The Bits & Pretzels festival in Munich hosted 7,500 participants from September 28 to 30, 2026. While the main stage agenda focused on artificial intelligence, founders highlighted operational challenges such as regulatory compliance, supply chain issues with China, and difficulties in securing growth capital.
Maple Aviation, a developer of electric cargo drones, plans to start initial flights with LMU Klinikum in December 2026 and aims for a Series A round in the second half of 2027. Meanwhile, edtech startup Polingo manages regulatory requirements for its AI-powered device for children by processing data locally via Bluetooth.
Data from the German Startup Monitor 2026, which surveyed 1,803 founders, indicates that sentiment favoring Germany over the US fell to 31% from 40%. Capital deployment in Germany reached €8 billion through September 2026, exceeding the €7.5 billion recorded in 2025, though transaction volumes remain 25% below 2021 levels.
The European venture landscape faces a funding gap, as domestic backers participate in only 54% of rounds exceeding $15 million, compared to 80% in the US. Additionally, the Female Founders Monitor 2025 reports that women account for 19% of German startup founders, while all-male teams receive 91% of total venture capital.
