The main theme of the Start Summit 2026, which will take place on March 19 and 20 in St. Gallen, is: “Embrace New Horizons”The central question is which technologies and business models can shape Europe's innovation landscape in the long term, even beyond the current boom in artificial intelligence.
Topics under discussion include:
- AI beyond the hype: Which companies and technologies will remain resilient in the long term?
- From research to scalable companies: How Europe's scientific excellence can be better translated into global tech champions
- Deeptech as a competitive advantage: What role the Alpine region can play in international innovation competition
- Startup Scaling: Practical Challenges in Building and Growing Young Technology Companies
The conference brings together founders, investors, corporations, researchers, and political decision-makers from more than 30 European countries. Participants from North and South America as well as Asia are also expected.
New “Alpine Area” aims to make the innovation region visible
A new element of the summit is the Alpine Area, designed to showcase the innovative strength of the Alpine region from Geneva to Munich. At its heart is the new Alpine Stage, which will focus on deep tech, robotics, AI, and industrial innovation.
The Alpine Area also includes the St. Gallen Area, which aims to highlight the city's role as a growing startup hub. During the summit, the Hsg Start Accelerator will also present its second batch of startups.
In addition to regional ecosystems from Switzerland, stakeholders from Liechtenstein, Baden-Württemberg, and Bavaria will also be represented. The program will be complemented by a deeptech area where technology startups will present their solutions.
One summit, four stages
The conference program of the Start Summit 2026 is spread across four central stages:
- Summit Stage: Keynotes and discussions on innovation, technology and Europe's future
- Alpine Stage: Focus on deeptech and industrial innovation in the Alpine region
- Builder Stage: Practical knowledge for building startups – from seed to IPO
- Pitching Stage: Startup pitches in front of investors and the audience
Confirmed speakers include GoStudent founder Felix Ohswald, Verena Pausder (German Startup Association), UnternehmerTUM CEO Helmut Schönenberger, commercetools founder Dirk Hoerig and Anybotics CEO Péter Fankhauser.
Startups can also participate in pitching competitions and win prizes of up to 40,000 Swiss francs.
Hackathon, workshops and side events
Running parallel to the conference is a 36-hour hackathon called Start Hack. Students and young talents will work on technological challenges set by partner companies.
Confirmed partners of the Start Summit 2026 include Syngenta, Belimo, and Chain IQ. The program is complemented by workshops, mentoring sessions, and side events such as the Swisscom Venture Investor Night.
A publicly accessible food festival will also allow visitors without a conference ticket to gain insights into the atmosphere of the summit.
Munich Startup on site at the Start Summit 2026
Munich Startup, together with Münchner Technologiezentrum (MTZ), will also be present at the Start Summit on both days. Their joint booth is located in the Alpine Area, where companies from across the Alpine region will be presenting their offerings. Visitors are invited to stop by and chat with the team.
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