Karepova studied economics and completed advanced training in innovation management at the MIT Sloan School. She worked in the Vienna Chamber of Labour and the European Commission before focusing on research, technology and innovation: In the last 20 years, she has been a project reviewer and developer of new programs in the Research Promotion Agency and served in the cabinet of Federal Minister:ing for Innovation and Technology. Since 2015, Karepova has been president of the Austrian Patent Office.