The next online corporation is setting up shop in the Bavarian capital. Starting in October, Meta will operate a new location on the former Infineon site on Balanstraße. This expands the company's presence in Germany, which operates platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Meta already has two offices in Hamburg and Berlin.
The new premises in Munich span two floors and offer space for around 100 employees. They will primarily focus on technology development and partnerships related to immersive technologies and AI. The ground floor of the building will house an event and collaboration space for Meta and the local developer community.
Meta chose Munich for several reasons. According to the company, the availability of suitable specialists was just as crucial as the leading German and Bavarian research. However, the proximity to other relevant companies in the Free State also played a role. The economically important region surrounding the state capital, with its unique density of DAX-listed companies, has established itself as a major technology location in recent years, according to a press release from the group.
Meta wants to expand partnerships
Meta has continuously invested in its Munich location in recent years. For example, the company supported the "Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence (IEAI)" at the Technical University of Munich with seven million dollars. Furthermore, Meta took over the fashion startup Presize and went a Partnership with the start-up Straightlabs a.
Angelika Gifford, Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Meta, explains:
"Immersive technologies and AI are crucial for the future and a key component of the metaverse. Currently, we're working on laying the foundations for XR and AI – we can't do this alone, but only together with partners from different industries. By now having an office in Munich, we can further expand our partnerships. The many companies, industries, and academic institutions based in Bavaria make Munich an ideal location for us."
