With a top-class speaker lineup, all-day pitches, networking opportunities and festival atmosphere, the Munich Startup Festival to once again become a highlight in the city's event calendar - for participants who have already founded a company, but also for those who are still in the process of founding a company and want to immerse themselves in the Munich start-up scene in advance.
A special highlight will be the keynote speech by founder and investor Tijen Onaran, known, among other things, from the TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen." Onaran has successfully built her own personal brand. Festival attendees will learn firsthand how founders can generate more visibility for their startup through targeted self-branding and which strategies are suitable for building a strong personal brand.
Biotech boom: The key to eternal youth could lie in Munich
The festival also focuses on trends in the biotech sector, where Munich is considered one of Europe's leading locations. Since the founding of BioM and the Bavarian Biotechnology Cluster over 20 years ago, more than 240 biotech startups have emerged in the area surrounding the state capital. Prof. Dr. Ralf Huss, Managing Director of BioM Biotech Cluster Development, is convinced:
"The success is based, on the one hand, on the high density of scientific expertise. Added to this is the presence of numerous pharmaceutical companies, some of which conduct research, and the special support from the Free State of Bavaria for more than 25 years."
Thanks to cutting-edge research, our current life expectancy could, under special circumstances, “be safely extended to 120 to 140 years.”
The Munich Startup Festival will also discuss which technologies and approaches are being developed at Munich universities to address the multiple crises of today. Prof. Dr. Rafaela Kraus, Vice President of the University Division for Applied Sciences, Entrepreneurship, and Equal Opportunities at the Bundeswehr University Munich, emphasizes the importance of an interdisciplinary approach. Science, business, and society should work closely together, she says:
“Universities need to think more in terms of ecosystems. Because the best ideas don't arise in disciplinary silos, but at the interfaces between disciplines.”
Intensive networking with investors and grownups
The Munich Startup Festival also offers founders a wide range of opportunities for exchange and networking: Munich startup sponsors such as Plug and Play, Media Lab Bayern, and Start2 Group will be available to answer questions. In a dedicated panel discussion, interested young entrepreneurs will hear firsthand from the city council about Munich's plans to expand the local startup ecosystem. They can also present their ideas on a dedicated stage throughout the day and attract potential investors. Another highlight of the day will be hearing from Lilium, a successful startup, about its experiences. Exomatter, a specialist in AI-supported materials science research and development, and Energyminer, a provider and operator of kinetic hydropower plants, will grill Lilium about the challenges the flying taxi specialist has overcome on its journey to becoming a unicorn. Exomatter co-founder Barbara Bachus reveals in advance:
"To build a unicorn, it's not enough to just be an entrepreneur. Anyone who wants to build a company with more than 1,000 employees needs to be authentic, a visionary, a bit of a manipulator, a leader, and a strategist."
Munich Startup Award offers 10,000 euros in prize money
This year's Munich Startup Award ceremony is once again eagerly awaited. Supported by Messe München and endowed with €10,000, the prize seeks the best Munich startup of 2024. The young companies will pitch in two semifinals before the most exciting concepts compete in the grand finale on the main stage.
Arno Eggers, Head of Munich Startup, explains:
"The Munich Startup Festival is a must-attend event for anyone who is or wants to be part of Munich's dynamic startup scene. It offers a unique platform for networking and knowledge exchange, unique in its kind in Munich. We look forward to celebrating and promoting the innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit of our city."
All information about the festival and tickets can be found here.
