With the Munich ecosystem, our Center for Innovation and Business Creation has made it to the top of the international ranking by the Financial Times, Sifted, and Statista: We are delighted to be "Europe's Leading Start-up Hub". The ranking lists a total of 125 initiatives in 21 European countries, clustered into various categories.
The ranking shows: the collaboration in the local network of universities and science, established companies and start-ups, talented young professionals, the public sector and foundations is working - innovation is thriving.
This is reflected in the category "Networking", in which UnternehmerTUM - as in the general ranking - tops the list. In the "Track Record" area, we are in second place with successful start-ups such as Isar Aerospace, Proglove, Konux, Inveox, and Kyte. They have not only found a first base to launch their start-up here, but have also prepared their company for market entry, venture capital rounds, and further growth with active support. The experienced founders also share their experience with the next generation.
Their votes were decisive for the ranking of the start-up hubs: alumni rated their respective hub in the following categories.- Mentoring & Training
- Infrastructure
- Legal support
- Advice on business development
- Networking opportunities
- Financing opportunities
A start-up journey often begins at the educational institution: our partner, the Technical University of Munich, has firmly anchored entrepreneurship in its strategy. Other local universities such as the Ludwig-Maximilians University and the Munich University of Applied Sciences also run entrepreneurial programs that supprt start-ups. Together, we collaborate in initiatives such as the Munich Innovation Ecosystem and use synergies to further advance the location. Munich has overtaken Berlin in the annual German Startup Monitor and secured its place at the top:
The state capital acts like a magnet for the startup scene, which finds a good infrastructure, proximity to universities and numerous funding opportunities here. Initiatives such as UnternehmerTUM, the start-up center at the Technical University of Munich, and Werk 1, a start-up hub offering everything from coaching to coworking spaces, are clearly paying off. Now it is crucial to extend Munich's appeal to the entire federal state [...].
Source: PWC commenting on the Startup Monitor for Bavaria 2023
To do this, UnternehmerTUM's founder and CEO Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger had the honor of supporting the creation of the nationwide "Startup Factories" lighthouse competition. The aim of the initiative, which was announced by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, is to increase the number of UnternehmerTUM blueprints in Germany tenfold and to create further centers at other locations.
Established companies are essential for a healthy environment for start-ups and innovation, too. SMEs, family businesses and global corporations also make Munich the successful hub that the city is. Ideally, cooperation between start-ups and established companies is mutually beneficial and leads to market innovations that have a positive impact both nationally and internationally. Our programs drive this collaboration, initiate pilot projects, and open up new business opportunities (read more).
The Financial Times' special feature takes a closer look at our DNA and why the center for entrepreneurship and innovation is leading the way. Have a read!