News & Podcast

The transatlantic venture capital firm Voyager Ventures is opening an office in Munich in March 2026 – its second European location after London. Investor Elena Ballesteros explains in this interview which early-stage startups the VC invests in, what matters in a pitch, and why the team is now specifically looking for energy, industrial, and AI startups with strong technical roots in southern Germany.

Amazon, Airbnb, and Trade Republic have conquered the world in completely different industries. Yet even though online retail, vacation rental, and digital banking couldn’t be more different, all these companies have one thing in common: Before they took the world stage, these companies existed only in the heads of a few brave founders who, through hard work, teamwork, and of course a bit of luck, were able to realize their dreams. But how does a young, motivated person navigate this long and sometimes arduous path from a bold idea to actual implementation? Who supports this process, which is so different from normal school or student life? Nils Heck, board member of the Young Founders Network, has answered exactly these questions for us in an interview.

Anyone rethinking media can hardly avoid Media Lab Bayern. For ten years, the team has been supporting courageous founders, brilliant minds, and new technologies – and making sure ideas become products. It pays off. First published on: July 24, 2025

How has the Munich Technology Center (MTZ) strategically renewed itself in recent years and why is infrastructure for scaleups playing an increasingly important role? Felix Brinkmann, head of MTZ, and Arno Eggers, head of Munich Startup, discuss new services, a growing ecosystem, success stories, and the vision behind “MTZ 2”. A glimpse into the future of Munich’s innovation location.

Gate Garching startup incubator, located right next to the campus of TU München, brings deeptech, entrepreneurship and community together. Over 300 teams have already founded companies here – many of them are now scale-ups or international tech players. An interview with Christian Heckemann, head of the incubator.

Women are still significantly underrepresented in the field of business angel investing. Yet they invest more frequently in female founder teams, provide important impetus for the startup scene, and strengthen the ecosystem with their visibility. How do you get started?

Innovation policy and decisive reforms – Verena Pausder, CEO of the Startup Association, sees them as the key drivers for growth.

Impact and profitability are not contradictory, says Anne Dörner from the Social-Startup-Hub Bayern. Here you can learn how social founders are supported, networked, and inspired.

In the heart of Stachus in Munich, high above the rooftops of the city, Darius Göttert wants to create a new home for founders. With full board, sleeping space, and gym. The new startup incubator is celebrating its kickoff with a big party.

What is it really like to work at the Center for Digital Technology and Management (CDTM)? In our series of articles on the CDTM, we have already presented various aspects of this extraordinary training program. Today, with a format uncommon for Munich Startup, comes the fourth and final part of a series on the CDTM. Samuel Valenzuela, part of the CDTM management team, gives us an insight into what a day at the CDTM can look like from many different perspectives.

The InnovationLab and AI Competence Center of the city of Munich are driving future topics such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things, and data analysis. What trends the team sees, what makes good startup collaborations, and how startups can get involved is explained by Stefanie Lämmle, head of the Data&Innovation department at the Landeshauptstadt München, in this interview.

What role does CDTM play in Munich’s innovation ecosystem – today and tomorrow? What future topics are driving the center right now? And how does a new fund help to support founding talent in the long term? A conversation about impact, change, and vision. The interview is the third part of an article series on CDTM.