Munich, Mon, 28 Sep - Wed, 30 Sep, 2026

Where Founders build networks

Bits & Pretzels hosts 7,500 founders, investors, and industry leaders for three days full of learning, networking, and doing business during Munich Oktoberfest.
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Europe’s most unique
Founders Conference

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 awesome attendees
Curated founder-investor ratio of 3 to 1
21,000 real founder-investor meetings
600+ enterprise decision makers with €50m+  revenue
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!

The entire startup scene in one tent at the real Oktoberfest
250+ Table Captains: industry experts hosting a table
2 guarantied meeting session for every attendee
1 experience we even cannot describe

The busiest people of the ecosystem come year over year

In an world of 'too many meetings,' Bits & Pretzels is the date the heavyweights refuse to miss.
 It simply is too efficient because everybody is there. Check out some of our regular guests.

3,000+
Founders

1,700+
Investors

600+ Corporate Decision-Makers

Network

Harder

Your network isn't built from your office

Bits & Pretzels exists to give founders the network they need. Your network is the supercharger for your ambition. It opens doors that will save you more time, money, and effort than you ever imagined.

Only 3:1

Only 3 startups per investor ensure enough meetings for everyone.

Over 600

real decision makers of enterprise companies with €50m or more revenue are your chance for powerful partners or clients.

YOU

right where money is raised, clients are won, and great stories are written.

Grow

Faster

How we help you
meet the right people

Whether you're looking to scale, fund, or partner -  our tailored formats are designed to maximize your ROI. Explore the tracks below to find the perfect fit for your goals and see exactly what’s in it for you.

Tell us who you are
Startup
Select your goal
These are the formats that support you reaching your goal

Table Captain Networking

What is it?
Table Captain Networking is a format happening on day 3 at the real Oktoberfest. 270+ Table Captains - handpicked tech founders, investors, and executives - host tables that seven attendees can join.
How does it help you get funding
You are selecting whose table you want to join before the event. Simply bypass formal emails by selecting the investors you want to meet. This is your chance to get to know them in a unique setting.

Learn more

Startup Exhibition

What is it?
In the Startup Exhibition startups are showcasing their innovations at their own booth. A total of 250 companies is exhibiting throughout the venue.
How does it help you get funding
Your chance to meet influential decision-makers who possess the capital to fuel your next stage of growth. These interactions provide the traction and professional connections necessary to secure investment for your startup.

Learn more

Speeddating

What is it?
First Investment Speed Dating is an organized event featuring a series of rapid-fire, face-to-face introductions with curated investors. This format allows you to immediately pitch your core value and gauge interest from multiple potential backers in a single session.
How does it help you get funding
This session helps you efficiently filter investment options by identifying which investors align with your specific stage and industry. It serves as a high-speed engine for building a volume of warm leads for more intensive follow-up discussions.

Side Events

What is it?
Side Events are curated off-site activities ranging from intimate founder runs and power lunches to exclusive dinners and mixers held throughout the city. These gatherings provide a relaxed environment for attendees to immerse themselves in the startup community outside the formal agenda.
How does it help you get funding
These events facilitate direct, casual interactions with fellow entrepreneurs and potential investors away from the conference floor. Building genuine relationships in these intimate settings creates the foundation of trust needed to secure future capital.

Plattform & App

What is it?
The Bits & Pretzels App and Web Platform is designed to navigate the event ecosystem and connect with the attendees you looking for. This tool provides centralized access to key stakeholders, enabling users to manage their event schedule and interactions directly from their devices.
How does it help you get funding
The platform enables you to filter the crowd and book direct 1:1 meetings with Tier 1 investors. By taking the initiative to secure these sessions, you create the vital connections needed to take your business to the next stage.

Pitch Corner

What is it?
The Pitch Corner is a stage right at center of the exhibition floor. Every entrepreneur can walk up there and deliver 90-second pitch to Bits & Pretzels crowd. Two experts and the audience will give them direct feedback on their presentations.
How does it help you get funding
This platform provides a warm introduction to investors and grants you immediate, sharp feedback from industry experts. It serves as an opportunity to land on the radar of decision-makers and open the door to your next investment round.

Matchmaking Team

What is it?
The Matchmaking Team consists of over 70 experts acting as a support hub for conference attendees. They help you identify key participants and show you how to navigate the event effectively.
How does it help you get funding
The Matchmakers really understand your needs & the startup ecosystem. They help you navigate all features and tools the event provides to find the people that really help your business.

