ProGlove, Konux, Tacterion — three renowned names in the Munich startup scene who have one thing in common: all three have successfully completed TechFounders's accelerator program. What exactly does this program entail, and what's the best way to get in touch with the tech accelerator? We asked!
Please introduce yourselves briefly!
TechFounders is an accelerator program and an initiative of UnternehmerTUM. The twenty-week program is aimed at technology startups in the fields of automotive, mobility, automation and robotics, electronics, cleantech, technology education, and industrial IoT. The two classes per year are supervised by over 200 mentors, consisting of serial entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, business angels, and experts from corporations such as Miele, BMW, and Bosch. The excellent contacts with industry experts help initiate strategic collaborations. The startups also receive €25,000 for the further development of their projects. What's unique about this program is that the startups do not have to give up any company shares for all of these services.
“A standard program cannot meet the different needs of individual startups.”
What do you focus on when working with startups?
The individuality of each startup. We address the specific situation each startup finds itself in. At TechFounders, we have both internationally experienced teams from overseas who want to enter the German market, as well as young student teams who are taking the step into the startup world for the first time. A standard program cannot meet the diverse needs of each startup. Therefore, the program begins with an intensive assessment center to determine their needs. Following this, the startups are supported by an experienced entrepreneur for 20 weeks.
"To be successful, a startup must…”
...understand your market and create customer value. If you're also excellent at implementation and have a strong leadership team, nothing can stop you.
What is the biggest mistake a start-up can make?
To focus exclusively on the product.
The trend of the year is…!
The increase in value of Bitcoin.
Early stage startups meet tech giants
What characteristics make the Munich startup scene so special? What's still missing?
The startup scene in Munich is characterized by technological substance and its proximity to industry. It is great to see that we have promising early-stage startups like ProGlove and Konux as well as tech giants like Google, IBM, and BMW in Munich. We should continue to expand this ecosystem.
Last but not least: Who do startups approach when they want to talk to you?
The startups participate in a regular application process. For each of the two batches per year, there is a time window in which startups can submit their business ideasAfter successful applications, we will review all submissions and then contact the startups. Startups can view the exact time frames on our website.
