Bits & Pretzels: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
“Bits & Pretzels hosts 7,500 founders, investors, and industry leaders for three days full of learning, networking, and doing business during Munich Oktoberfest.” (organiser’s 2026 description; 7,500 is not a post-event actual count)
- Next edition
- Sep 27–29, 2027 · Bits & Pretzels 2027 source
- Where
- ICM – International Congress Center Messe München (conference days); Festhalle Schottenhamel at Oktoberfest (final day, 2026)., Munich, Germany source
- Format
- in-person · 3 days (2026)
- Tickets
- €138.00–€11,700.00 incl. VAT (2027; lowest listed Student price to highest listed VIP price across published price points). source
- Startup pass
- €270.00 incl. VAT is the lowest listed Startup ticket price; higher listed Startup prices reach €720.00 incl. VAT (2027). source
- Golden Pretzel Award (2026); Pitch Corner walk-up pitches (2026)
- Golden Pretzel Award and the title “Startup to Watch of Bits & Pretzels 2026”; no cash prize is stated. source
- Cadence
- Annual in Munich during Oktoberfest, typically in late September; the organiser’s history says it returned in 2022 after a two-year break.
GeneralistAIDefenseHardwareHealth & biotechClimatePre-seedSeries AGrowthFoundersInvestorsCorporatesResearchersPolicy & government
Next edition
| Dates | Sep 27–29, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | Bits & Pretzels 2027 |
| Venue | Trade Fair Grounds and Oktoberfest, Munich, Munich, Germany source |
| Timezone | Europe/Berlin |
| Tickets | bitsandpretzels.com source |
Ticket tiers as published
| Tier | Price | Includes | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student source | €138.00 (2027), €169.00 (2027), €205.00 (2027), €270.00 (2027) and €370.00 (2027), incl. VAT. | Three-day all-access pass, Meeting Tool access, access to founders, food and drinks on conference days, official afterparty and Oktoberfest experience with Table Captain meetings (2027). | 2027 |
| Startup source | €270.00 (2027), €330.00 (2027), €395.00 (2027), €520.00 (2027) and €720.00 (2027), incl. VAT. | Three-day all-access pass, Meeting Tool, pitch opportunities, 70+ human matchmakers (2027), access to investors and industry decision-makers, food and drinks on conference days, official afterparty and Oktoberfest experience with Table Captain meetings (2027). | 2027 |
| Ecosystem source | €670.00 (2027), €820.00 (2027), €995.00 (2027), €995.00 (2027) and €1,800.00 (2027), incl. VAT. | Three-day all-access pass, Meeting Tool, 70+ human matchmakers (2027), access to exhibiting startups, food and drinks on conference days, official afterparty and Oktoberfest experience with Table Captain meetings (2027). | 2027 |
| Investor source | €938.00 (2027), €1,150.00 (2027), €1,395.00 (2027), €1,820.00 (2027) and €2,520.00 (2027), incl. VAT. | Three-day all-access pass, Investors Lounge and LP roundtables, startup database, Investor Stage, Investor-LP events, food and drinks on conference days and Oktoberfest with Table Captain meetings (2027). | 2027 |
| VIP source | €4,370.00 (2027), €5,330.00 (2027), €6,500.00 (2027), €6,500.00 (2027) and €11,700.00 (2027), incl. VAT. | Three-day all-access pass, Meeting Tool, Speakers and Investor Lounge, startup database, food and drinks on conference days, exclusive Speaker Dinner and Oktoberfest with Table Captain meetings (2027). | 2027 |
How founders get in
The 2026 edition paired two conference days of networking, masterclasses and curated speakers with an Oktoberfest networking day in the Schottenhamel tent. The organiser described a platform for arranging meetings before the event, plus Table Captain, Tribe Hub and open-seating options. The next announced edition is in Munich, 2027-09-27 to 2027-09-29.
- For the next announced edition, buy a Startup-category ticket through the organiser’s checkout. The listed Startup prices range from €270.00 to €720.00 incl. VAT (2027). The main listing gives one set of eligibility criteria, while a separate checkout quick-check gives a narrower one; check the criteria shown for your ticket before buying.
