The plan worked: For the first time, Munich’s startup scene pooled its resources under the leadership of Munich Startup in its own location right in the heart of Austin at SXSW. While the sun blazed down on 10th Street outside, the grounds of the German-Texan Heritage Society transformed into a Bavarian outpost. The Munich Haus – presented by Munich Startup – proved that Munich as a “scaleup city” plays in the first league internationally.
A strong signal from city hall
Munich’s economic affairs director Christian Scharpf gave the official kickoff, taking the opportunity to build a bridge between tradition and high tech. His conclusion:
“The fact that we are opening the first Munich Haus here in Austin today is a strong signal for our state capital. We are showing the world that Munich stands not only for tradition, but as a ‘scaleup city’ is a global hotspot for innovation and technology. The enormous response proves how close the connection already is between our ecosystem and the international tech world.”
1,400 registrations: Far exceeding expectations
With a total of 1,400 registered guests, all forecasts for the inaugural year were exceeded. Founders, investors, and tech enthusiasts from around the world came together to experience the best of both worlds: deeptech panels and networking on one hand, white sausage breakfast and Bavarian vibes on the other.
For Arno Eggers, head of Munich Startup, the success of the first Munich Haus is confirmation of years of hard work:
“Our ecosystem has reached a level of maturity that we made visible here in Austin today. The fact that we were able to inspire 1,400 people with the first Munich Haus right away shows the enormous attractiveness of our location. We are not just managing contacts here, we are building bridges for the world market leaders of tomorrow. This day was just the beginning of a new era for Munich at SXSW.”
Panels, pins, and partnerships
The program offered the full range: From a joint watch party of FC Bayern Munich’s match in Leverkusen in the morning to high-profile sessions on AI and dual use. The focus was on the startups from the Munich delegation, who presented their solutions to an international specialist audience. The booth from XPLR Media in Bavaria was also a popular meeting point for discussions about the future of media.
The Munich Haus is here to stay. The connections made at 507 East 10th Street will shape Munich’s innovation scene well beyond SXSW 2026 and provide a taste of what’s to come next year.
