• 12/3/2019
  • Reading time 2 min.

TUM concept wins funding under federal EXIST Potentials program

Munich on track for status as European innovation hub

In the future the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and UnternehmerTUM, Center for Innovation and Business Creation, will be supporting teams from other countries seeking to launch deep-tech start-ups in the Munich region. TUM is joining forces with University of Applied Sciences Munich and LMU Munich to turn Munich into Europe's leading ecosystem for deep-tech fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics. This initiative has now been selected to receive funding under the federal EXIST Potentials program.

Studierende beim Think.Make.Start Workshop von TUM und UnternehmerTUM. Andreas Heddergott / TUM
In the course THINK.MAKE.START., participants develop a product in 14 days. The TUM Global DeepTech Venture concept is now intended to specifically promote deep-tech start-ups.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy announced its decision on applications for the EXIST Potentials program in Berlin today. Over the next four years, 142 universities will be supported in their efforts to promote start-ups. A new aspect in this iteration of the EXIST program is the goal of positioning Germany as a global player for science-based start-ups.

TUM succeeded in securing funding with its concept TUM Global DeepTech Venture. It will work with UnternehmerTUM to support start-up teams from other countries in setting up locations in Munich to turn transformative technological advances into market-ready products. The focus will be on artificial intelligence, robotics, additive manufacturing and sustainable mobility – all of them strong research fields at TUM.

Boosting the international dimension of TUM's spin-off activities

TUM Global DeepTech Venture will provide targeted coaching and network with TUM spin-offs, other companies, the research community and government. "That will raise the potential of the start-up scene in Munich to an entirely new level," says TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann. "We will attract strong partners and investors from other countries and steadily advance Munich's growth into a leading European hub for deep-tech start-ups."

Pooling regional strengths in the Munich B2B Co-Creation Hub

As part of its efforts to develop Munich into a European-level innovation metropolis, TUM, University of Applied Sciences Munich and LMU Munich have interlinked their EXIST concepts and established the Munich B2B Co-Creation Hub. With a focus on the UN Sustainability Development Goals, this joint program will proactively capture regional synergies and attract international entrepreneurs. In doing so, it will also act as a role model for other German cities and regions. This joint undertaking represents another step forward for TUM's ONE MUNICH strategy for the networking of key scientific institutions in Munich, which is part of the TUM Agenda 2030 future concept.

More than 70 start-ups per year

TUM has also enjoyed outstanding success in the past EXIST rounds. With the help of this program, TUM and UnternehmerTUM support new companies with measures precisely tailored to the phases of the start-up process – from drawing up the business model to management training, and from market entry to an IPO. Every year more than 70 technology companies are established at TUM.

Further information and links

Technical University of Munich

Corporate Communications Center

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