- Buy and personalize a separate ticket for each person attending; one ticket does not cover the whole team.
- Use the Bits & Pretzels app or web platform to find attendees, message them and arrange 1:1 meetings before the event (2026). Founders could also ask the matchmakers for help and join roundtables or speed dating (2026).
- For a booth, apply rather than simply booking one. The 2026 organiser instructions were to check eligibility, choose a package and apply; the team manually reviewed applications, and approved startups could then book a package. The 2027 checkout links to an exhibition waitlist.
- At the 2026 Pitch Corner, founders could register on site for an industry session and give a 90-second pitch without slides, followed by expert feedback; places were limited and first come, first served.
- For the 2026 Oktoberfest day, ticket holders could book a Table Captain seat, join a themed Tribe Hub or use open seating. Table Captain booking opened shortly before the festival, with instructions sent to ticket holders.
| Startup programme | Buy the Startup ticket through the official checkout for the next announced edition (2027). General attendance is ticket purchase, not an application; exhibiting is a separate application process. source |
|---|---|
| Startup price | €270.00 incl. VAT is the lowest listed Startup ticket price; higher listed Startup prices reach €720.00 incl. VAT (2027). source |
| Includes | Three-day all-access pass, Meeting Tool, pitch opportunities, human matchmakers, access to investors and industry decision-makers, food and drinks on conference days, official afterparty, and Oktoberfest experience with Table Captain meetings (2027). |
| Eligibility | The main 2027 Startup ticket listing says founded between 2017 and 2027, scalable business model, 1–250 employees, and not a consultancy, freelancer or agency. A separate checkout quick-check says founded in 2016 or later with fewer than 11 employees; these criteria differ on the organiser’s page. |
| Founder discounts | Startup is a reduced-price ticket category. For 2026, the organiser listed a €399 Happy Bird Startup ticket against a €499 regular price (both excl. VAT). For 2027, published Startup-category prices range from €270.00 to €720.00 incl. VAT; no separate founder promo code or discount percentage is stated. |
| Students | A Student ticket is listed for 2027 at €138.00–€370.00 incl. VAT across the published price points. Eligibility is a valid student ID or being under 18; the ticket includes three-day access and the stated networking, food and Oktoberfest benefits. |
| Investor pass | Purchase the Investor ticket through the organiser’s checkout; listed benefits include the Investor Stage, Investors Lounge and LP roundtables (2027). source |
| Investor eligibility | Founder or employee of a VC, private-equity firm, accelerator or incubator, or a Business Angel (2027). |
| Press | The organiser offers a limited number of media passes through an accreditation form. It prioritizes editorial journalists and outlets with significant reach and a track record covering startups, technology or venture capital; freelancers and other individual contributors are screened more closely. Communications/PR and non-editorial media-company staff are directed to the Ecosystem Pass. |
| Application required | No, tickets are purchased |
Golden Pretzel Award (2026); Pitch Corner walk-up pitches (2026)
| Prize | Golden Pretzel Award and the title “Startup to Watch of Bits & Pretzels 2026”; no cash prize is stated. source |
|---|---|
| Format | The Golden Pretzel Award (2026) was investor-nominated: first-check investors put forward a portfolio startup and appeared on stage with its founders. Separately, the Pitch Corner was a walk-up stage with on-site registration, a 90-second pitch without slides and live expert feedback (2026). |
| Eligibility | The Golden Pretzel Award page says it was not an open application: 11 first-check investors each put forward a selected portfolio startup (2026). The separate Pitch Corner was open to early-stage startups with a scalable business model; founders registered on site, with limited places allocated first come, first served (2026). |
Past winners
- Molecular Works — Golden Pretzel Award winner (2026).
