On July 16, 2025, Backstage Munich transforms once again into the meeting point of the founder scene. The Munich Startup Festival is entering its third round – bigger, more diverse, and more musical than ever before.
Startup meets sound, capital meets idea
The day begins with an opening program on the main stage, followed by panels, discussions, and presentations – thematically focused on today’s and tomorrow’s central issues: healthcare, mobility, financing, media, and defence tech. In the panel “Healthcare of the future: innovations for tomorrow’s healthcare provision,” startup founder Rafael Hostettler, CEO of Devanthro, showcases what tomorrow’s care could look like. In “Funding Your Future,” different perspectives come together with Stadtsparkasse, various VC representatives, and a startup, discussing different financing options.
Another highlight is the panel “Startup landscape 360°. Local roots, national trends, global opportunities.” After all, Munich has established itself as a leading technology hub, but can it compete with global startup hotspots like London or Silicon Valley? Leading minds such as Stefan Drüssler, managing director and COO of UnternehmerTUM, and Magdalena Oehl, founder of TalentRocket and deputy chair of the Startup Association, discuss the necessary framework conditions with Axel Täubert, head of startups at Google, to take Munich’s startup ecosystem to the next level.
The crowning conclusion of the official festival program remains the Munich Startup Award. Five selected startups pitch live on the main stage – before judges, audience, and investors – to win the title “Best Munich Startup 2025” and a prize of 10,000 euros.
Festival atmosphere: music, food & networking
Those who need a break don’t have to leave the festival grounds. Local streetfood trucks, barista coffee, and various bars provide culinary provisions, while the outdoor area invites informal networking.
From 7 p.m., the afterparty begins. In 2025, the lineup is impressive. Featured is Malik Harris: the Munich singer-songwriter stormed the top 10 of the German charts in 2023 with “Rockstars,” performed at the Eurovision Song Contest, and now brings his new song “Daydreaming” to the stage of the Munich Startup Festival. ZOOM.LIKE also brings great vibes – the Munich DJ has been producing his own tracks since 2020 and brings exactly the right beat for the festival evening. Munich’s Cellz combines soul, R&B, hip-hop, and jazz in his sound. Also from Munich and like Cellz with saxophone: Rolax. He brings his instrument in harmony with electronic beats – a mix that works especially well live.
Conclusion
The Munich Startup Festival 2025 brings together Munich’s startup scene – in content, in person, and musically in the evening. It’s a day when ideas meet founders, investors meet startups, and Munich looks toward the future. If you’re part of the ecosystem or want to be, head to Backstage on July 16.
Curious? Find all information about the festival and tickets here.