Investors Stage

What is it?
The Investors Stage is a dedicated hub for Tier 1 VCs and LPs to engage in case-based discussions on core fund topics. This center facilitates deep dives into fund construction, LP/GP dynamics, and portfolio scaling.
How does it help you get funding
By opening the Investor Stage to all attendees, you can gain direct insight into the discussions and priorities of Tier 1 VCs and LPs. This access allows you to understand fund dynamics and investment strategies from the perspective of the allocators, helping you better align your own pitch and fundraising approach with market expectations.

Startup Exhibition

Learn more

Pitch Corner

Table Captain Networking

Learn more

Startup Exhibition

Learn more

Speeddating

Side Events

Plattform & App

Pitch Corner

Partner Exhibition

Matchmaking Team

Corporate & Startup Collaboration Stage

CIO & Founder Reception

Table Captain Networking

Learn more

Matchmaking Roundtables

Pitch Corner

Masterclasses

Corporate & Startup Collaboration Stage

Ask me anything

Grow your investor network

Find clients or partners

Connect with other founders

Table Captain Networking

Learn more

Matchmaking Team

Investors Stage

Table Captain Networking

Learn more

Side Events

Plattform & App

Corporate & Startup Collaboration Stage

CIO & Founder Reception

Visionaries Stage

Table Captain Networking

Learn more

Side Events

Matchmaking Roundtables

Plattform & App

Fundraise & LP Relations

Source quality dealflow

Exchange with other investors

LP x Emerging Manager Matchmaking Event

LP Roundtables

Investor Lounge

Visionaries Stage

Startup Exhibition

Learn more

Speeddating

Pitch Corner

Investor-only Side Events

Investor Stage

Investor Lounge

Visionaries Stage

Inspiration Stage

Arena Stage

Visionaries Stage

Startup Exhibition

Learn more

Pitch Corner

Golden Pretzel Award

Table Captain Networking

Learn more

Side Events

Matchmaking Team

Arena Stage

Become a partner

Learn more

Visionaries Stage

Startup Exhibition

Learn more

Inspiration Stage

Corporate & Startup Collaboration Stage

CIO AI Summit Stage

Learn more

Arena Stage

Corporate & Startup Collaboration Stage

CIO Roundtable

CIO AI Summit Stage

Learn more

Corporate & Startup Collaboration Stage

CIO Roundtable

CIO Lounge

CIO AI Summit Stage

Learn more

CIO & Founder Reception

Visionaries Stage

Startup Exhibition

Learn more

Pitch Corner

Matchmaking Team

Golden Pretzel Award

Speakers of 2026

See all speakers 2026

Speakers of 2026

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
Dr. Karsten Wildberger

Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation

Germany

Max Junestrand

Co-Founder & CEO

Legora

Mirko Novakovic

Founder & CEO

Dash0

Harry Nelis

Partner

Accel

Simon Schmincke

General Partner

Creandum

Seema Amble

Partner

Andreessen Horowitz

Prof. Dr. h. c. Carsten Maschmeyer

CEO

Maschmeyer Group

Matthias Schranner

CEO

Schranner

Ritika Pai

Partner

ICONIQ

Andreas Klinger

GP

PROTOTYPE

Sebastian Johnson

Founder

Scaling Europe

Moustafa ElBialy

CIO

Kleiner Perkins

Franziska Kayser

Partner, Head of European TMT

KKR

Robert Lacher

Founding Partner

Visionaries Club

Fabian Kamberi

Founder & CEO

Born

Fynn Kliemann

Founder & CEO

Kliemannsland

Hakob Astabatsyan

Co-Founder & CEO

Synthflow AI

Steve Basher

Founder & CEO

SolveAI

Enrico Mellis

Founder

Animal Syndication Company

Lennard Schmidt

Co-Founder & CEO

Langdock

See all speakers 2026

Thousands of Founders trust Bits & Pretzels

OUR GOAL IS Helping Founders
and it seems to work

The most valuable outcome of exhibiting at the event was that a visit to our booth led to our first major corporate pilot project. It connected us with one of the world's largest EV manufacturers and opened the door to strategic deals and funding opportunities.
Dr. Jonathan Spitz
Founder & CEO, GaussML
Scaleups across Europe are gaining momentum. 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 in fostering exchange and connecting key players.
Franziska Kayser
Partner, KKR
I love the vibe, I love the energy, I love the connections.
Sarah Schmidt
Head of Corporate Strategy, SAP
Bits & Pretzels helped us connect, gain media visibility, and strengthen our credibility with investors. Since then, we successfully closed our seed investment round this spring, an important milestone for Avancell Medical.
Angelika Reich
Co-Founder, Avancell Medical
The conversations at Bits & Pretzels gave us the visibility we needed at the right time. We came to the event with a vision, and left with validation, funding leads, and a broader community that believes in our mission. Now we are ready to scale partially thanks to the momentum built at Bits & Pretzels.
Tomislav Lang
Founder, flyvbird
Bits & Pretzels was planned and structured so well. We didn’t feel overwhelmed, tired, or anything like that at any moment—we were simply experiencing experiences.
Gjorge Lazarov
Co-founder, Moxelle/Worwise
At Bits & Pretzels, meeting new connections turned out to be more important than expected. One year later, we’re close to a partnership with what might be the best possible match in Germany for our company.
Guido Sluijsmans
Co-Founder & CEO, NEXTdriver

You don't just buy a ticket.
you invest in your .

