Bavaria's female founders impress at the Women Start-up Award 2025

The winners of the Women Start-up Award 2025 were honored at the Munich Urban Colab on Thursday evening. Five teams from across Bavaria came out on top in the technology, AI and sustainability categories - and impressively demonstrated that female founders are playing a decisive role in shaping the future of tech and deep tech.

More visibility for female founders in tech

The Women Start-up Award was launched by UnternehmerTUM, Europe's leading center for innovation and start-ups, together with the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy and other partners such as Gründerland Bayern, Vinci Energies and AI Nation.

Our aim is to give female founders a stage and provide them with the tools for sustainable success.

Susanne Traugott, Program Lead Women Start-up at UnternehmerTUM

The prize is intended to specifically promote female founders in the tech sector, give them access to networks and coaching and make role models visible.

The proportion of women among startup founders is still only around 19 percent, and even lower in the tech sector. The award aims to close this gap and encourage more women to take the plunge into self-employment.

The winners 2025

1st place Jade Robinson with Linq Photonics Linq Photonics is setting new standards with photonic light modulators that triple the computing power in quantum computing. Robinson's technology is scalable, space-saving and a symbol of female pioneering work in DeepTech.

2nd place Naomi Jaguttis with Nuno Labs The start-up uses AI to convert sky data into precise solar forecasts, thus creating a basis for a more efficient energy supply.

3rd place Amelie Skopp & Matea Marosevic with Verdira Biotech Their biohybrid filter platform can biodegrade air pollutants. A step towards clean air and sustainable production.

Special AI prize; Sophia Vögler with ampway (formerly anycharge) Vögler develops intelligent software for grid-relieving charging of e-cars and thus makes a contribution to efficient e-mobility.

Special Sustainability Award: Esther Heyse with ReWorth With circular aerated concrete blocks made from construction waste, Heyse focuses on resource conservation and the circular economy in the construction industry.

A strong signal for Bavaria's innovation landscape

Over the summer, the nominated founders received individual mentoring, pitch training and access to industry events. The Pitch Night at Munich Urban Colab was the highlight of the program.

Bavaria also needs more female founders to develop future technologies and create new jobs. The Women Start-up Award shows the potential that lies dormant here.

Dr. Manfred Wolter, Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs

The prize is to be awarded annually in future. Participants will remain part of the UnternehmerTUM network in the long term - a decisive step towards sustainably strengthening women in the tech sector. Supporters include ai Munich, Bayern Kapital, DLD, encourageventures, HTGF, IHK Munich, UVC Partners and many other players in the Bavarian startup ecosystem.