nThe three founders Andy Bruckschlögl, Bernd Storm van’s Gravesande and Felix Haas open the Bits & Pretzels 2025 to a packed house. The founder festival presents a radically expanded concept that puts business relevance front and center. Stage time is reduced by 60 percent to create more space for direct exchange – such as at roundtables, curated matching formats, or exclusive summit meetings. Topic rooms for early-stage startups, female founders, CFOs, and corporate CEOs provide even more content depth and practical relevance. (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nRight after the official kick-off, Felix Haas and Niklas Zennström, founder and CEO of Atomico, speak on the main stage about Europe’s role in the global startup landscape. With the motto “Connecting Europe,” the Bits & Pretzels positions itself as a key event for the next phase of European innovation policy. Zennström emphasizes: “We must make Europe the best place in the world to build something.” Given AI, climate crisis, and medical innovations, he warns: “We must not always follow everyone else’s rules. We must act together quickly and responsibly.” (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nThe startup expo showcases the diversity of the European founder scene over both days. Visitors move through the aisles, discover new ideas, and talk with founders. On Monday and Tuesday, exhibitors alternate, so over 300 startups in total present their innovations at their own booth. This makes the Bits & Pretzels one of Europe’s largest platforms for visibility and exchange. (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nMeeting point for founders: In the Munich Startup Lounge, we inform visitors together with Munich Business, the economic development agency of Landeshauptstadt München, about everything the ecosystem has to offer. Visitors learn here what funding offers, financing assistance, and startup centers Munich has to offer – and who to talk to if you’re new to the scene. Additionally, the editorial team brings the video podcast format Pitch & People in a special edition: interested startups pitch live on camera. (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nAnd pitching happens not just with us: At the semifinal of the “European Pitch Contest,” promising startups from all over Europe compete against each other. A founder presents his idea while Magdalena Oehl, vice chair of the startup association, moderates the session. Overall, the top 50 startups are officially among the flagship companies of Bits & Pretzels 2025. The best 20 compete in semifinals for a spot in the big final – and the chance to pitch on the main stage in front of thousands on the second day. The best Munich startup from the field of participants also receives our Munich Startup Special Prize on the networking day of Bits at Oktoberfest. (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nAt the panel “Security, Sovereignity & Dual Use,” Marc Wietfeld (Arx Robotics), Will Blyth (Arondite), Leonard Wessendorff (Project Q), Jan-Hendrik Boelens (Alpine Eagle), and Amalia Contesi from the NATO Innovation Fund discuss the future of European defense tech. The threat situation becomes increasingly clear, for example through drone incidents in Scandinavia, while the industry is increasingly moving away from dual-use models. The CEOs emphasize that Europe remains a difficult market as long as governments only place small orders. Their appeal: more courage, more risk appetite, larger projects. They build trust, according to their own statements, by working exclusively with European investors and wanting to deliver their systems only to European democracies and NATO partners. (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nNetworking galore: Everywhere, founders, investors, and decision-makers connect with each other. Between sessions, pitches, and panels, the Bits & Pretzels offers plenty of room for exchange, spontaneous encounters, and new partnerships. It is these personal conversations that make the special value of the founder festival – here ideas, contacts, and collaborations emerge that have an effect beyond the trade fair days. (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nOn the stage of the panel “EXIST Startup Factories – Germany’s new Innovation Engine” sit Federal Minister of Economy Katherina Reiche, Helmut Schönenberger (UnternehmerTUM), Matthias Notz (Start2 Group), as well as other important ecosystem builders Adrian Thoma (Nxtgn), Marco Weicholdt (Boost), Thomas Kirchner (Proglove), and Katrin Stegmaier-Hermle (Balluff). The topic is the establishment of ten new startup factories in Germany, which will be modeled on the successful Munich model of UnternehmerTUM. The goal is not only to accompany first founding steps, but to sustainably establish regional startup ecosystems. The idea is to actively promote talent across Germany and strengthen the national ‘startup family.’ Reiche makes clear that for the recovery of competitiveness it is important to trust people who want to take risks, “We need more risk, more optimism, and less bureaucracy.” (Photo: Munich Startup)n
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nFor those who might be overwhelmed by too much change at once: Don’t worry, the Bits & Pretzels does not break with the most important traditions in 2025 either. The obligatory wheat beer carousel not only remains an eye-catcher and popular meeting point, but also reminds all national and international visitors consistently where startup Europe has its center: in Munich. (Photo: Munich Startup)n