Get me my Ticket!

Tickets are limited to 7,500. Yes really.

Experience the business magic of Oktoberfest

Yes we really take thousands of startup people to a single tent at the real Munich Oktoberfest. And yes, it’s even more about business as it is fun.

Every table hosts a pre-booked meeting of 8-10 attendees. It’s a place where founders pitch, new partnerships are made, and business partners become friends.

It’s a day like nothing you have ever experienced.

THE Munich startup ecosystem is burning hot

Munich became a powerhouse of b2b and deep tech startups. It is the heart of Europe’s most powerful economy, features world-class universities, and is home to huge enterprise companies like BMW, Siemens, and Allianz.

‍Coming to Munich is always a good idea. But coming for Oktoberfest and Bits & Pretzels makes it the best trip of your year.

Why do 600+ enterprise Executives join a startup conference?

The CIO AI Summit is part of Bits & Pretzels. And while most executives come for a dedicated program - connecting with awesome startups is what makes them return year over year. If you are looking for enterprise partners or clients - this is your hunting ground.

Want to know who they are? Here is an excerpt of the 2025 attendee list:
adidas, CIO
AIRBUS, SVP Digital
Allianz, Head of Group Data & AI
Amazon, Country ManagerAMD, Global AI Lead (AUP
AMD, Global AI Lead (AUP)
ams OSRAM, Head of Data & AI
Andreas Schmid Logistik, CDO
AOK Bayern, CIO & CDO
AUDI, CIO
Augustiner-Bräu, IT-Manager
Augustinum Gruppe, Managing Director/COO
BARMER, CIO
Bauerfeind, CIO
Bilfinger, CIDO
BMW Bank, COO
Brainlab, Director Digital & IT
CANCOM, Director AI
Carl Zeiss Meditec, Head of AI
Cisco Systems, VP Germany
Condé Nast, Executive Director, Global Business Relationship Management
Conrad Electronic, CEO
Continental, Head of Artificial Intelligence
DB Fernverkehr, Lead IT Sales Plattform
DB Vertrieb, CIO
Dell Technologies, CTO, AI Solutions
die Bayerische, Executive Board
EDEKA, CEO
EGYM, CTO
ETERNA, Head of IT
Faber-Castell, CFO
Fujitsu, Head of IT
Garmin, Managing Director
Giesecke+Devrient, Group CTO
Goethe-Institut, Head of ITH
Hugendubel, Managing Partner
H&F Solutions, CTO, CCO
Haniel, Group CISO
Heidelberg Materials, CTO
Helmholtz Zentrum München, Head of Digital Transformation & IT
Hensoldt Group, CIO
Hoenle, CFO
HÖRMANN Gruppe, Manager AI & Data Products
Horsch Holding, Management Board
Interhyp, Member of the Management Board
Keller&Kalmbach, CEO
Kneipp, Head of Information Management
Krauss Maffei, CIO
Landeshauptstadt München, CDO
LaVita, COO
Leonhard Moll Betonwerke, Group Head of IT
Main-Post, Head of AI & Development
MAINGAU Energie, CIO
Rischart, CPO
Messe München, CEO
Microsoft, Global Partner Data Science
mkk – meine krankenkasse, CDO
München Klinik, CFO
Munich Re, Chief Data and AI Officer
Netlight, Partner and Managing Director
NOVENTI, CIO
Otto, Chief AI Officer
Ottobock, Global CIO
Phoenix Pharma, Member of the Supervisory Board
Porsche, CIO
ProSiebenSat1 | Joyn, CTO
R+V Versicherung, Executive Board Member Operations/IT
Randstad Digital Germany, Managing Director
RHÖN-KLINIKUM, Head of IT/EDP
ROMA, Management Digitalization Division
RTL2 Fernsehen, Chief Strategy & Data Officer
Salesforce, CIO G2M Industry
Sana Kliniken, Member of the board of directors
SCHLENK, Global Director Organization and IT
Schunk, CTO
Siemens, CIO
Siemens Healthineers, VP for EU AI Act
Siltronic, CIO
Sky Germany, CTO
Sport1 Medien, Co-CEO
STADA Group, CIO
STAEDTLER, CEO/CFO
Süddeutscher Verlag, CIO
Telefónica Germany, CTO
Thomann, CDO
Triumph, CIO
Tüv Süd, Chief Digital and Process Officer
