Expanding to Aerospace / Defense

Munich, 11 February 2026

The renaming to Aerospace / Defense Lab marks a strategic expansion that has been implemented progressively over recent years.

In response to the evolving geopolitical landscape and the growing relevance of dual-use and defense applications, the lab has systematically strengthened its focus on security- and defense-related technologies.
 

Key Milestone: HENSOLDT Partnership

A key milestone in this development was the strategic partnership with HENSOLDT, concluded in March 2025, which created the structural foundation for expanding activities in this field. Building on this, a dedicated Defense & Security stream was established within the former Aerospace Lab, enabling targeted support for startups whose technologies intersect with security or defense-related challenges.

This transformation is now embedded within the broader framework of the TUM Security and Defense Alliance, launched on 9 February 2026 by the Technical University of Munich together with the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, industry partners, startups, and public-sector stakeholders. 

The Alliance serves as a strategic, interdisciplinary innovation hub for security and defense technologies, combining scientific excellence, industrial expertise, and entrepreneurial execution.

Within this structure, the Aerospace / Defense Lab acts as a central enabler for innovation and startup development in the dual-use and defense domain, contributing directly to the Alliance’s implementation. Located at the Ottobrunn-Taufkirchen campus, it provides a bridge between research, industry, and entrepreneurship across the entire TUM Venture Labs ecosystem.

Founding Partners of the Alliance

Founding partners of the TUM Security and Defense Alliance include, in addition to TUM and UniBwM: Airbus Defence and Space, Diehl Defence, Helsing Germany, HENSOLDT, IABG, Isar Aerospace, MBDA Deutschland, MTU Aero Engines, Neuraspace, Quantum Systems, Resaro Europe, Rohde & Schwarz, SAP, TYTAN Technologies, as well as TUM Venture Labs.

The Aerospace / Defense Lab supports technology-driven startups at the intersection of aerospace, defense, and dual-use technologies along the full innovation lifecycle—from early validation and pilot implementation to scaling and internationalization. It also serves as the primary point of contact for defense and security topics across all Venture Labs, ensuring that relevant founding teams can access specialized expertise, partnerships, and infrastructure.

National and International Networking

The lab is closely integrated with academic, industrial, and governmental stakeholders while simultaneously acting as a gateway to national and international innovation structures. Particular emphasis is placed on collaboration within allied frameworks, including NATO-related ecosystems, and on attracting international startups seeking to establish or expand their presence in Munich.

Ecosystem Involvement

In addition to its role within the Alliance, the Aerospace / Defense Lab is embedded in major formats of the defense and security ecosystem. These include the opening of the Bundeswehr Innovation Center in Erding, participation in initiatives surrounding the Munich Security Conference, contributions to the MSC Startup Hub, and the Munich Cyber Security Conference (MCSC). The lab also supports practice-oriented innovation formats such as SPARTA and the EDTH Defense Hackathon, and hosts an invite-only exchange focused on Ukrainian defense innovation (“From Battlefield to Breakthrough”).
 

Operational responsibility lies with Florian Dötzer (Managing Director) and Connor Rehn (Director Defense & Security). Together they oversee the lab’s strategic direction, startup enablement in the security and defense domain, and the expansion of key partnerships.