Munich Startup: What does the Nexus Politics do? What problem does it solve?
Magnus Strobel: Nexus Politics is developing a digital democracy platform. We are addressing growing political dissatisfaction by providing citizens with digital tools to raise concerns, understand political processes, and hold those responsible accountable – all integrated on one platform rather than fragmented across many individual solutions.
Digital democratic participation instead of fragmented individual solutions
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Magnus Strobel: There are indeed many good individual solutions – for example, for citizen participation, petitions, or transparency. What has been lacking so far, however, is a comprehensive connection between these approaches. Our added value lies precisely in this: We consider the entire political process end-to-end – from the initial problem report through political decision-making to implementation and follow-up. For citizens, this means a clear, comprehensible path instead of many isolated tools.
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Magnus Strobel: My co-founder, Christoph Waffler, and I met through the startup network at the Technical University of Munich. We quickly realized that we shared common interests, complemented each other professionally, and both wanted to improve the way democratic processes function. In April 2025, we received the EXIST startup grant. Since then, we have been working full-time on our shared mission to strengthen democratic participation digitally.
Thinking end-to-end: holistically mapping political processes
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Magnus Strobel: Besides product development and fundraising, regulatory and legal issues are paramount. As a digital platform that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and is politically sensitive, we operate in a highly regulated environment. GDPR, the Digital Services Act, the AI Regulation, and similar regulations demand considerable diligence and resources – but are simultaneously crucial for establishing trust and legal certainty.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Magnus Strobel: In one year, we want to be established in Germany as a permanent point of contact for digital political participation – ideally with the idea: “If you have a political concern, go to Nexus Politics”. In five years, we see ourselves internationally in as many representative democracies as possible, such as in the EU, the USA or Australia.
Munich as a strong foundation for political innovation
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Magnus Strobel: Very positive. We both come from TUM and have been active in Munich's entrepreneurial ecosystem for some time. Munich offers founders exceptionally good conditions – from intensive consulting and funding programs to workspaces and networks. Specifically, we benefit from, among other things, TUM's startup consulting services, the TUM Incubator with free office space, and the... Munich Impact Incubator – with training and mentoring, access to co-working spaces in the Munich Urban Colab and a strong network of stakeholders from the city, business and civil society.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Magnus Strobel: If we have the necessary skills and resources, we prefer to do things ourselves – this gives us control and is often more efficient. However, we are open to outsourcing for specialized tasks, as long as it doesn't affect our core competencies. For us, quality, strategic added value, and continuous learning as a team are crucial.
