Bavarian Carousel with crowd infront talking

Bavarian business magic at oktoberfest

The final day of Bits & Pretzels takes place at the original Munich Oktoberfest - in the Schottenhamel tent, exclusively reserved for our community of founders, investors, and leaders. Thousands connect here over Bavarian spirit and entrepreneurial drive.

Date

30 sep 2026

Venue

Oktoberfest, Schottenhamel Tent

Munich, Germany

How to access?

with any valid Bits & Pretzels ticket

These are our two
Oktoberfest Formats:

You can book a seat with a Table Captain or with peers at a Tribe Hubs or join our open area - your choice!

What is a Table Captain?

Table Captains at Bits & Pretzels are founders, investors, and executives with a tech focus — handpicked from across industries to lead meaningful conversations at their tables.

Whether you’re looking to pitch an idea, get honest advice, or grow your network, this is your chance to connect directly with decision-makers who’ve been there.

WHAT IS A Tribe Hub?

Find the nine out of 7,500 people you truly belong with – your own little tribe for the day.

Tribe Hubs brings you together with people who share your mindset, stage, or obsession: people just as weird, just as obsessed, about the exact same things as you.

No hosts, no sales pitches, no rigid agendas — just 10 fellow builders geeking out over what drives them most.

2026 Tribe Hubs

01

Bootstrapped & Proud: Zero VC, Full Control

02

Solo Founders: Building the Castle Alone

03

Pre-Seed Warriors: Surviving Year One

04

Second-Time Founders: What We’re Doing Differently

05

Hardware is Hard: Physical Tech Builders

06

AI Nerds & Prompt Geeks: Tools We Use Daily

07

Product-Led Growth: Obsessed with User Retention

08

HealthTech Founders: Engineering the Future of Life

09

First-Check Angels: Backing Bold Ideas Early

10

Fail Fast: Honest Lessons & Big Pivots

11

Emerging VC Managers: Raising & Deploying Fund I

12

Founder-Led Sales: Knowing When to Step Back

13

Scaleup Leaders: Navigating 20 to 100 Employees

14

International Founders: Conquering the German Market

15

Climate Tech Builders: Tech for Positive Impact

16

Remote vs. Office: Building High-Trust Culture

17

Female Founders & Allies: Scaling Without Boundaries

18

AI-Native Founders: Building What Wasn’t Possible Before

19

Hiring Leaders: Sharing stories about hiring

20

What I’d Never Do Again: Hard-Won Founder Lessons

21

Parent-Founders: Balancing Extreme Growth with Family Life

22

Student Founders: Starting Companies Between Lectures

23

Longevity Geeks: Engineering the Next Century of Life


can be worth a million dollars.

As a founder, your rarest asset is time. Every wrong turn and every wasted resource shrinks your runway. That is the thought behind the Table Captain meetings.

We handpick industry leaders and bring them directly to the Oktoberfest tent to help you succeed. Here is who you meet:

Experienced Founders: We select entrepreneurs who have already been where you want to go. Ask them what they did wrong so you don’t have to make the same costly mistakes. Learn from them, save time, and grow faster.

Active Investors: We invite investors who are actively looking to back early-stage teams. Skip the gatekeepers, sit at the same table, and make them remember you.

Corporate Decision-Makers: We bring senior executives who want to do business with startups. A single conversation can land you a vital pilot project, a massive client, or a strategic partner that validates your business to the entire market.

Do not leave your next breakthrough to chance. Secure your ticket, prepare your questions, and get ready to claim the one conversation that could change your entire trajectory.

Our seating areas in an overview

Whether you have booked a slot with a Table Captain or a seat at a Tribe Hub, we will help you find your way.
Just want to join spontaneously? You can come by without a booking and find a table in the Open Seating area.
Everything in one place, in the Schottenhamel tent at the original Oktoberfest.

Be part of liquid networking

Secure your spot at the heart of the Oktoberfest celebration within the Bits & Pretzels Festival. Here's how you can book your table in just three simple steps:

Buy & Personalize your ticket

You will be asked to personalize the info on your ticket, e.g. names.

Book a
table

we will let you know via E-Mail when your booking slot opens.*

Join the
Festival

Enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime networking opportunity.

*Booking opens shortly before the event.

The best of Last year

Experience the magic of doing business at the Oktoberfest

with your Bits & Pretzels ticket you get:
Full 3-day access to the Bits & Pretzels Festival
Exclusive Oktoberfest tent reserved for our community
Two networking rounds with curated Table Captains & Tribe Hubs
Oktoberfest vibe with beer, food & live music included

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

When and how can I choose my Table Captain?

The Table Captain selection takes place shortly before the event, rolled out in six waves (“badges”) between 15:00 and 16:00 CEST.

All ticket holders will receive an email with detailed instructions on how to select their Table Captain. You can also log in directly with your ticket code via: tc.bitsandpretzels.com.

When do the Bits & Pretzels Table Captain sessions happen?

On the third and last day of the event, 30 September from 10:00 to 12.30 (end of official program).

In which tent is Bits & Pretzels?

In the Festhalle Schottenhamel.

How are seats assigned if I don’t join a Table Captain session?

If you don’t choose a Table Captain, you still have great options:

  • Tribe Hubs – These bring together attendees with shared interests around specific themes, without a host. A perfect way to meet like-minded people and dive straight into conversations.
  • Open Seating Areas – Several areas are available for general networking. You can book a spot here if you prefer a more flexible way to connect with fellow attendees.

Both options are designed to help you meet new people and build valuable connections.

When should I arrive at Oktoberfest?

Access to Oktoberfest is possible from 10:00. We advise you to come early as you have to walk for another 5-10 minutes to arrive at the Festhalle Schottenhamel.

How to get to Oktoberfest?

Don’t come by car! Just don’t.

The easiest way is to take the U-Bahn (subway):

  • U4 or U5 → Exit at Theresienwiese station (directly at Oktoberfest).
  • U3 or U6 → Exit at Goetheplatz or Poccistraße (about 5–10 minutes on foot).
  • S-Bahn (all lines) → Exit at Hackerbrücke station, then follow the crowds for a 10–15 minute walk.

During Oktoberfest, trains run at very short intervals and extra services are added. It’s best to avoid the Theresienwiese stop during peak times (late afternoons and evenings) and instead use Goetheplatz, Poccistraße, or Hackerbrücke.

Tip: A day ticket (Tageskarte) is often cheaper if you’re traveling with others or planning multiple rides.

Taking a taxi

Any driver will know where it is ;)

Can I bring luggage to the Oktoberfest?

We strongly advise you not to! At the venue bags up to a volume of 3 liters are allowed. Bigger luggage can be stored at the cloakroom service outside of Theresienwiese for a fee. Please note that this service is provided by the organizers of the Oktoberfest and not by Bits & Pretzels.

Food and beverages at the Oktoberfest

Food and beverages at the Oktoberfest have to be paid for by yourself. We strongly encourage you to bring cash as credit card payment is often limited and complicated. Welcome to Germany.

Is an additional reservation or ticket required for the Oktoberfest?

No, it is not. Every attendee can come to the tent. Nevertheless, if you want to join the table of a Table Captain you have to book your spot via the Table Captain Platform.