Munich Startup: Please briefly introduce the company support service of the City of Munich.
Stefan Murner, Head of Company Support: My colleagues and I support companies with all questions and problems that arise at the interface between business and public administration. We try to develop pragmatic solutions together. A major focus of our work is certainly advising companies that want to relocate within the city or expand their space. We also frequently receive inquiries from companies that are new to Munich and looking for an attractive location here.
We analyze space requirements and try to offer companies in Munich spatial development opportunities through suitable space proposals. We can draw on both the city’s space portfolio and include spaces from the private real estate market. You can find more information about us on our homepage Munich Business Location consultation.
Pragmatic solutions for companies at the interface with administration
Munich Startup: What challenges do startups bring to you?
Stefan Murner: In the early-stage phase, companies are well supported by Munich Startup and our colleagues in business creation consulting and receive excellent guidance in all matters.
Our contact points with the startup industry typically begin with companies that outgrow the founding phase (growth/scale-up phase). Budgets are also tightly calculated in these phases and should not be disproportionately spent on rent, but clearly on developing the companies’ own product ideas.
The biggest challenge currently is therefore finding affordable and suitable (rental) spaces. The requirements for a new location are very individual and range from classic workshop and production hall space with appropriate infrastructure to specialized laboratory spaces for research and development, to flexibly divisible and energy-efficient office space in interesting city districts.
Companies also value great flexibility in lease agreements, so they can flexibly adapt their space as they go through different growth cycles. Against this background, a space offering specifically tailored to these needs has been developed with many relevant actors in Munich’s real estate market.
Specialized spaces for startups
Munich Startup: How do you help startups with location questions?
Stefan Murner: Our first recommendations for startups point to founder centers and the Spaces4Scaleups offering. These spaces are tailor-made for this target group. We provide an initial overview of the general supply situation on Munich’s real estate market with our location map on our homepage. Companies can quickly get a good overview of the current market situation and suitable spaces, some of which are even specifically offered by real estate companies to startups for temporary use.
We offer startups a detailed consultation, in which we aim to get as precise an understanding as possible of the specific requirements for a future location. What space size is needed? What specific requirements must be met (ceiling height, floor load capacity, power supply, hazardous waste volume, laboratory equipment, etc.)? And what location in the city makes sense? Comprehensive consideration of these requirements is often crucial for a successful development perspective for companies.
Based on as detailed a space requirements profile as possible, we try to “match” this demand with known space potential. We have access to an internal space database with a differentiated portfolio that essentially draws from Munich’s real estate market. On this basis, we create suitable offers and transmit them to the companies. We’re also happy to support initial contact.
My team also manages the allocation of city-owned commercial land to Munich companies via long-term leases, for example in the Freiham Technology Park or in the Messestadt Riem district. This allocation follows allocation criteria established by the city council. However, these spaces are essentially irrelevant for startups, since shortly after founding, the need to build their own company building would rarely be relevant, whereas rental solutions are typically what’s needed.
Company support as mediator in challenging situations
Munich Startup: What other services do you offer to Munich’s startup ecosystem?
Stefan Murner: As mentioned at the beginning, we also offer a guidance function within the city administration. This can be particularly advantageous when problems and delays occur in administrative procedures. Simply put, we know the administration and can direct companies to the right department. We also offer to discuss the problems with the responsible colleagues and work together to find quick and legally sound solutions.
Startups can also reach out to us at any time, and we discuss their current situation, which can range from building law questions to labor and residence law issues. Afterwards, we try to clarify the issue together with the responsible specialist colleagues in the city administration and mediate a solution. This often allows us to accelerate procedures and guide different technical positions toward a fair balance of interests between administration and business.
We are also currently preparing the introduction of a complaints management system. This will enable every entrepreneur to easily contact us through a web form and point out concerns or problems in the administration. This will make it easier in the future to get in touch with the city administration even in difficult situations and raise “pain points.” With this tool, we aim to raise awareness among the city administration about business-friendly administration beyond the individual case, thereby creating the conditions for efficient and service-oriented administration in the long term.
Munich Startup: Last but not least: who should startups contact if they want to speak with you?
Stefan Murner: If you’re interested in speaking with us or have questions, feel free to contact us by email. We’re happy to be your point of contact for company support.