Bits & pretzels for Investors

Bits & pretzels for Investors

We're hosting 4,500 founders looking for capital and 21,000 direct meetings between founders and investors this year. Last year, 1,000 investors brought €390bn in capital. This year, we're aiming higher.
get your ticket now

Date

28 September 2026

within the Bits & Pretzels Festival

Venue

Trade Fair Grounds & Oktoberfest

How to access?

full access to bits & pRETZELS FESTIVAL & INVESTOR SUMMIT

What 's included
in your ticket?

Bits & Pretzels main stage

2 Days of Conference incl. 1 day investor summit

28.—29.09.2026

Inspiring Keynotes & Panels – Thought-provoking discussions from industry pioneers and global changemakers.
Exclusive Networking – Curated opportunities to connect with fellow LPs and GPs.
Results-Driven – Focused content and structured networking to ensure maximum ROI.

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

Inside the Festhalle Schottenhamel at the Oktoberfest site.

1 Day of
oktoberfest

30.09.2026

On the last event day, everyone comes together at the Oktoberfest venue to have unforgettable 3 hours of networking.
Enjoy inspiring conversations and make meaningful connections in this vibrant atmosphere.
This definitely is a once in a lifetime experience!

Oktoberfest Munich, Theresienwiese
Festhalle Schottenhamel at Oktoberfest Munich

save your
limited spot

Elite Networking with 1.500 leading VCs and 300+ LPs.
Private networking lounge for investors
3 in 1: Get one ticket and experience the full 3-Day Bits & Pretzels and Investor Summit experience.
get your ticket now

speakers 2025

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
Sven Strohband

Managing Director

Khosla Ventures

Marcus Brennecke

Institutional Partner & Chairman EQT Foundation

EQT Partners

Franziska Kayser

Partner, Head of European TMT

KKR

Andrei Brasoveanu

Partner

Accel

Julia Thiele-Schürhoff

Entrepreneur & Impact Investor

Juluna

Stefan Wintels

CEO

KfW

Bjorn Tremmerie

Head of Division, TechEU & Western Europe

European Investment Fund

Alex Lim

General Partner

IVP

Greg Schmitt

Head of Private Equity & Co-Investments

MEAG

Simon Schmincke

General Partner

Creandum

Joe Schorge

Founder & Managing Partner

Isomer Capital

Dr. Hendrik Brandis

Co-Founder & Partner

Earlybird Venture Capital

Oliver Bäte

CEO

Allianz

Justinas Milasauskas

Investment Manager

Willgrow

Darian Shirazi

Managing Partner

Gradient

Ciarán O'Leary

General Partner

BlueYard

Ara Yeromian

Managing Director

Teachers' Venture Growth, OTPP

Alex Schmitt

Partner

Lightspeed Ventures

Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger

CEO

UnternehmerTUM

Zoé Fabian-Frey

General Partner

Noteus Partners

Kathrin Kalau-Reus

Head of Private Equity, Infrastructure and Timber

BVK

Valerie Bures

Partner & Head of DACH

XAnge

Mina Mutafchieva

Partner

HV Capital

Keshvi Radia

Head of Product & Data

Balderton

Ties Boukema

Head of Data, Tech & AI

Dawn Capital

Jan Schönfeld

Senior Principal

Cinven

Samuel Schuler

Managing Director

Reimann Investors

Francois Chaudoreille

Managing Partner

HELIX

Dr. Hannes Gsell

Managing Director

Goldman Sachs

Jan Reichelt

Founding Partner / GP

10x Founders

Michele Attisani

GP

Insiders

Mark Schmitz

Managing Partner

equation AG

Manuel Grossmann

Founding Partner

Amino Collective

Carlo Schmid

General Partner

Lineage Partners

Jamie Elliott

General Partner

Upside VC

Dr. Ricardo Schaefer

Partner

Zone II Ventures

Paula Wehmeyer

Investor

Fabian von Trotha

Managing Partner

Dieter von Holtzbrinck Ventures

Dr. Helder Schnittker

German qualified attorney, Certified tax attorney

YPOG

Dr. Julian Albrecht

German qualified attorney

YPOG

Dr. Saskia Bong

German qualified attorney

YPOG

What can you expect?

Built for
bIG mOVES

21,000+ founder-investor meetings in just 3 days
€390B in assets under management represented
From seed-stage specialists to unicorn backers – all in one place

real Access - Real people

Elite Networking with 1.500 leading VCs and 300+ LPs
Trusted by top firms like a16z, Accel, Index & Sequoia
Limited to 7,500 attendees for real conversations, not just crowds

Exclusive for Investors

8 deep-dive sessions on VC’s biggest challenges
Honest conversations with top-tier peers only
Access limited to Investor Ticket holders
Experience all benefits on-event
get your ticket now

Regularly Attending LPs

A breeding Ground for success

You’re in excellent company. These are breakout startups that exhibited at Bits & Pretzels in their early days. Today, those bets paid off. Now it’s your turn to lead the next big deal.
Exhibited in
2019
Capital raised
€700m
Exhibited in
2022
Capital raised
€170m
Exhibited in
2019
Capital raised
€58m
Exhibited in
2023
Capital raised
€41m
Exhibited in
2022
Capital raised
€870m
Exhibited in
2023
Capital raised
€28m
Exhibited in
2023
Capital raised
€17m
Exhibited in
2022
Capital raised
€85.7m
Exhibited in
2019
Capital raised
€230m
Exhibited in
2022
Capital raised
€98m
Exhibited in
2022
Capital raised
€115m
Exhibited in
2023
Capital raised
€13m
Exhibited in
2023
Capital raised
€17.2m
Exhibited in
2019
Capital raised
€510m
Exhibited in
2022
Capital raised
€49.3m

THAT'S WHAT INVESTORS SAY

“Scaleups across Europe are gaining momentum, with founders looking for the right partners to realise global ambitions. Now more than ever, growth investing is key. To keep Europe competitive, we need a powerhouse ecosystem where European innovation can truly scale. Bits & Pretzels plays a key role infostering exchange and connecting key players.”

Franziska Kayser
KKR

“AI is no longer just a tool; it’s the foundation of the next industrial revolution. As I’ve said before - let’s be AI Makers, not Takers.
We need to build companies that are leading this transformation, not just riding the wave, but shaping it and redefining entire industries.”

Alex Schmitt
Partner, Lightspeed Venture Partners

“As LPs, venture capital for us is about more than providing funding. It’s about backing the leaders who will shape the future. We seek those rare partnerships where vision aligns with discipline, and ambition meets execution. Events like Bits & Pretzels are where those partnerships begin.”

Greg Schmitt
MEAG

“European tech markets are at an all-time high thanks to the success of tech entrepreneurs and private investors over the past decade. However, the flywheel of innovation needs liquidity to continue accelerating. [...] In the absence of vibrant IPO and M&A markets, secondary funds are more important than ever to build a fully functional private capital market in Europe. [...]”

Joe Schorge
Isomer Capital

“The next wave of global leaders from Europe will come from bold entrepreneurs with the right partners behind them. I believe in pairing capital with ambition to create momentum and Bits & Pretzels is where that starts.”

Zoé Fabian-Frey
Noteus Partners

regularly Attending FUNDS

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

Make your time count

Elite Networking with 1.500 leading VCs and 300+ LPs.
High-Impact Insights
Exclusive access to the investor networking area
Unforgettable setting during Oktoberfest
Experience the full 3-Day Bits & Pretzels and the exclusive Investor Summit program
get your ticket now
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.

FAQ

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