Mission Monument brings statues to life

“Mission Monument makes it possible to talk to statues”

From Ludwig II to Sigi Sommer to the boar in front of the Hunting and Fishing Museum, Munich is home to numerous statues. But while some kings may be familiar, not all of the great figures depicted are necessarily well-known. And so, the stories of the blacksmith of Kochel, Ernest von Grossi, or Liesl Karlstadt remain hidden from most passersby. The Munich startup Mission Monument wants to remedy this by bringing the statues to life on people's smartphones and letting them tell their stories. The founders reveal more in an interview.

Maximilian Feigl January 8, 2024 3 min reading time

Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?

Mission Monument: Mission Monument makes it possible to talk to statues. A city walk or museum visit thus becomes an interactive experience. With our app, we aim to contribute to a more conscious perception of public space and a contemporary discourse on heritage culture. In summary, we want to enhance cultural education and entertainment at the same time – in a motivating and empathetic way. Our app is for everyone seeking cultural education and entertainment in a city, including both locals and tourists of all ages.

This is what the current test version of the Mission Monument app looks like. © Mission Monument

Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!

Mission Monument: Really, where?

Munich Startup: What is your founding story?

Mission Monument: The four of us have been friends for a long time, and Jones, Simon, and Will have been developing web applications and apps together for years. On a joint city trip to Regensburg, we visited Walhalla. We were very impressed by the size and scope of the exhibition. However, we all came away with a desire to learn much more about the people behind the busts. And at that moment, the idea for Mission Monument was born, and the idea quickly evolved into a concrete project and an application for the "Extended Realities" funding program of the FFF Bavaria.

Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?

Mission Monument: We're aware that, especially in the digital space, many great ideas are currently competing for attention. Furthermore, it's not getting any easier to obtain funding for cultural projects. We're certainly aware of both. But we're eager to further explore the possibilities of cultural funding and seek out partners who also share motivation, imagination, and a playful spirit. We're enthusiastically working on leveraging the advancements in digital technologies, not just in the field of AI, to our advantage.

The first tour is scheduled for 2024

Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?

Mission Monument: We want 2024 our first own tour “Munich Personalities” We also want to help museums enrich their visitors' experiences through the customized implementation of our idea. Many more tours and museums are planned to follow in the coming years. Furthermore, the technology for creating the content will be so simple that the customer can develop and modify it independently.

Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?

Mission Monument: Munich also has a lot to offer startups and is no slouch compared to Berlin. We've already met many exciting people, companies, ideas, and programs, which have also helped advance our product. Nevertheless, you also have to make sure that things continue to thrive.

Munich Startup: Public transport or bicycle?

Mission Monument: If at all possible, then definitely a bike!