Judges
Meeting investors there
| Investors attending | 1,700+ investors (2026; organiser-published audience profile) source |
|---|---|
| Matchmaking | Bits & Pretzels app and online/web platform; the organiser also calls it the Meeting Tool. source |
| Formats | Meeting Tool / online platform for attendee discovery, direct messaging and scheduled 1:1 meetings (2026). · 70+ human matchmakers and an on-site Matchmaking Area (2026). · Roundtables and speed dating, including First Investment Speed Dating (2026). · Oktoberfest Table Captain meetings: choose a founder, investor or executive’s table before the event; the 2026 format included two networking rounds. · Reverse Pitch: Angels on Stage, where angels pitched and founders could follow up in person (2026). · Pitch Corner: walk-up, 90-second startup pitches with live expert feedback (2026). |
| Meetings arranged | 21,000+ founder-investor meetings (2026; organiser-published programme figure, not a separately published post-event total) source |
Investor firms the organiser lists (2026 completed (2026-09-28–2026-09-30); next announced edition: 2027 (2027-09-27–2027-09-29).)
AccelAndreessen HorowitzKleiner PerkinsSequoia CapitalVintage IPGeneral CatalystLakestarBalderton CapitalNew Enterprise Associates (NEA)ICONIQEarlybirdEuropean Investment FundKKRBlue OwlMEAGAIGVisionaries ClubTemasekEQT GrowthStepStone GroupTop Tier Capital PartnersKfW CapitalBlueYardTeachers' Venture Growth, OTPPequationPhoenix Court GroupMaschmeyer GroupProject AFelix CapitalLightspeed Ventures PartnersLeft Lane CapitalCherry VenturesDawn CapitalD310xFoundersJoachim Herz StiftungBee HoldingNVIDIAQED InvestorsMolten VenturesAllocator OneAnimal Syndication CompanyHeadlineRRE Ventures & OriginalisEWORInitial CapitalXAngeAENUQuantonation VenturesLineage PartnersNAVEC Venture HoldingAntlerBlue Future PartnerschairpeopleLBBW AMWunderland CapitalRobin CapitalInari VenturesAGIRAX Investment GmbHMarvelousKonstellation AdvisoryUpside VenturesHV CapitalInvestor's KitchenVinthera
The full investor list is available to registered attendees; see the official investor page.
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Who speaks (2026 completed (2026-09-28–2026-09-30); next announced edition: 2027 (2027-09-27–2027-09-29).)
- Trevor Noah, Comedian; bestselling author
- Steven Bartlett, Entrepreneur & investor; podcast host of The Diary Of A CEO
- Eric Schmidt, KBE; former CEO & chairman · Google
- Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO · Uber
- Arthur Mensch, Co-Founder & CEO · Mistral
- Torsten Reil, Co-Founder & Co-CEO · Helsing
- Max Junestrand, Co-Founder & CEO · Legora
- Jan Oberhauser, Founder & CEO · n8n
- Florian Seibel, Co-Founder & CEO · Quantum-Systems
- Dr. Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, President & Managing Director · General Catalyst
- Mirko Novakovic, Founder & CEO · Dash0
- Harry Nelis, Partner · Accel
- Joko Winterscheidt, Entertainer & entrepreneur
- Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation · European Commission
- Bar Winkler, Co-founder & CEO · Wonderful
- André Schürrle, Co-Founder · DRYLL
- Daniel Metzler, CEO · Isar Aerospace
- Matthias Niessner, Co-Founder & CEO · SpAItial AI
- Gabriel Vasquez, Investment Partner · a16z
- Noah Hollmann, Co-Founder & CTO · Prior Labs
- Judith Dada, Co-CEO & Senior Partner · Langdock & Visionaries
- Klaus Hommels, Founder & Chairman · Lakestar
- Seema Amble, Partner · Andreessen Horowitz
- George Robson, Partner · Sequoia Capital
- Oprah Winfrey, Headline speaker (2027); media mogul and author
Full lineup: official speakers page.
