From Idea to Impact

Welcome Home, Founders.

Bits & Pretzels is more than a conference. It’s the home of Europe’s startup scene – where ideas become ventures, conversations become investments, and founders find their tribe.
join the waitlist

Date

29 Sep - 01 oct 2025

within the Bits & Pretzels Venue

Venue

Trade Fair Grounds & Oktoberfest

How to access?

full access to bits & pRETZELS FESTIVAL

network like
nowhere else

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
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!

+400 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

A breeding Ground
for success

You are in excellent company. Those are just some of the many startups that have been boosted by exhibiting at #bits in their early days. Today everyone knows them. Use your chance to follow their footsteps.
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

Stand Out. Be Seen. Get Ahead.

Meet 1,500+ Investors

390BN € of assets under management
1 in 4 attendees is actively investing
21,000 founder–investor meetings in 3 days
Pack your day with meetings and have the most efficient three days of your year.

4.2BN € raised after bits24

Connections made here turn into tomorrow's uniconrs
A gathering ground for those who move markets
Where ideas grow into companies — and deals get done

Maximize your visibility

Exhibit alongside 250+ top startups
Pitch on stage in front of investors & media
Get spotted by decision-makers from global brands

Full stack of content

40+ expert-led, small-group Startup Academy sessions designed for real takeaways
Top voices in tech & startups on 3 powerful stages
300+ world-class speakers in just two days

THAT'S WHAT OUR
FOUNDERS SAY

"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
GaussML

"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: to connect the unconnected, sustainably. Now flyvbird is ready to scale thanks partially to the momentum built at Bits & Pretzels."

Tomislav Lang
flyvbird

"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. Even early investor talks were refreshingly open-minded."

Guido Sluijsmans
NEXTdriver

"Bits & Pretzels helped us connect with like-minded founders in healthcare and longevity, 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
Avancell Medical

Agenda

Join us for an insightful day of networking and discussions.
Gain exclusive insights from industry leaders and peers.
See Agenda
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 2025 and beyond.

Join our mission in helping founders shaping a better future.

JOIN Europe’S Leading founders festival

Experience 360° Networking with 1,500+ investors & industry leaders
Build valuable partnerships in just 3 days
Get inspired by a full stack of hands-on academy sessions and over 500 speakers
Join the waitlist

Attending FUNDS

600+ Top Executives

Here is a glimpse into the 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

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 all speakers 2025

How to use our online platform

Make the most of your Bits experience with these features:
Search through 7,500+ attendees and filter for startups, investors, etc.
Reach out via direct messages
Arrange and prepare meetings before and during #Bits25
Plan your visit efficiently with maps and agenda schedules
download AppDesktop Version

Event ticket is required.

How to join the event:
1. Click the Login button
2. Enter the email address to which your event ticket is personalized to
3. Create your personal password
4. Join the event

upgrade your visibility: Join the startup exhibition

Ready to put your startup on the radar of Europe’s top investors, media, and decision-makers?

At the Startup Exhibition at Bits & Pretzels, you showcase your product alongside the most promising startups in the ecosystem. It's your moment to pitch, connect, and gain real traction — all in front of the people who can fuel your next stage of growth.

From visibility to validation, this is where ambitious founders take the fast lane.

Join nowLearn more

Have a Seat with a Table Captain — and the Right People

Join one of our legendary Oktoberfest networking tables, each hosted by a Table Captain — a handpicked industry expert, thought leader, or decision-maker ready to share insights and spark real conversation.
Surrounded by inspiring minds and fueled by Bavarian hospitality, you’ll connect over bier, discuss what really matters, and walk away with more than just a handshake.


This is what meaningful networking looks like — the Bits & Pretzels way.

Get even more Attention: Pitch on our Main Stage

7,500 highly relevant attendees including 1,500+ VCs and business angels await you. This is the biggest stage for startups.

Application phase for this year has ended.

Learn more

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
AboutbenefitsJoin nowStartup exhibitionAgenda