Once a year, the business magazine Forbes honors young European innovators who drive exceptional momentum in their industries with their ideas. The current edition of “Forbes 30 under 30 Europe” recognizes 300 up-and-coming talents across ten different categories. Among them are several founders and leaders from Munich’s startup scene.
Healthcare, technology & sports
Kathrin Khadra (29) and Jonas Ils (29), co-founders of Ryver.ai, were recognized in the “Science & Healthcare” category. Founded in 2021, the startup develops generative AI models to create synthetic yet realistic radiological image data. The company aims to solve a critical problem: the lack of diversity in training data. This diversity gap often leads to poorer diagnoses, particularly for ethnic minorities.
In the “Technology” category, Julian Blum (29) from Vestigas prevailed. His startup has developed software that digitalizes processes in construction site logistics—such as automated invoice verification or digital delivery notes. Major construction firms like Strabag already use the so-called “Supply Chain OS.” Recently, Vestigas closed a funding round worth eight million euros led by Project A and significantly expanded its team.
Confidence Udegbue (29), vice president of product and user experience at Freeletics, is on the list in the “Sports & Games” category. Under his leadership, the company intensified its focus on its AI coach, which led to improved recommendation logic, the launch of an in-app conversational AI, and double-digit growth in user conversion. Udegbue also strengthened strategic partnerships—such as with Garmin.
Manufacturing & industry
Several Munich startups impressed in the “Manufacturing & Industry” category: Fabian Fürst (28) and Vjekoslav Salapic (29), founders of energy startup Flexa, are building a virtual power plant for private households. Already 100,000 households are part of the network. Lorenz Hetzel (28) and Gyri Reiersen (29) founded Tanso Technologies in 2021. Their startup’s software helps industrial companies like Paulaner and Goldbeck measure and reduce CO2 emissions.
Lukas Wiesmeier (29) develops AI-powered cleaning robots for public green spaces with Angsa Robotics. The startup has already deployed its technology in more than 20 cities and removed several tons of waste. And Maximilian Oligschläger (27) is pursuing the goal of revolutionizing air rescue with ERC System through electrically powered aircraft. The planes, which function like helicopters, are meant to become faster and cheaper than ambulances.
Finance & social impact
In the “Finance” category, Lisa Gradow (29), co-founder of Fides, was recognized. Her software platform helps companies structure regulatory compliance and document decisions safely—companies such as Allianz Global Investors and Faber-Castell use the solution. Fabian Scheugenpflug (29), principal at Plug and Play, oversees healthcare investments in the EMEA region. Throughout his career, he has supported over 30 investments, including those in Virtonomy.io and RGrid.
Lisa Oberaigner (26), co-founder of Emidat, is on the Forbes list in the “Social Impact” category for her contribution to sustainable construction. Her AI-based solution analyzes the CO2 emissions of building materials and identifies optimization opportunities for manufacturers.
