For many Munich startups, a visit to the Munich Business Start-up Office (MEB) was one of the first steps in establishing a business. Founded 20 years ago by the City of Munich together with the Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the MEB has developed into a central contact point for all startup-related questions and recently celebrated its anniversary.
Since its opening on October 5, 1998, the MEB has provided over a quarter of a million aspiring entrepreneurs with initial business ideas by phone or email, through personal consultations, and at information events. The most common topics are questions about tax and legal structures, as well as business management issues related to the business plan and financing of the business idea.
Baumgärtner: “Every single start-up is a win for the economy.”
Most of the founders who come to MEB are active in the services (37 percent), retail (21 percent), and hospitality and tourism (12 percent) sectors. 7 percent of applicants are active in the 'new technologies' and startups sector.
Clemens Baumgärtner, Minister for Labour and Economic Affairs of the City of Munich, said at the anniversary celebration:
"Every single start-up is a win for the economy. Munich benefits from people who have the courage to become self-employed. The city creates favorable conditions for this. Through new financing ideas, space, and competent advice, such as those offered successfully by the MEB for 20 years."
Also IHK Managing Director Manfred Gößl explained:
“Young companies create jobs, implement innovative ideas and thus make a significant contribution to the future viability of our economy.”
MEB offers start-up support for founders
At the press conference for the anniversary celebration, successful founders also reported how the MEB's start-up support helped them take the first steps towards establishing their own company.
Among them was Johannes Diem, who founded the sports equipment startup Pull-up & Dip which now has clients in 60 countries. He benefited from MEB's consulting services, particularly as a contact point for experts in export and customs formalities, as well as as a consultant in crowdfunding.
Also Daniela Weinhold and Nastasia Broda, founders of the vegan catering service Urban Pop Up Food, launched in 2018, shared their experiences on the path to self-employment.
“With passion and self-confidence, much more can be achieved
than you think beforehand,"
The two founders find this to be the case. They too have benefited from many helpful tips and contacts through the MEB. Together with a third founder, Daniela Weinhold and Nastasia Broda are already working on a new business idea: a jointly operated Sharing platform for commercial and creative spaces They want to solve the problem of limited space in Munich (here an interview about it).
