Networks

The start-up ecosystem in Munich

The start-up ecosystem comprises the support landscape for founders in Munich as well as the start-up scene itself. A suitable environment and supportive networks play an important role in the success of start-ups. In the start-up ecosystem of Munich as a business location, various players are involved in promoting and supporting Munich citizens interested in starting a business. These include the support services of the city, state institutions, publicly funded initiatives as well as associations and industry federations.

Explore this selection of what Munich’s startup ecosystem offers to founders:

Financing and public support

From loans and equity investments to special funding programs, Munich offers a wide range of institutional and publicly funded services.

Promotional banks and public guarantee programs in Munich

LfA Förderbank Bayern is the specialist promotional bank of the Free State of Bavaria. At the center of LfA’s business activities is support for investment by those looking to start a business and by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Bürgschaftsbank Bayern can support founders in the trades, retail, horticulture and hotel and catering sectors with a guarantee if they lack or do not have sufficient collateral.

Founders in sectors that are not the target group of Bürgschaftsbank Bayern can apply for a guarantee from LfA Förderbank Bayern.

Investors and investor network in Munich

BayernKapital is the public venture capital company of the Free State of Bavaria. They address Bavarian high-tech start-ups and scale-ups looking for start-up and growth capital.

BayBG Bayerische Beteiligungsgesellschaft‘s Venture Capital division invests in innovative start-ups with initial reference customers and sales.

BayBG is also the point of contact for funding within the framework of the Mikromezzaninfonds as a silent partnership.

BayStartUP manages one of the largest investor networks in Europe and supports innovative founders in their search for start-up and growth capital.

Personal grants in Munich

The Munich Employment Agency Arbeitsagentur München can support founders who become self-employed from unemployment and receive unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) with the start-up grant, Gründungszuschuss.

The Munich Jobcenter “Jobcenter München” can support founders who become self-employed out of unemployment and receive a citizen’s allowance (Bürgergeld) with the start-up allowance Einstiegsgeld, a voucher for coaching and other benefits.

The Integration Office “Inklusionsamt” at the Bavarian Centre for Families and Social Affairs supports severely disabled founders with a range of financial services.

Support from the Munich universities

The Bavarian FLÜGGE funding program supports start-ups from universities in the fields of innovation, research and technology.

The Entrepreneurship Centers at Munich’s universities offer a wide range of funding and support. These include entrepreneurial training, consulting, startup programs, international programs, incubator and accelerator programs, maker spaces, competitions and prizes, access to investors, companies and institutions.

Innovation funding and special financing programs in Munich

This support program Start?Zuschuss! of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy is aimed at early stage technology-oriented business start-ups in the field of digitization.

The Bavarian program for the promotion of technology-oriented start-ups BayTOU, supports founders and young companies in the development of new products, processes and technical services.

Innovative and research-intensive start-ups in high-tech industries can apply for special subsidy and support programs and innovation vouchers for their R&D activities.

With the Digitalbonus Bayern funding program, the Free State of Bavaria wants to support small businesses in equipping themselves for the challenges of the digital world.

The City of Munich’s Innovation Challenge is an annual invitation to submit innovative ideas to solve specific challenges the city is facing. The winning team receives prize money, further financial support, and the chance to work with the city government to further develop their ideas and put them to the test. In addition, the Entrepreneurship Centers at Munich’s universities offer support for the implementation phase.

With the Munich Impact Incubator funding program, the Department of Labor and Economic Development of the City of Munich supports social innovation in Munich. Founders who successfully apply for the program receive coaching, co-working workspace and prize money. Visit our special feature for social entrepreneurs to learn more about what Munich offers and where to turn for coaching, advice, financing and funding.

The crowdfunding support program of the Department of Labor and Economic Development of the City of Munich offers support to finance the costs of creative services.

The Munich Startup Portal presents the Munich Startup Award to the best Munich Startup and promotes the participation of start-ups in international trade fairs in Europe and the USA.

Funding for startups in the cultural and creative industries in Munich

The City of Munich’s Cultural and Creative Industries team offers various funding to support the local cultural and creative industries.

The City of Munich supports professionals cultural and creative companies and professionals with money, rooms, event technology and advice. The Munich Fashion Award, the Architecture Prize, the Art Prize and the Design Prize recognize talent and are endowed with prize money.

FFF Bayern is a central funding partner for the film and games industry in Bavaria.

Media startups can apply for the support programs of Media Lab Bayern.

