From the hotel gym to the Oktoberfest stage: The bizarre Obama story
Berlin, 2016. A hotel room at the Adlon. A helicopter over the city, everything cordoned off. Obama is here for a farewell visit. Coincidentally, the Bits & Pretzels-Maker also a room in the Adlon, as Bernd Storm at Pitch & People told.
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PITCH & PEOPLE Episode 3: Bits & Pretzels
Rumors are circulating: The president works out early. So pack sneakers. At 5:30 a.m., Bernd Storm goes to the gym. The room is full of fit men – Secret Service. An hour on the bike. Then a commotion. Obama is coming soon. Meanwhile, co-founder Felix Haas is lounging by the pool. He hurries over to the gym in his bathrobe, slippers on his feet, an apple in his hand. He's doing stretches to avoid being noticed. Next to him is the treadmill.
Then the decisive moment: Obama enters and chooses the treadmill next to Felix Haas. Only a somewhat embarrassing “Hi Obama” comes to the founder of Amiando and IDnow over the lips.
"I could have said, 'Good morning, Mr. President,' or at least 'Hi, Barak.' But I couldn't think of anything better."
But the former US president remains cool when Haas tells him about the Bits and that he should come by sometime.
“Great… Oktoberfest… I want to bring Michelle.”
remembers Felix Haas to Obama's response.
The conversation only lasts about thirty seconds, maybe a minute. But that's enough. Days later, the three founders of Bits & Pretzels sit down and write letters to Washington. Highly official. But it takes a while to even get a response, and even then, it requires a lot of work. Diplomatic channels, advocates, repeated follow-ups. For three years.
In 2019, it worked. Obama came to Munich – to the Bits stage. The grand entrance was the result of timing and persistence. An Oktoberfest outfit was waiting for him at the hotel. He tried it on, sent a photo home – and put the suit on anyway. His wife Michelle's explanation, voiceover: "It doesn't suit you, your legs are too thin."
From Weißwurst breakfast to Germany's largest startup event
Bits & Pretzels started out very small twelve years ago: a Weißwurst breakfast at the Hofbräuhaus, 80 people, two to three hours of discussion. Today, it's grown into a platform with world-renowned speakers, workshops, and sessions – and the clear goal of getting startup projects off the ground.
What's new is the concentration of decision-makers. 500 CIOs of German companies are attending – as potential customers and development partners. 1,500 venture capital investors are traveling, along with around 300 investors in these funds. They meet at the Investors' Summit. A mix that forces discussions on equal terms.
Bernd Storm and Felix Haas promise less show, more substance: master classes, small specialist stages, debates at CIO and investor summits. Those who invest 20, 30, or 45 minutes should walk away with concrete "business value." At the same time, the city is growing with it: around 100 side events from Friday until after the fair – doubled compared to the previous year.
Change of topic at Bits & Pretzels: From climate to resilience
The scene has matured since Obama's visit in 2019, say the two Bits founders. Sustainability is less talked about in the media, but it's present behind the scenes: battery recycling, energy distribution, new materials, mobility. Bernd Storm says:
"Topics like defense – including resilience and European sovereignty – are certainly dominating at the moment. We see our task as agenda-setting and want to not only define today's headlines, but also discuss the issues of the coming years. The motto for 2025 is: “Connecting Europe.”
To this end, Bits & Pretzels is seeking dialogue with policymakers. Speakers include Economics Minister Reiche, Research Minister Dorothee Bär, and Danish Digital Minister Caroline Stage Olsen. The EU AI Act will also be on stage – along with its controversy. The goal: relevant minds, relevant topics, and appropriate formats.
Munich as a deep-tech workshop
In the Pitch & People video podcast, Felix Haas and Bernd Storm also talk about Munich success stories: For example Isar Aerospace about Daniel Metzler, Quantum Systems, Celonis, Flixbus, Personio – once with a 2x2 meter booth at Bits & Pretzels, today the European leader. The two see a young AI generation on the rise. Deep-tech teams like Marvel Fusion or Proxima Fusion. Names that represent a new Munich mix: less B2C, more technological depth.
Bits & Pretzels isn't a corporate product, the founders emphasize. It's independent, "with a certain craziness." And with a team that works "day and night" on the event. Their own standards remain higher than external expectations. That, say Felix Haas and Bernd Storm, is precisely their little secret.
