Shaping the Future of Healthcare: 
The 3rd Bavarian Entrepreneurship Round Table Strengthens Cross-Border Innovation

Key stakeholders from government, major industry, international academic institutions, and the venture ecosystem gathered in Munich to address the most pressing questions facing health-tech pioneers: How can startups successfully navigate transatlantic market entries? How can healthcare data be leveraged responsibly? And how can collaborative models bridge the gap between universities and clinical environments? The focus extended beyond theoretical strategies to encompass practical experiences, regulatory challenges, and actionable growth strategies within highly dynamic healthcare markets.  

Strategic Impulses from Leadership, Industry, and Transatlantic Research 

The event kicked off with a welcome address by Judith Gerlach, MdL, the Bavarian State Minister for Health, Care, and Prevention, emphasizing the state's strategic commitment to fostering healthcare innovation. In her address, Minister Gerlach highlighted the transformative role of new technologies:

"Innovations through digital technologies or Artificial Intelligence can make an important contribution to improving and relieving the burden on our healthcare system. To achieve this, we need courageous founders, strong partners, and a network that paves the way for innovations to enter practical application. This is precisely what our Round Table Start-ups stands for."

The session was masterfully moderated throughout the day by Dr. Kurt Höller (Senior Director Digital Affairs, Siemens AG). A primary focus was set on international educational synergy. Dr. Paul Schmiedmayer (Stanford University / Stanford BioDesign) provided an insightful impulse on the "Healthcare Innovation Program" master’s course, highlighting how academic excellence translates into impactful ventures. This theme was expanded in the high-caliber panel discussion, “Bavaria Meets USA – Opportunities in the Transatlantic Startup Ecosystem,” featuring Regina Hodits (Angelini Ventures), Dr. med. Stefan Kraemer (MedTech Entrepreneur), and Dr. Paul Schmiedmayer. The panelists agreed that strategic, early-stage orientation toward global markets and cross-border knowledge exchange are vital components for modern health-tech success.  

Technology alone is not enough—the true catalyst for innovation is a connected, functional ecosystem that actively supports talent and normalizes the transfer of knowledge from the lecture hall directly into cross-border markets.

A core highlight of the event featured the next generation of entrepreneurial talent showcasing highly advanced medical, robotic, and digital solutions:  

• Muniqo Performante (Presented by Luca Fabiano) 
• LifeSpin (Presented by Dr. Sonja Wiedemann) 
• ImuVeo (Presented by Lisa Russelli) 
• Elvio Robotics (Presented by Johannes Drexler)  

These startups impressively illustrated the vast innovation potential embedded within young enterprises and highlighted the continuous need for structured pathways connecting them to industry experts and funding sources.  

The afternoon shifted into highly collaborative, interactive round tables. Participants engaged in deep-dive discussions across five dedicated tracks, establishing concrete touchpoints for future partnerships:  

• US Market Entry for Bavarian Health Startups – When, How, Why? (Moderated by Dr. Kurt Höller, Siemens AG)
• Healthcare Data in Bavaria – Opportunities via the Bavarian Health Cloud (Moderated by Carla Schlüter, Bavarian Health Cloud)
• Startups and Hospitals – How Collaboration Truly Succeeds (Moderated by Sarah Kohl, TUM Klinikum)
• Investment Climate for Health Startups in Bavaria and Germany – Current Standing (Moderated by Christina Niedermeyer, Plug And Play)
• Regulatory Affairs as a Competitive Advantage – Or Primarily a Burden? (Moderated by Nicolai Heinzelmann, TUM Venture Lab Healthcare)

The closing remarks and future outlook were delivered by Dr. Philipp Gerbert, CEO of TUM Venture Labs, who summarized the strategic importance of the roundtable format in building a resilient, innovative, and internationally competitive health-tech ecosystem in Bavaria. He emphasized:

"Close cooperation with the world's leading research and technology centers is a core strategy of TUM Venture Labs, allowing our founders to learn from the best, compete with them, and cooperate with them. The close collaboration with Stanford University in the Healthcare Innovation Program is a central building block here, complementary to Biolabs."

Special Thanks to All Participants 

We extend our sincere gratitude to: 

• Our distinguished political guest, State Minister Judith Gerlach 
• Our moderator, Dr. Kurt Höller 
• Our keynote speakers, panel guests, and session moderators 
• The pitching startups: Muniqo Performante, LifeSpin, ImuVeo, and Elvio Robotics 
• The co-organizers, network partners, and teams at TUM Venture Labs working behind the scenes 
• All attendees for their energy, open dialogue, and commitment to shaping healthcare. 

The connections made and strategies discussed form a robust foundation for future innovation. We look forward to continuing these valuable conversations and welcoming you back to the next edition of the Bavarian Entrepreneurship Round Table!