Entrepreneurship News
Award for highly efficient in-wheel motors
German Founders Award for TUM Spin-off DeepDrive
DeepDrive, a spin-off of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has won the 2026 German Founders Award in the “Rising Star” category. The company has developed a novel electric motor technology designed to make electric vehicles more efficient, more sustainable, and more affordable. DeepDrive was founded by graduates of TUM.
Munich launch vehicle reaches Earth orbit on second flight
Spectacular Success for TUM Spin-off Isar Aerospace
A historic achievement for space startup Isar Aerospace: On just its second launch attempt, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) spin-off successfully placed its Spectrum launch vehicle and payload into Earth orbit. The milestone marks a major step toward establishing independent European access to space for the company based in Ottobrunn near Munich.
TUM spin-off Karevo automates screening
Sorting Potatoes with AI
Karevo’s machines can sort up to ten tons of potatoes per hour. The AI-powered optical recognition system achieves 95 percent accuracy. The founder’s journey took him from a potato farm to the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and ultimately to his own startup.
TUM spin-off valued at more than one billion dollars
HappyRobot is the latest TUM unicorn
Another start-up originating from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has reached a company valuation of more than one billion dollars: HappyRobot is the 23rd TUM unicorn and develops AI agents that take over complex business processes for companies. The latest investment round resulted in a company valuation of $1.2 billion. The founding of the start-up received intensive support at TUM.
“MöglichMacher” award for TUM Entrepreneurial Masterclass
Launching a start-up through a master’s thesis
The TUM Entrepreneurial Masterclass uniquely combines degree programs with start-up activity. In their master’s thesis, students can explore a research question that is crucial to their own start-up or another TUM spin-off, or they can investigate how entrepreneurship support can be improved. Around 80 start-ups have already emerged from the program. For this achievement, the Masterclass has now been awarded the “MöglichMacher 2026”, the Bavarian university prize for entrepreneurship.