Innovation and entrepreneurship
Science and research - that is our passion! Ideally, our findings lead to applications for society - whether in the form of new technologies, new products or business ideas.
Our enthusiasm for science and research is not an end in itself, but serves to make our lives better, easier and more sustainable - and to use our planet's resources responsibly.
This basic understanding has led to a strong innovation and start-up culture at TUM, which we are proud of! Together with UnternehmerTUM, which was founded by the entrepreneur Susanne Klatten, and the Munich Urban Colab, we have managed to establish a unique ecosystem for start-ups in the greater Munich area that is attracting attention throughout Germany and internationally!
If you are also interested in entrepreneurship, if you would like to support young start-ups or the spirit of innovation in general, please contact us! By doing so, you will be supporting Germany as a business location - especially the Munich region. The fundraising team looks forward to hearing from you.
Student innovations
Our students are already active in numerous project and research groups and impress with their enormous innovative strength! Here are two examples of outstanding projects supported by the TUM University Foundation and private sponsors:
HORYZN
In the "Horyzn" research initiative, students of aerospace, chemistry, physics, mechanical engineering, computer science and business administration are working together to develop a prototype of a vertical take-off, autonomously flying and AI-controlled transport drone. It is intended to transport medical goods such as blood reserves, medicines or defibrillators, for example, and thus better supply rural areas and areas that are difficult to access with urgent medical supplies. Find out more about HORYZN
TUM Boring
For an international competition organized by Elon Musk, the cross-faculty team of 60 students at TUM Boring has developed a tunnel boring machine that is as fast and precise as possible for potential use in the "Hyperloop" mobility concept. The aim is to make tunnel construction faster and more cost-effective in the future. The TUM University Foundation has funded participation in two competitions in the USA in 2021 and 2023. Learn more about TUM Boring.
TUM Autonomous Motorsports
Professors, doctoral students and master's students worked together to develop an AI-controlled vehicle. This achieved first place in a spectacular international race on the Formula 1 track in Abu Dhabi.
This vehicle was able to prevail against seven other international teams without a human driver or remote control, solely with the superior autonomous software. It independently sought the limits, mastered spectacular overtaking maneuvers and speeds of up to 250 km/h on the winding route. - The award ceremony was held by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The team was financially supported by, among others, Senator Dr. Farhad Farassat. Learn more about the race.
Creating a culture of entrepreneurship
TUM has long stood for promoting innovation. In 2020, however, the founding of "TUM Venture Labs" took TUM's innovative strength and entrepreneurship to a whole new level. Within just three years, TUM and UnternehmerTUM jointly founded eleven Venture Labs. Each one of them forms its own start-up ecosystem. Numerous companies support us in this.
A success story for start-ups - the TUM Venture Labs
With the TUM Venture Labs, existing activities and expertise in start-up support by the Technical University of Munich and UnternehmerTUM are bundled and strengthened and expanded by additional, complementary offers. Each individual TUM Venture Lab is located directly at its respective school and faculty and is therefore close to the relevant research laboratories. Each Venture Lab also offers access to dedicated academic staff and professors as mentors and coaches, as well as start-up, industry and market experts. In addition, workstations, laboratories, workshops/access to the MakerSpaces are also provided.
To achieve the planned goal of increasing technology spin-offs and their establishment in the region tenfold, a strong network of supporters from companies, family offices and private individuals is needed. We are delighted that we have found many partners who, through their generous commitment, are helping to drive technological development in Germany and Europe - and possibly paving the way for the next unicorn.
Here you will find examples of companies that we have specifically supported in getting involved in the TUM Venture Labs:
VentureLab - Food, Agro, Biotech (FAB)
The Venture Lab Food/Agro/Biotech (FAB) aims to become Europe's most important breeding ground for agricultural, food technology and biotech start-ups. This incubation center promotes interdisciplinary innovations in the life sciences, from genetic and biological research to production and processing technologies. Whether a start-up is active in agriculture, food, beverages, nutrition, forestry, biotechnology or applied biosciences - at TUM Venture Labs you will find exactly the right partners to support you in your projects.
Dr. Oetker supports the Venture Lab Food, Agro, Biotech
The food manufacturer Dr. Oetker is committed to supporting start-ups at TUM. Claudia Willvonseder, Member of the Management Board of Dr. August Oetker Nahrungsmittel KG, said: "This partnership with TUM Venture Labs is important to us! In view of a dynamic, digitalized future and the challenges we all face in terms of sustainability, we see it as essential to promote innovation through exchange with and investment in start-ups and young founders. Our goal with this sponsorship is to be in close contact with the drivers of innovation and to help create a productive competitive climate that challenges and drives the entire industry - including Dr. Oetker." Venture Labs CEO Dr. Philipp Gerbert: "We are delighted to have gained an innovative and deeply entrepreneurial partner in Dr. Oetker. We are particularly impressed by the inspiring energy with which Dr. Oetker is driving the topic of sustainability forward, not only in the food products themselves, but also in the entire value chain, from sustainable agriculture to packaging and logistics."
BayWA is involved in the VentureLab Food, Agro, Biotech
The Munich-based company BayWA AG supports the TUM Venture Lab Food-Agro-Biotech (FAB) financially and contributes its outstanding expertise in the agricultural sector and international experience to the founding teams and venture lab management. This makes BayWa a "platinum partner" of the TUM Venture Labs.
"The food value chain is facing immense challenges - economically, ecologically and socially," said the then BayWa CEO Klaus Josef Lutz at the signing of the contract in 2021. "New technologies and digitalization can offer highly efficient solutions for sustainable agriculture and healthy nutrition. This requires investment in foodtech and agtech in this country. For us at BayWa, supporting start-ups is an important contribution to accelerating innovation and putting it into practice. We also see this as an opportunity to establish Germany - and Munich in particular - as a globally recognized location."
VentureLab - built environment (BE)
The TUM Venture Lab built environment supports innovative business ideas and scalable deep-tech startups in the fields of civil and environmental engineering, architecture and design with social impact and a special focus on AI in the built world.
Nemetschek supports the VentureLab built environment
Since 2021, the Nemetschek Group has been supporting the Venture Lab Built Environment at the Technical University of Munich. The global software provider provides support both financially and in terms of content with its many years of international expertise in the digitalization of the construction industry. The sponsorship of the TUM Venture Lab Built fits in perfectly with the Nemetschek Group's venture strategy. With this strategy, the Nemetschek Group is driving innovation and helping to shape the building industry of the future.
"We have been closely associated with the Technical University of Munich for decades," said the then CEO and CFOO of the Nemetschek Group, Dr. Axel Kaufmann, at the signing of the contract in October 2021. "We are now expanding this cooperation even further by making our network and our know-how available and thus jointly developing and strengthening the TUM Venture Lab Built Environment".
Venture Lab Healthcare
The TUM Venture Lab Healthcare focuses on innovations in the fields of drug development, digital health and medical technology. The focus is also on technologies for the integration and better use of medical data through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Brainlab AG
Brainlab AG supports the TUM Venture Labs in the field of healthcare as a platinum partner. The TUM Venture Lab Healthcare focuses on innovations in the fields of drug development, digital health and medical technology. The focus is also on technologies for the integration and better use of medical data through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Brainlab will contribute its expertise in medical technology and the international implementation of medical innovations and relies on an intensive professional exchange with the founding teams and the management of the TUM Venture Lab. The Munich-based company specializes in digital medical technologies and the intelligent use of imaging data.