Practical advice

Munich Startup Portal

The official startup portal for Munich and the region provides information about Munich startups, offers a detailed insight into the Munich startup ecosystem with the Insights Dashboard, shows dates for pitch events and competitions and offers support in the search for investors with a matching tool.

The following institutions offer free in-depth advice and support in the search for suitable funding:

The BayernInnovativ funding guide is your first point of contact for questions about technology-oriented funding programs of the Free State of Bavaria, the federal government and the European Union. Contact BayernInnovativ by phone at 0800-0268724 or by email at kontakt@projekttraeger-bayern.de

The IHK Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria has listed current support programs in an online guide. Use IHK’s free consultation on funding!

Are you starting in the field of skilled crafts? Contact the HWK Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria to get advice.

The Bavarian Research Alliance offers comprehensive advice on EU funding for research and innovation and arranges project partners.

BioM helps founders in the field of medical biotechnology to find suitable financing and funding opportunities. The services also include the m4 Award and the BioAngels matchmaking format.

 More about financing and public support

Information, consulting and coaching in Munich

At the municipal Munich’s Business Startup Office we provide Munich citizens with cross-industry guidance to help you go self-employed. Regardless of whether you are starting up as your main occupation or alongside family time, training, studies and work, whether with a business or a liberal profession – take advantage of our free services.

The City of Munich’s Cultural and Creative Industries team offers support for all creative and cultural practitioners in Munich. The free services include advice on business models and financing strategies, training, finding premises and networking.

The City of Munich’s Sozialreferat (Department for Social Security) and the Referat für Bildung und Sport (Department of Education and Sport) advise on how to open childcare services and facilities. The Sozialreferat offers an advisory service for recognition of foreign qualifications.

The Munich guide initiative offers a wide range of individual advice and group coaching sessions for women interested in setting up a business at all stages.

The IHK Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria and HWK Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria offer various free services for start-ups and future members. Founders in the liberal professions are excluded.

The IFB Institut für Freie Berufe at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg is the specialized contact point for founders in the liberal professions. In addition to a free start-up hotline, there are appointments for individual consultations by telephone, Skype and also regularly on site in Munich.

Retired entrepreneurs, self-employed people and managers of the AktivSenioren Bayern e.V. association support on a voluntary basis with the preparation of business plans including expert opinions, business model analysis, crisis management, company management and succession.

BayStartUP supports innovative start-up projects with business planning, financing coaching and feedback on the business model as part of the Munich Business Plan Competition.

The Entrepreneurship Centers of the universities support students, researchers and start-ups with a wide range of services to turn ideas into start-ups:

BioM supports start-ups in medical biotechnology with grant advisory, the development of a business model and business plan and provides mentors.

Research centers such as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the Helmholtz Munich and the Max Planck Society provide information and advice to researchers and entrepreneurs from science, industry and the start-up scene.

As a central point of contact for social start-ups, the Social-Startup-Hub Bayern provides free advice to founders who are pursuing a social or ecological goal. We have compiled further advisory services on our page for Munich social entrepreneurs.

IBPro e.V. provides information, advice and qualifications for non-profit start-up projects.

Social Impact München supports people with refugee and migration experience on their way to becoming self-employed entrepreneurs.

Start-up advice and coaching is also offered by start-up centers, incubators and accelerators in Munich.

Further contacts can be found in the guide Wegweiser für Entrepreneure of GründerRegio M.

Gründerland Bayern’s online platform is aimed at founders from all sectors and in every start-up phase.

Professional chambers offer founders specialist advice and support. Munich is home to the Bavarian Chamber of Architects, the Bavarian Chamber of Civil Engineers, the Munich Bar Association, the Munich Chamber of Tax Consultants, the Chamber of Public Accountants, the Medical Chambers, the Bavarian State Chamber of Pharmacists and the Chamber of Psychotherapists.

Industry and professional associations offer founders industry-specific advice and support. Munich is home to, for example, the retail federation Handelsverband Bayern e.V., the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services Landesverband Bayern Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V., the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Hotel- und Gaststättenverband DEHOGA Bayern e.V., the Bavarian chapter of the German Association of Consulting Engineers Verband beratender Ingenieure VBI – Landesverband Bayern and the Bavarian chapter of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. – Landesverband Bayern. Further associations and organizations are listed on the Dienstleistungsportal Bayern.

Networking and events in Munich

The Munich guide initiative offers women interested in starting a business various formats for exchanging ideas, networking and cooperating, as well as an online marketplace.

