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Business Development munich business
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Startseite Stadt München
Commercial space and locations

Technology and Startup centers

Startup incubators provide suitable space for startups, often with additional services. In addition, munich business pursues projects that improve and expand the availability of space for startups and scaleups.

Start-up centers in Munich

Munich ranks among the top three startup locations in Germany, thanks to the overall excellent conditions within the startup ecosystem.

Nevertheless, finding suitable space remains a challenge for many startups and young companies. Startup hubs can stand out by offering suitable lease agreements, additional services, and an environment tailored to startups.

The map shows the locations of Munich’s startup hubs within the city limits and the surrounding area. 

Spaces for startups and scaleups

The City of Munich is committed to helping innovative startups grow into important, successful companies. One key factor is modestly sized working spaces that offer flexible conditions and the right infrastructure. Such spaces are limited in Munich and rents are high, meaning that new companies in the startup and growth phase often have difficulties finding suitable premises.  

munich business launched its Programm Technologie- und Gründerzentren in München (Technology and Startup Centers in Munich Program) in 2021 with a focus on precisely this issue.

Analyses and surveys have shown that startups and young companies in particular face challenges trying to find suitable premises. The program’s aim is to therefore make Munich more startup friendly by helping to diversify the supply of suitable spaces.

Photo: Stefan Müller-Naumann, RAW

The projects

Here we present the most important projects that munich business and the City of Munich are currently pursuing, both with partners from the startup ecosystem and in cooperation with private-sector companies.

These projects are either already in development or have adapted their provision to become more appealing to startups and scale-ups.

  • Spaces for scale-ups: curated network of private workspace providers
  • Expansion of WERK1 with the WERK 1.4 building
  • Hybrid new building for the Gewerbehof Ostbahnhof industrial and technology center
  • MTZ – Munich Technology Center 
  • Munich Urban Colab

You can find more details below.
 

Key Visual Spaces4Scaleups

Search platform for office space

Since 2023, the Spaces4Scaleups - web platform attractively presents curated space offers from real estate partners. The platform is specifically designed to facilitate match-making between growing startups and real estate providers.

Spaces4Scaleups shows suitable offers sarting at 100 m² with all the important space details that growing startups requiere. Searchers can contact the providers directly.

Quickly growing young companies and startups – commonly known as scaleups – face particular challenges finding suitable working space as the private-sector commercial property market offers almost no affordable spaces that are larger than 100 m2, divided into smaller units, expandable, and also available for rent on a flexible basis.

Therefore munich business launched a curated network of private suppliers, “Spaces4Scaleups”, in 2021 with the aim of increasing the supply of premises of at least 100 m2 for scaleups. If a suitable office space is available, this can be crucial in helping emerging companies move more easily from "Phase 2" to "Phase 3" of the startup life cycle.

This initiative by the Economic Development Department has attracted the interest of the property sector and raised awareness of scaleups as a target group. To date, dialog with portfolio holders, developers, investors, suppliers of coworking spaces, and other service providers have lead to a customized "Spaces4Scaleups" portfolio of exclusive offerings.

munich business will continue to work toward the creation of suitable offers that come closer to the target group in terms of size, rent levels and flexible conditions or complement the spaces with suitable infrastructure and services.

Münchner Werksviertel: Werk1

The WERK 1 startup center has ten shareholders, including the Free State of Bavaria (26%), WERK1.Bayern GmbH (24.5%), the Landkreis (district) and the capital city of Munich (10% each respectively).

The WERK1 target group comprises founders of innovative digital startups, self-employed persons/freelancers, students, and other entrepreneurs still at the start of their journey. At WERK1 they come into contact with a diverse and open-minded community of coworkers, startups, alumni, mentors and corporates.

Following an application and selection process, the startup offices are available for a period of twelve to 24 months. WERK1 also offers access to workshops, events, corporate partners, and development programs (Games Bavaria, InsurTech Hub Munich). BayStartUP, the Free State of Bavaria’s startup network, offers on-site coaching for meetings with potential investors.

Since 2023, WERK1 has added nearly over 7,000 additional square meters with the WERK 1.4.  building. With a total of 10,000 square meters now available, there are additional startup offices, new coworking spaces, and larger scaleup offices. In addition, there are coliving apartments (see our announcement), a new WERK1 café, a rooftop terrace and additional meeting and event spaces.

WERK1 is thus notably expanding its services for Phase 2 startups and in the future can help bridge the gap between university-based entrepreneurship centers and the traditional commercial property market.

Photo: MGH

The Ostbahnhof Industrial and Technology Center was built in three phases from 1983 to 2001 and offers around 26,000 m2 of rental space. Now, the earliest phase of construction on Friedenstraße, which no longer meets contemporary standards, is being replaced by a new hybrid building. The new building will also provide an additional 7,000 m2 of space.

The new space is intended not only for use by traditional businesses but, also for technology-focused companies and tech startups in the burgeoning innovation and startup hub of the Werksviertel, complementing the existing MTZ.

A comprehensive potential analysis of the location concluded that the new center would benefit from a broad mix of sectors (technology/media/telecommunications, software/IT) in the immediate vicinity. The plan includes multifunctional spaces, such as “flex spaces,” which can be used as offices or for light manufacturing and prototyping. The space will be flexible and easily adaptable to new uses.

The architectural competition was completed at the end of 2022. Please click here for the chosen plans.  

Photo: Schwarz.Jacobi Architekten

The city authorities are currently collaborating with MGH on the technical planning and specific implementation of the new hybrid building. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028, and a groundbreaking ceremony is also planned for that year.

The Munich Technology Center (MTZ) supports startups on their way to becoming sustainably successful companies. It offers suitable space, professional coaching and needs-oriented services - ideal for young companies.
 
As part of MGH - Münchner Gewerbehof- und Technologiezentrumsgesellschaft mbH - the MTZ provides modern working environments for around 90 companies on around 10,000 square meters.

The center offers flexibly expandable office space from 25 square meters, supplemented by modern conference rooms and comprehensive office services. The light-flooded foyer, open work areas and communicative meeting points such as a café and lounge specifically promote exchange and networking.
 
Start-ups also benefit from the startup support provided by BayStartUP at the MTZ, with offers such as coaching, mentoring and access to investors.

Founders from a wide range of technology sectors from HealthTech, AI and GreenTech to FinTech, EdTech and Smart City solutions will find ideal conditions here.

The Munich Urban Colab is also an important new space for startups thanks to its unique selection of programs.  It is especially aimed at innovative, technology-focused entrepreneurs and startups in the initial development phase that benefit from Munich universities’ startup centers and compact, subsidized working spaces available for short-term use.

Since opening in June 2021, the Colab has managed to successfully connect startups with established companies, stakeholders from science and academia, the city government, and citizens, to jointly work on solutions to urban challenges.

 

Photo: Andreas Heddergott, LHM

Meeting im Wintergarten des Munich Urban Colab

Photo: UnternehmerTUM

The city government has an on-site contact point, the Munich City Lab, which informs the Colab community about the City of Munich’s innovation needs. Regular events such as “Meet The City” and “Inspiration & Talk” foster dialog and networking.

Also based here are various city-backed projects, including “Digital Twin” and the “Zero Waste Innovation Hub” that started in 2023. The latter project aims to collaborate with startups to develop greentech solutions in the areas of energy efficiency and renewable energies.

Publications and contact

City Council resolutions

Department of Labor and Economic Development - munich business

Alexander Schmidbauer