The “Women Start-up Award 2025” impressively demonstrates how strongly female founding teams from Munich are shaping the future of technology. At the awards ceremony at Munich Urban Colab, the finalists presented their business ideas to the jury and audience. Five startups received awards – four of them from the Munich startup scene.
A positive sign, because the share of female founders in Germany is still only 19 percent, and even lower in the tech sector. The “Women Start-up Award” addresses this gap: it aims to promote women in technology-oriented fields, give them visibility, and facilitate access to networks. The “Women Start-up” initiative by UnternehmerTUM, together with the Bavarian Ministry of Economics, Founder Country Bavaria, and partners from business and research, is awarding this prize for the first time in 2025 to female founders of young tech startups with a Bavaria connection.
Munich founders on the podium
First place went to Jade Robinson with Linq Photonics, founded in Munich. Her company develops photonic light modulators that triple the computing power of quantum computers while requiring only ten percent of the space previously needed. Robinson’s goal is to use Linq Photonics not only to increase the performance of quantum computers, but also to inspire more women to pursue deeptech and entrepreneurship.
Second place went to Naomi Jaguttis with Nuno Labs. The Munich startup combines camera technology and artificial intelligence to transform sky data into precise solar forecasts. The technology aims to enable more efficient use of solar energy – an approach particularly relevant for expanding renewable energy in urban regions.
Third place was awarded to Amelie Skopp and Matea Marosevic of Verdira Biotech. The young company from Straubing develops biohybrid filters that not only capture air pollutants but also biodegrade them. With this, the founders are contributing to cleaner air and sustainable industrial production.
Special awards also went to innovative founders with Munich connections:
TUM graduate Sophia Vögler received the Vinci Energies Special Award for her startup Ampway, which develops intelligent charging solutions for electric vehicles.
Esther Heyse was honored with the AI Nation Special Award. Her startup Reworth transforms construction waste into new building materials – a positive example of circular economy in construction.
More visibility for female founders
Since May 2025, female founders from Bavaria could apply for the “Women Start-up Award”. After a two-month training and coaching phase, the pitch night took place on October 23 at Munich Urban Colab.
Susanne Traugott, Program Lead Women Start-up at UnternehmerTUM, emphasizes:
“The large number of applications has shown us that there are so many great startup ideas from female founders. The mission of our Women Start-up Award is to give these founders more visibility and support them on their entrepreneurial journey.”
The Bavarian Ministry of Economics also sees the award as an important impetus.
Manfred Wolter, Head of the Innovation, Research, Technology, and Digitalization Division, confirms:
“Bavaria also needs even more female founders who develop future technologies and create new companies and jobs in the process. We are proud to work together with UnternehmerTUM to support women in building their startups and to make their successes visible.”
The “Women Start-up Award” forms a sustainable support instrument for founders from Munich and Bavaria. The award was aimed at tech startups whose female founders had their place of residence, place of study, or planned project implementation in Bavaria. The prize will be awarded annually in the future, and participants will receive long-term support through UnternehmerTUM programs.
