A great honour for HELDECO: Kristina Dettenweitz has been selected for the „Top 30 under 30“ of 2026 by the WKO Steiermark and the business newspaper „Steirische Wirtschaft" – as the youngest award winner on the list.
Year after year, „Steirische Wirtschaft“ and a top-class expert jury select the 30 best young entrepreneurs in Styria. This year, HELDECO is also represented: Kristina Dettenweitz was honoured by WKO Styria President Josef Herk and Mario Lugger, initiator of the „Top 30 under 30„ and editor-in-chief of “Steirische Wirtschaft".
At just 20 years old, Kristina Dettenweitz is the youngest of the award winners – and has already made it into HELDECO's management. She joined the family business immediately after graduating from HTL Leoben and has been working her way through the various company divisions step by step ever since.
„I grew up with the company and within it.“
It was clear to her early on that she would join the family business one day: As a baby, she was already with her parents and grandparents at the company, and later she spent many afternoons there. „The combination of technology and business fascinated me. After a few internships, it was finally clear to me that I wanted to join the business at home,“ says Dettenweitz.
The entry into the still male-dominated metal industry was also entirely positive: „I receive an incredible amount of support from my family and the employees. Everyone is pleased that the company will continue to be run by the family.“
Her declared aim as a „young entrepreneur in training“, as she describes herself: „It's important to me to uphold the values that my dad and my grandad built.“
High honour
What distinguishes the award winners of „Top 30 Under 30" is summed up by Josef Herk and Mario Lugger: the courage to take responsibility at a young age and to turn ideas into reality with passion.
The entire HELDECO team heartily congratulates Kristina Dettenweitz on her award – and is delighted that the next generation is leading the company into the future with such dedication.
