News & Podcast

European defencetech startups have already raised over €6.6 billion ($7.4 billion) in venture capital in 2026 – nearly three times as much as in the entire previous year, as the new report ‘The State of Defence Tech 2026’ by Dealroom and Resilience Media shows.

More international, more optimistic, and lots of AI: Bits & Pretzels 2026 puts people center stage while showcasing the topics truly driving the startup scene.

Quantum Systems expands its business on and under water: With Seavex and Subvex, the company introduces two unmanned maritime systems. They are designed to operate for up to two months at sea and dive up to 6,000 meters deep – connected to aerial and land systems via a unified software platform.

On the first flight, it was over after 30 seconds. On the second, Spectrum reached orbit. Isar Aerospace has achieved a decisive milestone. Behind this rise are eight years of development work, millions in funding, and a Munich founding team with big ambitions. TUM Professor Chiara Manfletti explained in a Munich Startup interview ahead of the launch what really matters.

With “Ocean Move”, the startup The Ocean Package relies on foldable reusable moving boxes made of polypropylene, which according to the company can be used up to 20 times and subsequently 99 percent recycled. Co-founder Philip Mayer aims to establish an alternative to single-use cardboard boxes that integrates into the existing workflows of moving companies without replacing the familiar cardboard box with a bulky hard-shell container.

Defencetech is experiencing a boom. Investors, industry, and the Bundeswehr are increasingly seeking innovative technologies. At the Munich Startup Festival, experts from startups, the Bundeswehr, and academia discussed why civilian and military innovation are becoming increasingly intertwined and what founders need to know when entering the defense market.

Space sounds like rockets, astronauts, and science fiction. In reality, a massive commercial market has long been developing—and Munich plays an important role in it. At the Munich Startup Festival, investor Joram Voelklein, Delta-Vision founder Alex Plebuch, and Florian Dötzer from the TUM Venture Lab Aerospace & Defense discussed Munich’s opportunities in the new space race with moderator Prof. Dr. Nadine Chochoiek.

Female founders are still significantly underrepresented in the startup ecosystem. Why is that? And what needs to change? Pia Lexa from Media Lab Bayern and Susanne Traugott from the Women Startup initiative at UnternehmerTUM speak with Munich Startup about this.

For one week, I lived and worked at Werk1 and got to know the community. In closing, I look back on my encounters with founders, employees, and coworkers, and on what stands out most in my memory of daily coliving life.

On my final day at Werk1, I change perspectives once again: In the Startup Hub, I learn how young companies are supported from their application to their next growth stage. And founder Laurenz tells me what Werk1 feels like from a startup’s point of view.

A promising scientific discovery is a far cry from a successful biotech product. Between the lab and the market lie patents, financing, regulation – and above all, the decision to actually want to translate research into application. At the Munich Startup Festival, moderator Dr. Philipp Baaske and founders Yasmin Gärtner and Christina Port discussed why they are taking this step and why scientific success alone is not enough for them.

On day 3 of my coliving experiment, I trade the apartment for the coworking space. During a tour of Werk1 and a conversation with Community Events Manager Ines, I learn who works here, how the community connects, and why chance plays an important role in the process.