where industry leaders meet

Bits & Pretzels is your one-stop destination to deeply understand the startup ecosystem and secure partnerships with founders across Europe.
Join the 2026 waitlist

Date

28 Sep - 30 sep 2026

within the Bits & Pretzels Venue

Venue

Trade Fair Grounds & Oktoberfest

Munich, Germany

How to access?

full access to bits & pRETZELS FESTIVAL

What makes bits & pretzels
so special?

Bits & Pretzels main stage

DAY 1 + 2

Conference

Two days filled with networking, masterclasses and a highly curated speaker line-up, providing you with resources for your growth.

Limited to 7,500 attendees
Curated founder-investor ratio
21,000 founder-investor meetings
Startup Exhibition & Pitch contest
390bn US-Dollar of assets under management at the event

ICM - International Congress Center Messe München
Messe München GmbH, Messegelände, 81823 München

Inside the Festhalle Schottenhamel at the Oktoberfest site.

DAY 3

Oktoberfest

Doing business at the Munich Oktoberfest sounds crazy? It is – but the most unique networking experience you’ll ever make!

300+ Tables at Schottenhamel Tent
250 Table Captains: industry experts hosting a table
2 orgaized liquid networking sessions
1 unique experience: that lasts a lifetime, be there to believe that

Oktoberfest Munich, Theresienwiese
Festhalle Schottenhamel at Oktoberfest Munich

JOIN Europe’S
Leading founders
festival

Connect with 7,500+ founders and industry leaders ready to collaborate
Discover scalable solutions and disruptive ideas
Turn conversations into strategic partnerships that move the needle
Join the 2026 waitlist

Live on Stage 2025:
The People Driving Change

Name Surname
Position, Company name
Name Surname
Position, Company name
Name Surname
Position, Company name
Name Surname
Position, Company name
Name Surname
Position, Company name
Name Surname
Position, Company name
Niklas Zennström

Founder & CEO

Atomico

Katherina Reiche

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy

Germany

Caroline Stage Olsen

Minister for Digital Government

Denmark

Thomas Wolf

Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer

Hugging Face

Dorothee Bär

Federal Minister of Research, Technology and Space

Germany

Hélène Huby

Founder & CEO

The Exploration Company

Martin Mignot

Partner

Index Ventures

Peter Sarlin

Co-Founder & CEO

AMD Silo AI

Robert Gentz

Founder & Co-CEO

Zalando

Simon Schmincke

General Partner

Creandum

Hanno Renner

Co-Founder & CEO

Personio

Andrei Brasoveanu

Partner

Accel

See speakers 2025

big minds. Bigger Moves.
All in one place.

Europe’s
Top Startups.
All Together.

3,000+ founders across all industries
300 curated exhibitors
80 pitch on stage, selected for impact

Networking
Made
Effortless

80+ expert matchmakers supporting your goals
Connect with all 7,500 attendees via the app
Smart formats designed to spark real conversations

Off-the-Record with Top Leaders

Lessons learned from Europe’s top corporates
CxOs from Airbus, Siemens, Vodafone & more on stage
Actionable insights you can apply tomorrow

Connecting with 1,500 executives

With over 1,500 C-level executives converging from FinTech, SaaS, E-mobility, Energy, IoT, and AI — Bits & Pretzels Founders Festival is more than a conference — it's a nexus of cross-industry innovation and business-making.

This is the place where business meets vision, ideas turn into opportunities, and connections count.

become a partner

Experience the business magic of Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest attracts millions—a unique blend of culture and tradition.
A key networking event—connect in a special setting.
Business at Oktoberfest? Now’s the time. Join us this September!
Richard Branson as a Table Captain sitting among the attendees at an Oktoberfest site
2023
Bits & Pretzels is home. The Home of Founders. People came for Michelle Obama and they stayed for the community.
2019
President Barack Obama joins Bits & Pretzels and leads an amazing speaker lineup.
2017
Bits & Pretzels establishes its quality over size rule and limits the number of attendees to 5,000.
2015
For the first time the Festival lasts for three days. The grand finale gathers 3,500 founders at the Oktoberfest.
2023
Bits & Pretzels is home. The Home of Founders. People came for Michelle Obama and they stayed for the community.
2019
President Barack Obama joins Bits & Pretzels and leads an amazing speaker lineup.
2017
Bits & Pretzels establishes its quality over size rule and limits the number of attendees to 5,000.
2015
For the first time the Festival lasts for three days. The grand finale gathers 3,500 founders at the Oktoberfest.
2024
Bits & Pretzels launches the first-ever Investor Summit and CXO Summit — setting a new standard for founder and investor networking.
2022
What a return after a two year break. It was time to reunite the European startup ecosystem and everybody joined.
2018
Tarana Burke, founder of the #metoo movement, opens the Festival to underline the commitment to diversity.
2016
5,000 attendees come to see the founders of Virgin, Airbnb, and other inspiring personalities.
2013-14
Wild first years. Started with only 80 participants at Hofbräuhaus the event grows to 1,400 attendees.
2024
Bits & Pretzels launches the first-ever Investor Summit and CXO Summit — setting a new standard for founder and investor networking.
2022
What a return after a two year break. It was time to reunite the European startup ecosystem and everybody joined.
2018
Tarana Burke, founder of the #metoo movement, opens the Festival to underline the commitment to diversity.
2016
5,000 attendees come to see the founders of Virgin, Airbnb, and other inspiring personalities.
2013-14
Wild first years. Started with only 80 participants at Hofbräuhaus the event grows to 1,400 attendees.

WHERE WE COME FROM.

Bits & Pretzels started as founders breakfast with just 80 participants. We dared to start and the spirit of supporting founders continues in 2026 and beyond.

Join our mission in helping founders shaping a better future.

benefitsJoin nowSpeakers 2025Become partnerAgenda