Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Björn Pötter, Managing Director: Qooda develops navigation solutions that function independently of GNSS. GNSS is no longer a reliable standard. In civil aviation, over 1,500 disruptions are recorded daily. Our solution combines quantum sensing with intelligent system integration and software to enable precise positioning even when satellite signals fail, are disrupted, or are manipulated.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Björn Pötter: No. GNSS remains a single point of failure. Existing alternatives are either not precise enough, too expensive, or not scalable. We are developing a A solution that works under real-world conditions and is economically scalable.
From problem identification to founding
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Björn Pötter: Qooda was founded on the conviction that critical infrastructure should not depend on a failure-prone system. The team combines experience from aerospace, quantum technologies, and finance, and is deliberately interdisciplinary. The focus is on the early integration of quantum technology into concrete applications. Since September 2025, Qooda has been part of the ESA BIC. Events such as repeated GNSS outages in safety-critical contexts have further underscored the relevance of the problem. Qooda is not a typical university spin-off, but rather a purpose-built company with a clear application focus.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Björn Pötter: The central challenge is prioritization. The crucial point is not to develop the most technologically advanced solution, but rather the one that is used and in demand under real-world conditions.
Qooda Founded in 2025 by Dr. Sadegh Ebrahimi, Dr. Björn Pötter, Dr. Inés de Vega, Dr. Peter Eder, and Ahmad Nikmanesh, the Munich-based startup develops quantum sensor-based navigation solutions that function even without GPS. The company utilizes... high-precision magnetic field maps and Quantum-MagANav technology to enable robust navigation even in GNSS-disturbed environments.
Pilot customers, fundraising and European expansion
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Björn Pötter: We aim to launch our first operational deployments with pilot customers within a year. Simultaneously, we are raising funds and engaged in intensive discussions with venture capital investors. In five years, we envision Qooda as an established provider of GNSS-independent navigation in Europe.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Björn Pötter: Munich offers a strong environment of industry, research, and capital. However, the crucial factor remains the speed at which developments are translated into marketable applications.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Björn Pötter: Qooda develops the system architecture, software, and solution integration in-house. We source the underlying sensors from specialized partners and integrate them into a scalable overall system. This ensures technological control while maintaining high implementation speed.
