Bits & Pretzels: The Founders Festival in Munich

Bits & Pretzels is a 3-day event for founders, startup enthusiasts, investors and business incubators. The festival will take place from September 24 – 26, 2017 in Munich. The best-known entrepreneurs from around the world as well as young aspiring entrepreneurs will meet at the event for vision, learning and networking.

The history of Bits & Pretzels started in September 2014: At that time Andreas Bruckschlögl and Dr. Bernd Storm van’s Gravesande initiated it as a cozy Bavarian founders breakfast, with the goal to give the Munich startup ecosystem a platform to network, which later became the largest founders breakfast in the world and already took place at the “Löwenbräukeller“ in Munich twice. In September 2015, the two founders, together with chairman Felix Haas, established a totally new event concept: Bits & Pretzels became an annual 3-day founders festival loaded with keynote speakers, discussions and an epic finale at the Oktoberfest on the last day of the event. In 2016, the festival gained international attention with high-class speakers like the Virgin founder and self- made millionaire Richard Branson, as well as the actor and startup investor Kevin Spacey.

Day 1&2: Keynotes, Workshops, Startup Pitch & Academy

Bits & Pretzels will start off with two days of inspiring speakers and presentations from successful and influential founders from the digital world. Exiting workshops and panel discussions complete the program. Especially startups will be offered a well-balanced program through the Bits & Pretzels “startup academy” with specific lectures for founders in the initial stage. In addition, hundreds of startups compete on the startup pitch stage on the first day of the event. The winner will be chosen on the main stage during the big pitch final at the end of the second day. Later stage startups looking for Series A or B Capital, can also pitch on an extra stage in front of investors. Startups can furthermore present their ideas at an own stand at the startup exhibition. To facilitate the exchange between the participants, various networking formats are offered, e.g. a networking tool to schedule appointments prior to the event.

Day 3: Networking at the Oktoberfest

This year again the third day of Bits & Pretzels 2017 will take place at the Oktoberfest using the well-tried networking concept: attendees can choose in advance per “first-come-first-serve” principle the “Table Captain” they want to sit with. The Table Captains are renowned people from the startup ecosystem, who will share their experience, ideas and advice with the attendees. Thus, the well-tried networking concept will facilitate bringing the participants together.

Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs is the patron

The Bavarian State Minister for Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology and Deputy Prime Minister Ilse Aigner is acting as the patron and supporter of the event – again in 2017.

High-class national and international speakers

Last year’s line-up already promised an explosion of know-how and advice from well-known and successful entrepreneurs from around the world. Bits & Pretzels 2017 will build on this achievement and will bring together the most famous speakers in Munich.