We have compiled further network offers for female founders in our feature Women Entrepreneurs.

The IHK Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria and HWK Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria organize seminars and events for future members and founders with a self-employment in the areas of commerce, industry and the skilled crafts.

The Startup Demo Nights, summer parties and award ceremonies of the Munich Business Plan Competition of BayStartUP are excellent networking opportunities. The BayStartUP Venture Conferences give startups the opportunity to introduce themselves to institutional and private investors and exchange ideas.

The Munich Startup Festival by Munich Startup brings the Munich startup scene together in a relaxed and informative atmosphere.

As a flagship event for European entrepreneurship and the tech industry, Bits & Pretzels brings together around 7,500 startup founders, investors and decision-makers from all over the world in Munich. Events such as the Bits & Pretzels HealthTech Conference focus on individual sectors.

The Munich Urban Colab supports the networking of start-ups with established companies, science, the city administration and citizens.

As a central point of contact for social start-ups, the Social-Startup-Hub Bayern provides free advice to founders who are pursuing a social or ecological goal. We have compiled further advisory services on our page for Munich social entrepreneurs.

The Entrepreneurship Centers of the universities support students, researchers and start-ups with a wide range of services to turn ideas into start-ups:

The Bavarian chapter of the Bundesverband Deutsche Startups e.V. regularly hosts the Munich Founder Coffee.

During the Bavarian Start-up Days, self-employed people, founders, companies and people interested in setting up a business also meet in Munich.

Networking, workshops and events is also offered by start-up centers, incubators and accelerators in Munich.

Startups with projects in the field of artificial intelligence can visit the network events of Munich Innovation Ecosystem.

BioM organizes networking events for medical biotechnology founders in BioEntrepreneur Lounge.

The trade fairs, congresses and events at Messe München are a good opportunity to approach and get to know customers, take part in specialist presentations or give presentations yourself and thus present your own ideas or concepts to a wider audience. At international high-tech trade fairs in Germany, Bayern Innovativ’s joint stands offer a cost-effective and attractive trade fair presence.

Munich Startup, the official startup portal for Munich and the region, provides information on dates for events and competitions in an event calendar and publishes wanted ads for co-founders on its pinboard.

Professional chambers offer founders specialist advice and support. Munich is home to the Bavarian Chamber of Architects, the Bavarian Chamber of Civil Engineers, the Munich Bar Association, the Munich Chamber of Tax Consultants, the Chamber of Public Accountants, the Medical Chambers, the Bavarian State Chamber of Pharmacists and the Chamber of Psychotherapists.

Industry and professional associations offer founders industry-specific advice and support. Munich is home to, for example, the retail federation Handelsverband Bayern e.V., the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services Landesverband Bayern Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V., the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Hotel- und Gaststättenverband DEHOGA Bayern e.V., the Bavarian chapter of the German Association of Consulting Engineers Verband beratender Ingenieure VBI – Landesverband Bayern and the Bavarian chapter of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. – Landesverband Bayern. Further associations and organizations are listed on the Dienstleistungsportal Bayern.

Space and real estate in Munich

At the municipal Munich’s Business Startup Office we provide important information on the search for a suitable space on our Location and Premises page.

The munich business service Standortberatung (Location consulting) compiles location and space proposals for you, provides information on current space allocations as part of business development and supports you with location problems. Submit your space requirements profile online. Contact: Tel. +49 89 233-27677, e-mail firmenbetreuung@muenchen.de

The munich business Service Flächenentwicklung (Developing commercial space) offers address lists for Co-Working Flächen and Business Centers in Munich for download.

munich business has compiled current offers for office and commercial space, while the Real Estate Center of the Municipal Department provides information on commercial space owned by the City of Munich. This also includes sales stands, storage space, offices, stores and restaurants at Munich’s weekly and food markets..

The City of Munich’s Cultural and Creative Industries team provides support in the search for office, work and presentation spaces and operates the RUFFINIHAUS Creative Hub, a business incubator tailored to the needs of the industry. Under the label Munich Creative Heartbeat, the team promotes projects by creative professionals, district centers and the city center.

The Munich Technology Center (MTZ) supports start-ups in setting up and developing into a sustainably efficient company by providing suitable space, coaching and demand-oriented services.

The Munich Industrial Centers offer space for small craft, industrial and commercial enterprises and thus space for new products, innovative and craft ideas. Start-ups receive a graduated discount on the respective basic rent for the first three years.

