Blick in ein Münchner Gründungszentrum mit sechs jungen Menschen in Arbeitssituationen

Business location

Startups and new business

Munich’s startup scene benefits from a proven network of successful corporations, established startups, and an world-class university and research landscape - featuring outstanding talent and strong institutional support.

Success factors

With more than 1,700 active startups, Munich ranks among the leading starup hubs in Gemany and Europe.

Photo: bayern design GmbH

Munich has a strong appeal for both talent and capital. In 2025, total funding volume reached approximately €2.7 billion. Since 2023, Munich has also been among the top locations in Germany in terms of investment per capita (€1,143 per capita in 2025).

The sectors security, biotech, fintech, spacetech, energy, and hospitality recorded the largest funding rounds in 2025.

These funding rounds also highlight the maturity of the ecosystem: a large share of startups are already in the growth stage or beyond.

The ecosystem is highly international: 42 percent of employees in Munich startups and scaleups are international professionals (as of 2025).

Munich’s economy is characterized by international market experience, a strong focus on research and innovation, and a highly dynamic labor market—clear advantages for startups aiming to grow sustainably and expand globally.

“In Munich we have successfully managed to pool our strengths.”

Helmut Schönenberger, Co-founder and CEO of UnternehmerTUM

Infrastructure and networks

The City of Munich, Free State of Bavaria, and the chambers are strongly committed to providing the infrastructure that startups and scaleups need.

As a central point of contact, the Munich Business Startup Office offers comprehensive, free advisory services. In addition, the City and Free State invest in startup centers and high-quality networks for founders.

Meetups, conferences, industry events, and networking formats bring Munich’s startup community together.

Advice from munich business

Here you can find our qualified, free advisory services for a wide range of prospecive founders:

Entrepreneurship centers

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is Germany’s leading university for entrepreneurship. Since 2002, its affiliated institute UnternehmerTUM, modeled after leading U.S. ecosystems, has generated up to 100 startups per year. It ranks #1 in Europe in the current Financial Times ranking.
The Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), ranked 2nd in Germany in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Its Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center IEC provides highly effective support for new ventures.
Start2 Group, a global accelerator based in Munich, supports startups in international scaling—among others through the German Accelerator. It is ranked #2 startup hub in Europe (2025) by the Financial Times.
The startup center WERK1 focusses on digital business models and insurtech. It is ranked #9 in Europe in the Financial Times ranking (Top 10).
Another key player in this area is the University of Applied Science’s Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship (SCE). Its main focus is on interdisciplinary, practical support.
The Munich Social Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA) provides special support to startups with a social focus.
The University of the Bundeswehr Munich has its own Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship Center, Founders@unibw, since 2019.

Official startup portal

Munich Startup is the official startup portal and the first point of contact for tech-oriented startups, ecosystem partners, and anyone interested in Munich’s startup scene.

Experienced support networks

Entrepreneurs in Munich benefit from a broad and well-structured support ecosystem with services tailored to the needs of students, entrepreneurs, startups, and self-employed persons with a migration background. The networks offer numerous ways to interact, including networking events, workshops and coaching.