Munich Startup: Almost 20 years ago, you compared the startup networks around Stanford University and the Technical University of Munich in your thesis. How has the Munich startup ecosystem developed since then?
Helmut Schönenberger: Over the last two decades, Munich has developed into an internationally visible cluster for tech startups, with unicorns such as Celonis, Flixbus and LiliumThe pipeline of further high-growth startups is well filled. Munich-based companies such as Blickfeld, Fazua, Isar Aerospace, Konux, Navvis, Personio, Proglove and Twaice have a good chance of becoming stars of the European startup scene. I am very optimistic that these success stories can make Munich the leading European B2B startup ecosystem. Another particular strength of the Munich ecosystem is the close collaboration between the incubators of the major local universities – LMU, Munich University of Applied Sciences, and TUM.
Munich Startup: Why should graduates of the Technical University of Munich start a business – and not simply look for a well-paid job with a local medium-sized company or corporation?
Helmut Schönenberger: At TUM, it's important to us that our graduates think carefully about their career paths. Starting their own company is one option. What fascinates me is that as a founder, you have the opportunity to quickly realize your own ideas, build a strong team, and attract clients and investors. At the same time, starting your own company also means investing a lot of time and passion, taking on a lot of responsibility, and dealing with uncertainty and risk. Everyone has to decide for themselves which path is right for them.
Munich Urban Colab: “Meeting point for innovators from different fields”
Munich Startup: According to the German Startup Monitor, no German university produces more startup founders than the Technical University of Munich. UnternehmerTUM probably plays a significant role in this. What do you do better than other universities and their incubators?
Helmut Schönenberger: At TUM, we have consistently pursued the "entrepreneurial university" strategy since winning the Excellence Initiative in 2006. With UnternehmerTUM, we have a university incubator that, together with TUM Forte and the chairs, professionally implements the strategy and bridges the gap between the university, established companies, and the startup scene. It's also important that our sole shareholder and UnternehmerTUM Supervisory Board Chair, Susanne Klatten, has supported us in this sustainable development path since our founding in 2002.
Munich Startup: Together with the City of Munich, UnternehmerTUM is currently building the Munich Urban Colab at Leonrodplatz. What are the plans there, and what do you hope to achieve?
Helmut Schönenberger: The goal is to establish the Munich Urban Colab as a new entrepreneurial hotspot in the city, focusing on solutions for the cities of the future. It will be a meeting place for innovators from various fields and organizations, such as Munich's universities, established companies, startups, investors, and more. It's great that we're building the building with the state capital. Many innovative minds from the city administration and municipal companies will be involved in the Colab.
Helmut Schönenberger: “We want to position Munich even better internationally as a startup cluster”
Munich Startup: UnternehmerTUM advises students, provides training, helps with startups, maintains a wide range of funding programs, operates a makerspace, and invests in startups through its own VC fund. Where do you see the journey taking you next? Do you have any concrete future plans for UnternehmerTUM?
Helmut Schönenberger: Together with TUM and our other partners, we will continue our mission to offer the next generation of entrepreneurs a perfect development environment for themselves and their young companies. In the coming years, this will particularly mean expanding our expertise in key technology and industry fields such as AI, additive manufacturing, and robotics. Furthermore, we at TUM and UnternehmerTUM also want to further expand our collaboration with our colleagues and friends at LMU, the LMU Entrepreneurship Center, the Munich University of Applied Sciences and the SCE to further expand in order to better position Munich internationally as a start-up cluster.
Munich Startup: With AppliedAI, UnternehmerTUM claims to be operating Europe's largest initiative for artificial intelligence. Together with five other initiatives in Germany, you recently AI4Germany launched. The goal is to support small and medium-sized businesses in the application of AI. What significance and potential does artificial intelligence have for the economy?
Helmut Schönenberger: AI is a key technology that will massively transform our economy. The situation is similar to what it was a good 20 years ago, when the internet began its triumphant advance. Our task as Germany's largest startup center is to ensure that we don't miss out on the AI wave, but rather ride it to its full potential. Then our location will continue to be clearly visible on the world map of leading high-tech regions.
Munich Startup: In your opinion, what medium- and long-term consequences will the Corona crisis have for the Munich startup ecosystem?
Helmut Schönenberger: In the short and medium term, many startups will face challenges in acquiring customers and investors. Especially for B2B companies, acquisition will often not become any easier in the next 6 to 18 months. At the same time, highly successful new companies with disruptive business models have emerged, especially in times of crisis. In this time of change, it is important to combine the strengths of our startups and those of our established companies, jointly drive the digitalization of our economy, and bring sustainable products to market.
