On July 16, 2025, Backstage Munich will once again be transformed into the meeting place for the startup scene. The Munich Startup Festival enters its third year – bigger, more diverse, and more musical than ever.
Startup meets sound, capital meets idea
The day begins with an opening program on the main stage, followed by panels, discussions, and presentations focused on the key topics of today and tomorrow: health, mobility, financing, media, and defense technology. In the panel "Care of the Future: Innovations for Tomorrow's Healthcare," startup founder Rafael Hostettler, CEO of Devanthro, will outline what tomorrow's care might look like. In "Funding Your Future," the Stadtsparkasse (city savings bank), various VC representatives, and a startup will bring together diverse perspectives, and various financing options will be discussed.
Another highlight is the panel "Startup Landscape 360°: Local Roots, National Trends, Global Opportunities." Munich has established itself as a leading technology location, but can it compete with global startup hotspots like London or Silicon Valley? In this panel, leading figures such as Stefan Drüssler, Managing Director and COO of UnternehmerTUM, and Magdalena Oehl, founder of TalentRocket and deputy chair of the Startup Association, will discuss the necessary framework for taking Munich's startup ecosystem to the next level with Axel Täubert, Head of Startups at Google.
The crowning finale of the official festival program remains the Munich Startup Award. Five selected startups will pitch live on the main stage – in front of the jury, audience, and investors – for the title of "Best Munich Startup 2025" and a prize of €10,000.
Festival atmosphere: music, food & exchange
Those who need a short break don't have to leave the festival grounds. Local street food trucks, barista coffee, and various bars provide culinary delights, and the outdoor area invites informal networking.
The afterparty begins at 7 p.m. The 2025 lineup is also impressive. Malik Harris will be there: The Munich-based singer-songwriter stormed the top 10 of the German charts with "Rockstars" in 2023, performed at the Eurovision Song Contest, and is now bringing his new song "Daydreaming" to the Munich Startup Festival stage. ZOOM.LIKE will also be creating a lively atmosphere – the Munich-based DJ has been producing his own tracks since 2020 and will deliver just the right beat for the festival evening. Cellz, meanwhile, combines soul, R&B, hip-hop, and jazz in his sound. Also from Munich and, like Cellz, playing the saxophone: Rolax. He harmonizes his instrument with electronic beats – a mix that works particularly well live.
Conclusion
The Munich Startup Festival 2025 brings together Munich's startup scene – in terms of content, people, and, in the evening, music. It's a day where ideas meet founders, investors meet startups, and Munich looks to the future. Anyone who is or wants to become part of the ecosystem can come to Backstage on July 16.
Curious? All information about the festival and tickets can be found here.
