Community Shaping the City of Tomorrow Together

UnternehmerTUM is Europe's leading center for innovation and business creation with a strong connection to the Technical University of Munich. A team of more than 400 experienced entrepreneurs, including scientists and investors, supports start-ups with business creation, market entry and financing – also with venture capital. Every year, more than 50 high-growth technology start-ups are founded here, such as Celonis, Konux, Lilium and Isar Aerospace.

All stakeholders in the Munich Urban Colab benefit from UnternehmerTUM’s start-up and technology expertise. In addition, several initiatives of UnternehmerTUM address specific topics such as mobility, construction and sustainability - for example Digital Hub Mobility, the initiative BEFIVE for the digitalization of the construction industry and Circular Republic with a focus on the circular economy.

With seven DAX-listed companies, more than 1,800 start-ups and 22 universities, colleges and academies, the City of Munich is one of the strongest growth regions in Europe - and a magnet for talents from around the world.

Major cities like Munich are facing challenges as they growth - and innovation plays a key role in providing solutions. The City of Munich wants to make life in the vibrant metropolis more valuable for everyone. To achieve this, the city administration is focusing on cooperation and investing in the Munich Urban Colab as a joint platform for urban solutions.

That is why the City of Munich is represented in the Munich Urban Colab with various departments and initiatives. For example, with the Munich City Lab, which is coordinated by the Department of Labor and Economic Development and is the gateway for all city employees to the Munich Urban Colab. Furthermore, the Data & Innovation Team and the WerkSTADT digitales München of the IT Department, the ‘Haus der Kost’ of the Department of Climate and Environmental Protection and the Mobility Lab of the SWM/MVG are represented with own dependences.

All departments use the Munich Urban Colab as a driver of innovation, ensuring that smart city solutions are quickly tested and implemented. Pioneering projects from the city are regularly presented to the community and interested citizens.

Innovation-driven companies play a key role in solving present and future urban challenges. At the Munich Urban Colab, they have the opportunity to develop and test new ideas with their employees in an experimental environment. They benefit from the proximity and direct exchange with talents, start-ups, other companies, and the city administration. At the same time, their industry and technology expertise is indispensable for successfully leveraging the entrepreneurial and economic potential of solutions for the city of the future.

Technological know-how, a strong ecosystem and a young, creative environment: Munich has a lot to offer to founders. The Munich Urban Colab aims to strengthen Munich as a vibrant start-up location and attract bright minds from all over the world. The Munich Urban Colab brings together start-ups from a wide range of industries and disciplines. They are working on solutions for the healthcare of the future, developing innovative mobility concepts and pioneering revolutionary technologies such as artificial intelligence or quantum computing. While some are still in the early stages of their founding, others are already experiencing dynamic growth.

In addition to the UnternehmerTUM programs and initiatives, many pioneering Smart City initiatives from Germany and Europe are also active in the Munich Urban Colab. They are working together to create a sustainable and livable city of the future and offer a wide range of opportunities to get involved and network. EIT Urban Mobility, EIT InnoEnergy and the project "Creating NEBourhoods Together" are just a few of those initiatives located in the Munich Urban Colab that have an impact throughout Europe.

With 22 universities, colleges and academies, Munich is Germany's second-largest university location - many talented people from all over the world come to the Bavarian metropolis to study, research or start their own businesses. The close connection of the Munich Urban Colab with the Technical University of Munich, the Ludwig Maximilians University and the Munich University of Applied Sciences open up exciting opportunities for collaboration and are a great enrichment for the field of Smart City solutions. With Manage and More, START Munich, 180 Degrees Consulting Munich and Enactus Munich, the Munich Urban Colab is also home to four strong student initiatives that are driving forward new ideas for a liveable urban future.

UnternehmerTUM's venture capital firm UVC Partners has its own branch in the Munich Urban Colab. The high-performance fund has 386 million euros in assets under management and its portfolio includes companies such as Reverion, Lilium, Aleph Alpha and Flix. Other leading global venture capital firms such as General Atlantic, Lakestar and BMW iVentures bring their expertise and excellent network into the ecosystem.