Exhibit 23.1

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” in this Registration Statement (Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Form S-1 on Form S-3) and related Prospectus of Pieris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for the registration of 15,250,634 shares of its common stock and to the incorporation by reference therein of our report dated March 23, 2016 with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Pieris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ernst & Young GmbH

Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft

Munich, Germany

July 28, 2016