The next level for Munich as a startup hub has begun. With the Innovation Agenda 2030, Bavaria’s state capital is launching a broad-based initiative to strengthen technological, economic, and social innovation. The initiative is backed by a coalition of key actors from administration, science, and business. Together, they aim to improve the framework conditions for startups, scaleups, and future technologies, and to set new impulses for sustainable urban development. Declared goal: By 2030, Munich is a leading AI and startup hub in Europe – with international impact and strong regional anchoring.
Five action areas set the direction
The agenda is based on five strategic action areas. Under the title Scaleup City 2030, targeted support is being created for rapidly growing startups. This action area addresses key location factors such as production facilities, networks, and political visibility. Initial measures include the Scaleup Council and the Innovative Mittelstand Initiative.
Manfred Gößl, chief executive officer of IHK München und Oberbayern, emphasizes:
“With the Scaleup Council, we are creating a platform for our rising growth stars: we address the concrete concerns of scaleups to politics and administration, we support the implementation of investments, production expansion, and access to world markets, as well as training and professional development. Together, we will further expand Munich’s pioneering role as a high-tech location for young business, implement announced scaleup support strategies from Berlin and Brussels locally, and pave the way for the companies of tomorrow.”
In the action area AI Hub Munich, the House of AI is at the center. The new physical and virtual campus provides a shared platform for research, development, and co-creation. Frizzi Engler-Hamm, CEO of Munich Innovation Ecosystem, explains:
“The spatial proximity between science, business, and startups creates ideal conditions for efficient collaboration in AI development – this allows practice-oriented solutions to be realized faster and deployed effectively in business and society.”
Sustainability, participation, and visibility
The action area CleanTech Hub 2030 focuses on the circular economy. The Zero Waste Innovation Hub supports companies with advisory services and the integration of circular startups on the path to sustainable business models.
At the same time, the Innovation Agenda emphasizes broad social participation. Strengthening openness to innovation, participation, and willingness to experiment are at the forefront. Platforms and spaces for exchange and co-creation should enable practice-oriented solutions. And finally, targeted marketing measures are to secure Munich’s success as a leading innovation and startup hub in Europe.
“Startups and scaleups stand for innovation and for the economy and prosperity of tomorrow. That’s why their support is so important to me. With the Innovation Agenda 2030, we are positioning ourselves well for the future and sending a strong signal internationally. But innovation and progress only succeed through joint exchange and cooperation between different actors. It takes collaboration between citizens, companies, and city administration to master the great challenges of the future”,
says Christian Scharpf, commissioner for labor and economics at Landeshauptstadt München.
The Innovation Agenda 2030 is supported by Munich Innovation Ecosystem, its shareholders Start2 Group, Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship, and UnternehmerTUM, the Referat für Arbeit und Wirtschaft der Landeshauptstadt München, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria, as well as many other actors from business, science, and the public sector.
Join in now!
The Innovation Agenda 2030 thrives on participation. All founders, investors, researchers, and citizens are invited to get actively involved and make Munich more innovative together.
