What does it take to turn cutting-edge research into a successful start-up? How do innovative energy technologies make the journey from the lab to the market? And what opportunities await the next generation of entrepreneurs?
Powering the Future is a joint Start-up Day hosted by the e-conversion Cluster of Excellence and TUM Venture Labs, bringing together researchers, founders, start-ups, students, investors, and key players from Munich’s thriving innovation ecosystem.
Taking place on 16 November 2026 at the Science Congress Center in Garching, the event builds on the success of its inaugural edition in 2024. Through inspiring keynotes, founder stories, expert discussions, and a start-up pitch competition, participants will gain insights into the many facets of entrepreneurship in the energy and deep-tech sectors.
The program explores the entrepreneurial journey from different perspectives: generating ideas from research, building a founding team, securing funding, overcoming challenges, and scaling innovations for real-world impact.
Highlights include:
- A keynote by Dr. Philipp Baaske, Vice President for Entrepreneurship at LMU Munich
- Founder success stories from Qkera, SYPOX and iNSyT
- “The Best Teams or the Best Networks? Who Gets Access to Capital?” – a panel discussion exploring the gender funding gap, the role of networks in venture financing, and how the start-up ecosystem can create more equal opportunities for talented founders
- A start-up pitch competition showcasing emerging technologies and entrepreneurial talent
Whether you are considering founding a company, already building a start-up, supporting innovation, or simply curious about entrepreneurship, Powering the Future offers a unique opportunity to learn from experienced founders and investors, exchange ideas, and expand your network at the intersection of science, technology, and business.
Event details
Date: November 16, 2026
Time: Starts at 9:00 am, ends around 4:30 pm, followed by get-together
Location: Science Congress Center in Garching
Program
(Please note: The program is currently being finalized.)
09:00 Arrival & Registration with informal networking and coffee
09:30 Opening & Keynotes: Dr. Philipp Baaske (Vice President for Entrepreneurship, LMU)
10:30 Coffee Break
11:15 Panel Discussion “The Best Teams or the Best Networks? Who Gets Access to Capital?”
- Jennifer Rupp (Professor Department of Chemistry (TUM), CSO and Co-Founder of Qkera GmbH, CTO of TUMint.Energy Research GmbH)
- Katharina Owen (TUM ForTe / Diversity & Sustainability)
- Christine Schuberth-Wagner (Entrepreneur in Residence, Embedded Operator, Executive Sparring Partner, Biotech founder)
- Additional panelists to be confirmed
12:15 Lunch Break
13:15 Start-up Pitch Competition
14:15 Coffee Break
15:00 Start-up Success Stories
- Qkera
- SYPOX
- iNSyT
16:15 Start-up Competition Decision & Closing remarks
16:30 Get-together, Networking & Poster Session