Notable past speakers
- Michelle Obama (2023)
- Barack Obama, President (2019)
- Tarana Burke, Founder of the #MeToo movement · #MeToo movement (2018)
Sponsors and partners
Partner; sponsor tier not stated 6
Media partners: brand eins, FOMO Berlin, Business Insider Deutschland / Gründerszene, n-tv, PIABO, Tech.eu, The Recursive, VC Magazin, ZEIT für Unternehmer
Government partners: Bulgaria's SME Promotion Agency, ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, Innovation Centre Denmark, Hungarian National Innovation Agency (NIU), Slovenia Business, Startup Albania, Netherlands and You, Business Sweden (Sweden), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Gründerland Bayern, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Bavarian State Ministry for Digital Affairs
Full list: official partners page.
Startups there
250+ exhibiting startups (2026) · official startup directory
Alumni the organiser highlights
- Parloa — The organiser says exhibiting while early in its journey led to valuable partner and prospect conversations and helped build visibility. source
- Personio — The organiser says Personio exhibited three times while young and that conversations with potential clients and talent were key to its growth. source
- Avancell Medical source
- GaussML — The organiser says a booth visit led to its first major corporate pilot project and opened the door to strategic deals and funding opportunities. source
- flyvbird — The organiser says momentum built at Bits & Pretzels contributed to flyvbird being ready to scale. source
- NEXTdriver — The organiser says that one year after Bits & Pretzels, NEXTdriver was close to a potential partnership with a strong match in Germany. source
Programme
| Tracks | Inspiration Stage (2026) · Visionaries Stage (2026) · Investor Stage (2026) · Startup & Corporate Collaboration Stage (2026) · Master Classes (2026) · Defense for European Sovereignty Stage (2026) · Pitch Corner (2026) · Startup Germany Stage (2026) source |
|---|---|
| Side events | The official activity listing for 2026 included in-venue activities and Munich-wide side events. Examples included Reverse Pitch: Angels on Stage, the official afterparty, a Technical Founders Breakfast, founder networking and sports/social meetups. Some activities required registration, application or an invitation; others were open to ticket holders or the public. |
| Awards | The 2026 programme was the Golden Pretzel Award, which named a Startup to Watch. Its award page described 11 hand-picked startups put forward by 11 first-check investors. An Instagram post about the award names Molecular Works as the winner (2026). The published prize was the Golden Pretzel Award/title; no cash value was stated. No 2027 award programme is detailed on the cited pages. |
| Official app | Bits & Pretzels |
| Hashtag | #bits27 (next announced edition, 2027); #bits26 (completed edition, 2026) |
Past editions, as published
| Edition | Dates | Attendees | Investors | Startups | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 source | Sep 28–30, 2026 | 7,500-person advertised cap (2026); final post-event attendance total not found. | 1,700+ investors advertised (2026); final post-event count not found. | 250+ startups advertised for the exhibition (2026); final post-event exhibitor total not found. The organizer listed 11 Golden Pretzel Award contender startups (2026). | photos |
| 2025 source | Sep 29 – Oct 1, 2025 | 7,500 attendees advertised (2025); final post-event attendance total not found. | 1,500+ investors promoted for the 2025 edition; final post-event count not found. | Startup Exhibition and pitch contest advertised (2025); final startup count not found. | |
| 2024 source | — | — | — | Organizer published approximately €4.2 billion raised by startups post-event (2024; approximate as stated). | report |
| 2023 source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2022 source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2019 source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2018 source | — | — | — | — | |
| 2017 source | — | 5,000-attendee cap reported by the organizer (2017); actual attendance not stated. | — | — | |
| 2016 source | — | 5,000 attendees reported in the organizer's history (2016). | — | — | |
| 2015 source | — | 3,500 founders gathered at the Oktoberfest finale, according to the organizer's history (2015). | — | — | |
| 2013–2014 source | — | The organizer's history says the founders' breakfast began with 80 participants and the event grew to 1,400 attendees during the 2013–2014 origin period. | — | — |
Who attends
| Breakdown | 3,000+ founders, 1,700+ investors, and 600+ corporate decision-makers (2026 organiser-published audience profile; not a post-event audited breakdown). source |
|---|---|
| Geography | The organiser describes a global audience and called its 2025 community its most international yet; no 2026 country count or percentage was published. source |
| Roles | Founders, Investors, Corporates, Researchers, Policy & government |
| Stages | Pre-seed, Series A, Growth |
Official links and socials
Travel & apps
In the press
- Bits & Pretzels 2026: AI dominated the stage, but founders had other problems — Tech Funding News (2026)
- Bits & Pretzels 2026: What to Expect from This Year's Edition? — Tech.eu (2026)
- Bits & Pretzels 2026 Returns to Munich with "Human After All" Theme — The Recursive (2026)
- Bits & Pretzels 2025: Startup Europe meets in Munich — Munich Startup (2025)
- Bits & Pretzels Festival 2025: What to expect from this year’s edition? — Tech.eu (2025)
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to Golden Pretzel Award (2026); Pitch Corner walk-up pitches (2026).
