As in 2008 and 2014, the study comprehensively analyses the Austrian succession situation and estimates the transfer potential in the coming years. One focus of the study is on the concrete design of the transfer process as well as on the topics of innovation and digitalisation in the course of business transfers. The study is based on analyses of secondary data, a quantitative survey of transferors, successors and potential transferors as well as qualitative interviews with experts and entrepreneurs concerned.