Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Björn Pötter, CEO: Qooda develops navigation solutions that function independently of GNSS. GNSS is no longer a reliable standard today. In civil aviation, over 1,500 disruptions are registered daily. Our solution combines quantum sensing with intelligent system integration and software to enable precise positioning even when satellite signals fail, are disrupted, or manipulated.
Munich Startup: But that already exists, doesn’t it!
Björn Pötter: No. GNSS remains a single point of failure. Existing alternatives are either not precise enough, too cost-intensive, or not scalably deployable. We’re developing a solution that works under real-world conditions and is economically scalable.
From problem recognition to founding
Munich Startup: What’s your founding story?
Björn Pötter: Qooda was founded on the conviction that critical infrastructure must not depend on a failure-prone system. The team brings together expertise from aerospace, quantum technologies, and finance and is deliberately set up in an interdisciplinary manner. The focus is on early integration of quantum technology into concrete applications. Since September 2025, Qooda is part of the ESA BIC. Events such as repeated GNSS disruptions in safety-critical contexts have further underscored the relevance of the problem. Qooda is not a classic university spin-off, but a deliberately built company with clear application focus.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Björn Pötter: The central challenge is prioritization. The key is not to develop the technologically broadest solution, but the one that can be deployed and demanded under real conditions.
Qooda was founded in 2025 by Dr. Sadegh Ebrahimi, Dr. Björn Pötter, Dr. Inés de Vega, Dr. Peter Eder, and Ahmad Nikmanesh. The Munich startup develops quantum sensor-based navigation solutions that work even without GPS. To do this, the company uses high-precision magnetic field maps and Quantum-MagANav technology to enable robust navigation even in GNSS-disrupted environments.
Pilot customers, fundraising, and European expansion
Munich Startup: Where do you want to be in one year, where in five years?
Björn Pötter: In one year, we’re aiming for the first operational deployments with pilot customers. At the same time, we are in fundraising and conducting intensive discussions with venture capital investors. In five years, we see Qooda as an established provider for GNSS-independent navigation in Europe.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced the Munich startup location so far?
Björn Pötter: Munich offers a strong environment of industry, research, and capital. However, the key remains the speed at which developments are converted into market-ready applications.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Björn Pötter: Qooda develops the system architecture, software, and solution integration in-house. We source the underlying sensors from specialized partners and integrate them into a scalable overall system. This way we secure technological control while maintaining high implementation speed.