Verlag C.H. Beck, Head of Corporate/M&A
Vinzenzmurr, CIO
Volkswagen OTLG, Head of Information Systems
Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe, Vice President & Managing Director
Wacker Chemie, CIO
Wanzl, CTO
Webasto, Group CIO
Westwing, CTO
Willy Bogner, Managing Director/Group CFO
YORMA'S, Executive Board
adidas, CIO
AIRBUS, SVP Digital
Allianz, Head of Group Data & AI
Amazon, Country ManagerAMD, Global AI Lead (AUP
AMD, Global AI Lead (AUP)
ams OSRAM, Head of Data & AI
Andreas Schmid Logistik, CDO
AOK Bayern, CIO & CDO
AUDI, CIO
Augustiner-Bräu, IT-Manager
Augustinum Gruppe, Managing Director/COO
BARMER, CIO
Bauerfeind, CIO
Bilfinger, CIDO
BMW Bank, COO
Brainlab, Director Digital & IT
CANCOM, Director AI
Carl Zeiss Meditec, Head of AI
Cisco Systems, VP Germany
Condé Nast, Executive Director, Global Business Relationship Management
Conrad Electronic, CEO
Continental, Head of Artificial Intelligence
DB Fernverkehr, Lead IT Sales Plattform
DB Vertrieb, CIO
Dell Technologies, CTO, AI Solutions
die Bayerische, Executive Board
EDEKA, CEO
EGYM, CTO
ETERNA, Head of IT
Faber-Castell, CFO
Fujitsu, Head of IT
Garmin, Managing Director
Giesecke+Devrient, Group CTO
Goethe-Institut, Head of ITH
Hugendubel, Managing Partner
H&F Solutions, CTO, CCO
Haniel, Group CISO
Heidelberg Materials, CTO
Helmholtz Zentrum München, Head of Digital Transformation & IT
Hensoldt Group, CIO
Hoenle, CFO
HÖRMANN Gruppe, Manager AI & Data Products
Horsch Holding, Management Board
Interhyp, Member of the Management Board
Keller&Kalmbach, CEO
Kneipp, Head of Information Management
Krauss Maffei, CIO
Landeshauptstadt München, CDO
LaVita, COO
Leonhard Moll Betonwerke, Group Head of IT
Main-Post, Head of AI & Development
MAINGAU Energie, CIO
Rischart, CPO
Messe München, CEO
Microsoft, Global Partner Data Science
mkk – meine krankenkasse, CDO
München Klinik, CFO
Munich Re, Chief Data and AI Officer
Netlight, Partner and Managing Director
NOVENTI, CIO
Otto, Chief AI Officer
Ottobock, Global CIO
Phoenix Pharma, Member of the Supervisory Board
Porsche, CIO
ProSiebenSat1 | Joyn, CTO
R+V Versicherung, Executive Board Member Operations/IT
Randstad Digital Germany, Managing Director
RHÖN-KLINIKUM, Head of IT/EDP
ROMA, Management Digitalization Division
RTL2 Fernsehen, Chief Strategy & Data Officer
Salesforce, CIO G2M Industry
Sana Kliniken, Member of the board of directors
SCHLENK, Global Director Organization and IT
Schunk, CTO
Siemens, CIO
Siemens Healthineers, VP for EU AI Act
Siltronic, CIO
Sky Germany, CTO
Sport1 Medien, Co-CEO
STADA Group, CIO
STAEDTLER, CEO/CFO
Süddeutscher Verlag, CIO
Telefónica Germany, CTO
Thomann, CDO
Triumph, CIO
Tüv Süd, Chief Digital and Process Officer
Verlag C.H. Beck, Head of Corporate/M&A
Vinzenzmurr, CIO
Volkswagen OTLG, Head of Information Systems
Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe, Vice President & Managing Director
Wacker Chemie, CIO
Wanzl, CTO
Webasto, Group CIO
Westwing, CTO
Willy Bogner, Managing Director/Group CFO
YORMA'S, Executive Board

Whats new in 2026

2025
Bits & Pretzels unites its most international community yet under the Connecting Europe theme to help build a competitive, strong, and vibrant European ecosystem.
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.
2025
Bits & Pretzels unites its most international community yet under the Connecting Europe theme to help build a competitive, strong, and vibrant European ecosystem.
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.

You don't just buy a ticket.
you invest in your .

Get me my Ticket!

Tickets are limited to 7,500. Yes really.

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