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 7, 2026:
- apps.apple.com/de/app/bits-pretzels/id6448624066
- linkedin.com/company/bitsandpretzels
- play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.brella.bitsandpretzels
- bitsandpretzels.com
- bitsandpretzels.com/agenda
- bitsandpretzels.com/become-a-partner
- bitsandpretzels.com/checkout
- bitsandpretzels.com/checkout/startups
- bitsandpretzels.com/corporates
- bitsandpretzels.com/golden-pretzels-award
- bitsandpretzels.com/investors
- bitsandpretzels.com/lps
- bitsandpretzels.com/matchmaking
- bitsandpretzels.com/media-content-creators
- bitsandpretzels.com/media-kit
- bitsandpretzels.com/newsletter
- bitsandpretzels.com/oktoberfest
- bitsandpretzels.com/old-home
- bitsandpretzels.com/plan-your-visit
- bitsandpretzels.com/speakers
- bitsandpretzels.com/startups
- bitsandpretzels.com/ticket-shop/startup-and-scaleup-tickets
- facebook.com/bitsandpretzels
- facebook.com/bitsandpretzels/videos/a-global-legend-at-bits-pretzels-we-are-beyond-excited-to-announce-oprah-winfrey/1153057393916334
- flickr.com/photos/bitsandpretzels/albums/72177720320877328
- instagram.com/bitsandpretzels
- linkedin.com/company/bitsandpretzels
- youtube.com/@BitsPretzels
- x.com/bitsandpretzels
Bits & Pretzels: frequently asked
When is Bits & Pretzels 2027?
Bits & Pretzels 2027 runs Sep 27–29, 2027 at ICM – International Congress Center Messe München (conference days); Festhalle Schottenhamel at Oktoberfest (final day, 2026)., Munich, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does Bits & Pretzels cost?
Published ticket prices run €138.00–€11,700.00 incl. VAT (2027; lowest listed Student price to highest listed VIP price across published price points).. Startups: Buy the Startup ticket through the official checkout for the next announced edition (2027). General attendance is ticket purchase, not an application; exhibiting is a separate application process. (€270.00 incl. VAT is the lowest listed Startup ticket price; higher listed Startup prices reach €720.00 incl. VAT (2027).).
How do startups get into Bits & Pretzels?
Buy the Startup ticket through the official checkout for the next announced edition (2027). General attendance is ticket purchase, not an application; exhibiting is a separate application process. Eligibility as published: The main 2027 Startup ticket listing says founded between 2017 and 2027, scalable business model, 1–250 employees, and not a consultancy, freelancer or agency. A separate checkout quick-check says founded in 2016 or later with fewer than 11 employees; these criteria differ on the organiser’s page.
How many investors attend Bits & Pretzels?
The organiser reports 1,700+ investors (2026; organiser-published audience profile) investors.
What is Golden Pretzel Award (2026); Pitch Corner walk-up pitches (2026)?
Bits & Pretzels's pitch competition. Prize as published: Golden Pretzel Award and the title “Startup to Watch of Bits & Pretzels 2026”; no cash prize is stated.. Eligibility: The Golden Pretzel Award page says it was not an open application: 11 first-check investors each put forward a selected portfolio startup (2026). The separate Pitch Corner was open to early-stage startups with a scalable business model; founders registered on site, with limited places allocated first come, first served (2026).