The platform Spaces for Scaleups is a network for flexible and exclusive office space for startups, scaleups and young companies in Munich.

With office space, co-working workstations, living labs and the high-tech prototype workshop Makerspace, the Munich Urban Colab is aimed at innovative, technology-savvy founders and start-ups in the early stages.

Digital or tech scale-ups, start-ups and founders can make use of the coworking and office facilities at Werk1 or rent a coliving apartment.

BioM supports pre-seed and early-stage medical biotechnology start-up teams in the MAxL co-creation start-up incubator with fully equipped laboratory space, co-working and community rooms, an incubation and coaching program and networking opportunities. The IZB Innovation and Start-up Center for Biotechnology offers medical biotechnology start-ups fully furnished laboratories and office space.

Training and qualification in Munich

At the municipal Munich’s Business Startup Office we regularly offer free webinars in German and English

The VHS Munich Adult Education Center, a subsidiary of the City of Munich, offers a wide range of courses on starting up and self-employment.

The Munich guide initiative offers women interested in starting a business various workshops and opportunities to exchange ideas, network and cooperate, as well as an online marketplace.

We have compiled further network offers for female founders in our feature Women Entrepreneurs.

The IHK Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria and HWK Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria organize seminars and events for future members and founders with a self-employment in the areas of commerce, industry and the skilled crafts.

The IFB Institut für Freie Berufe at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg is the specialized contact point for founders in the liberal professions and regularly offers seminars.

In its training and further education program, BayStartUP imparts practice-oriented expert knowledge, precisely tailored to the needs of startups.

The SEA Social Entrepreneurship Academy offers a wide range of training courses for founders who want to tackle social problems in an entrepreneurial way. The Haus des Stiftens offers further training for non-profits. IBPro e.V. provides information, advice and training for non-profit start-up projects. As an umbrella organization and with a branch in Munich, Social Impact offers online and offline workshops and webinars.

We have compiled further advisory services on our page for Munich social entrepreneurs.

The Entrepreneurship Centers of the universities support students, researchers and start-ups with a wide range of services to turn ideas into start-ups:

The Munich Urban Colab supports the networking of start-ups with established companies, science, the city administration and citizens.

Werk1 also offers workshops, lectures and networking events for the digital start-up scene in Munich. The gate Academy workshops are aimed at tech-oriented start-ups.

Networking, workshops and events is also offered by start-up centers, incubators and accelerators in Munich.

The Munich Innovation Ecosystem initiative offers access to the network, events and courses for startups with projects in the field of artificial intelligence.

In its BioEntrepreneur Lounge, BioM organizes networking events for medical biotechnology founders and conducts pitch training, boot camps and specialist workshops.

Munich Startup, the official startup portal for Munich and the region, provides information on dates for events and competitions in an event calendar and publishes wanted ads for co-founders on its pinboard.

Professional chambers offer founders specialist advice and support. Munich is home to the Bavarian Chamber of Architects, the Bavarian Chamber of Civil Engineers, the Munich Bar Association, the Munich Chamber of Tax Consultants, the Chamber of Public Accountants, the Medical Chambers, the Bavarian State Chamber of Pharmacists and the Chamber of Psychotherapists.

Industry and professional associations offer founders industry-specific advice and support. Munich is home to, for example, the retail federation Handelsverband Bayern e.V., the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services Landesverband Bayern Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V., the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Hotel- und Gaststättenverband DEHOGA Bayern e.V., the Bavarian chapter of the German Association of Consulting Engineers Verband beratender Ingenieure VBI – Landesverband Bayern and the Bavarian chapter of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. – Landesverband Bayern. Further associations and organizations are listed on the Dienstleistungsportal Bayern.

Market structure and market opportunities in Munich

1. Market structure

The munich business service provides facts and figures on Munich as a business location as well as industry information at a glance and in the publication database.

The IHK guide: Industries in Munich and Upper Bavaria provides an overview of the most important economic sectors.

The Munich Statistical Office offers a wide range of demographic, social and economic information.

The munich business brochure Munich. The Business Location. Facts and Figures lists a selection of companies in Munich.

You can research further companies yourself in the company database of the Bavarian Chambers of Industry and Commerce or commission a search.

In the Key to Bavaria database, you can search specifically for Bavarian products, services and technology partners.

The BioM company database covers all biotechnology stakeholders in Munich and Bavaria.

