

“Someone with a hearing aid walks in, sees the signage explaining the system, and connects to a channel that transmits only the audio from our microphones and sound mixer—nothing else,” explains Raphaela Stock, Space Lead at Impact Hub Vienna.

“In the past, the space could be distracting—with coffee machines, conversations, music, and more overlapping.”
Making events in Vienna more inclusive

Impact Hub Vienna is more than a space—it’s a community for entrepreneurship, collaboration, and social change.

Events—from workshops and panel talks to large-scale conferences—are a key part of how we bring people together. Ensuring that everyone can fully participate in these shared moments is essential to our mission.

“The idea came from observations within our team, but even more from our desire to be truly inclusive,” says Stock.

“Everyone should be able to attend an event here and enjoy it in a welcoming atmosphere with as few barriers as possible.”

The technology is simple: a cable runs around the room, creating a magnetic field that transmits audio signals directly to hearing devices. No prior preparation is needed—just show up and tune in.

Made possible through collaboration

This project was made possible through intentional outreach and collaboration.

“I reached out to VOX – Schwerhörigenzentrum Wien to understand how we could make our space more accessible to people with hearing loss,” says Stock.

“They recommended audio induction loops as the most effective and inclusive solution, and connected us with their implementation partner, Akustik Pro.”

VOX is the leading center for hearing support in Vienna and a member of the Austrian Association for the Hard of Hearing (ÖSB). Their expertise ensures accessibility efforts meet real needs—not assumptions.

More accessibility, more inclusion

Installing induction loops is part of Impact Hub Vienna’s growing commitment to inclusive space design. Existing and upcoming improvements include:

With the introduction of audio induction loops, Impact Hub Vienna reaffirms its commitment to inclusive events, acoustic accessibility, and making sure that every voice can be heard.