This year’s Forum UnternehmerTUM was dedicated entirely to sustainability. 500 participants from startups, investors and business angels, partner companies, researchers and experts from UnternehmerTUM accepted the invitation to the Munich Urban Colab. In a series of keynote speeches and panels, they discussed innovative technologies and ideas around climate change, energy resilience and circular economy – always keeping in mind the three key concepts of people, planet and prosperity.
Ann Mettler, Vice President for Europe at Breakthrough Energy and Gates Ventures, addressed the question of how startups can drive the energy transition:
“Europe has a lot of great startups doing important work in sustainable transformation. But we don’t have enough scaleups.”
Technologies for green energy cannot make a big difference in small startups. This is why it is crucial for the energy transition to bring together the right actors from politics, business, research and the startup scene – such as at events like Forum UnternehmerTUM. Her concrete advice to startups in the energy sector:
“Try to figure out how you can sell and market your technologies. And very importantly: talk to political decision-makers about what you need – even if that can sometimes be frustrating.”
Susanne Kadner from Circular Republic made it clear that given rising resource scarcity, general prosperity can only be maintained within a circular economy. It is the task of every company and startup to critically examine its own business model and ask whether it can remain successful and sustainable in the long term even as prices rise. She then appealed to the audience to see the transformation as an opportunity to network with each other and learn from one another.
“Doing is like wanting, only more intense”
Arthur Singer, founder and managing director of Stabl Energy, emphasized that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for Europe to become more independent and resilient in the energy sector. He encouraged people to take new paths, remain open and accept the possibility of failure. Startups in particular can quickly develop new solutions – as long as European regulatory excess does not hinder them too much.
“We startups need an environment with a positive error culture that allows us to grow quickly. Often there is a lack of a let’s-do-it mentality.”
Meeting point of the Munich ecosystem
Between panels and after keynote speeches, Forum UnternehmerTUM participants had the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with each other. Over a drink on the terrace of the Munich Urban Colab, it is particularly easy to make contacts. Romano Wolf, founder of robotics company Arculus, commented:
“At events like Forum UnternehmerTUM, you always meet familiar faces and quickly get to know new people in a relaxed atmosphere.”