The trade fairs, congresses and events at Messe München are a good opportunity to approach and get to know customers, take part in specialist presentations or give presentations yourself and thus present your own ideas or concepts to a wider audience. At international high-tech trade fairs in Germany, Bayern Innovativ’s joint stands offer a cost-effective and attractive trade fair presence.

To help with market analysis, founders can consult an industry professional as part of the subsidized Bavarian pre-start-up and succession coaching program managed by IHK Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Professional chambers offer founders specialist advice and support. Munich is home to the Bavarian Chamber of Architects, the Bavarian Chamber of Civil Engineers, the Munich Bar Association, the Munich Chamber of Tax Consultants, the Chamber of Public Accountants, the Medical Chambers, the Bavarian State Chamber of Pharmacists and the Chamber of Psychotherapists.

Industry and professional associations offer founders industry-specific advice and support. Munich is home to, for example, the retail federation Handelsverband Bayern e.V., the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services Landesverband Bayern Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V., the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Hotel- und Gaststättenverband DEHOGA Bayern e.V., the Bavarian chapter of the German Association of Consulting Engineers Verband beratender Ingenieure VBI – Landesverband Bayern and the Bavarian chapter of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. – Landesverband Bayern. Further associations and organizations are listed on the Dienstleistungsportal Bayern.

2. Market opportunities in Munich

BayStartUP offers customized consulting from matchmaking to venture building to promote cooperation between industrial companies and SMEs with startups.

UnternehmerTUM Matchmaking connects medium-sized companies with innovative start-ups.

The IHK Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria provides tips for approaching and cooperating with SMEs and start-ups in its guide. The IHK provides support in the EU advisory network Enterprise Europe Network in opening up new markets.

The IHK Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria and HWK Chamber of Skilled Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria can network start-ups with their member companies at their events. Ask the chambers for special events under the motto “Startup meets SMEs”.

The Munich Urban Colab offers access to established companies, the city administration, Munich’s municipal utilities company Stadtwerke München and citizens.

Events and competitions such as the City of Munich’s Innovation Challenge offer an opportunity to position yourself with innovative ideas and concepts on practical challenges facing Munich’s city administration and to network with public clients.

We have compiled information on contracts from the City of Munich and the public sector, how you can apply for them and who can advise you on our page Public tenders and contracts.

The Digital Hub initiative brings start-ups together with small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies, investors and academia. The Digital Hub Munich connects the insurance and automotive industries.

Access to companies is also offered by start-up centers, incubators and accelerators in Munich.

Some companies use their own venture clienting programs to network with suitable start-ups. In Munich, the BMW Group has set up its own venture client unit, the BMW Startup Garage. The MVG-Innovator is the venture client unit of Munich’s public transport company. Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH. Wayra is Telefónica’s international venture clienting model and is also represented in Munich.

Other companies use external venture clienting solutions such as those offered in Munich by consulting firms and institutions such as BayStartUP or TechFounders, the UnternehmerTUM accelerator program.

The trade fairs, congresses and events at Messe München are a good opportunity to approach and get to know customers, take part in specialist presentations or give presentations yourself and thus present your own ideas or concepts to a wider audience. At international high-tech trade fairs in Germany, Bayern Innovativ’s joint stands offer a cost-effective and attractive trade fair presence.

BioM supports medical biotechnology start-ups in establishing new business contacts.

Munich Innovation Ecosystem initiative offers a matching program for founders with a business idea in the field of artificial intelligence.

Professional chambers offer founders specialist advice and support. Munich is home to the Bavarian Chamber of Architects, the Bavarian Chamber of Civil Engineers, the Munich Bar Association, the Munich Chamber of Tax Consultants, the Chamber of Public Accountants, the Medical Chambers, the Bavarian State Chamber of Pharmacists and the Chamber of Psychotherapists.

Industry and professional associations offer founders industry-specific advice and support. Munich is home to, for example, the retail federation Handelsverband Bayern e.V., the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services Landesverband Bayern Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V., the Bavarian Hotel and Restaurant Association Hotel- und Gaststättenverband DEHOGA Bayern e.V., the Bavarian chapter of the German Association of Consulting Engineers Verband beratender Ingenieure VBI – Landesverband Bayern and the Bavarian chapter of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e.V. – Landesverband Bayern. Further associations and organizations are listed on the Dienstleistungsportal Bayern.

The above-mentioned networking events are also attended by companies and therefore offer founders the opportunity for direct exchange.