Security policy can no longer be conceived without technological innovation. Startups and scaleups play a central role in this context.
Munich, February 11, 2026. With the MSC Startup Hub, the Munich Security Conference (MSC), UnternehmerTUM, and the TUM Venture Labs — supported by the Munich Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) for Munich and Upper Bavaria — are launching a new international platform at the intersection of security policy, technology, and entrepreneurship. For the first time, the Hub brings together global security policy decision-makers directly with the European startup and scaleup ecosystem. It creates space for an open dialogue on how technological innovation can contribute to strengthening security, resilience, and strategic capacity to act.
Security policy can no longer be conceived without technological innovation. Startups and scaleups play a central role in this context, as they develop new solutions and technologies that are increasingly relevant to security-related challenges. UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s largest center for innovation and entrepreneurship, combines technological innovation with social responsibility. The TUM Venture Labs serve as a central engine, covering all socially relevant future fields, including artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum technology, aerospace, biotechnology, energy, and the circular economy.
Within this ecosystem, crucial solutions are emerging — from competitiveness and resilience to security and technological sovereignty in Europe. Integrating this innovative strength into the Munich Security Conference underscores the growing importance of entrepreneurial technological development for security policy debates.
The 62nd Munich Security Conference (MSC) will take place from February 13 to 15, 2026, at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. As the leading forum for international security policy, MSC 2026 will once again enable high-level discussions on the decisive global challenges of our time. Under the leadership of MSC Chairman Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, hundreds of decision-makers from around the world will discuss security policy challenges.
In diesem Ökosystem entstehen Lösungen für zentrale Zukunftsfragen – von Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Resilienz bis hin zu Sicherheit und technologischer Souveränität in Europa. Die Einbindung dieser Innovationskraft in die Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz unterstreicht die wachsende Bedeutung unternehmerischer Technologieentwicklung für sicherheitspolitische Debatten.
Die 62. Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz (MSC) findet vom 13. bis 15. Februar 2026 im Hotel Bayerischer Hof in München statt. Als führendes Forum für internationale Sicherheitspolitik wird die MSC 2026 erneut hochrangige Diskussionen über die entscheidenden globalen Herausforderungen unserer Zeit ermöglichen. Unter der Leitung vom MSC-Vorsitzenden Botschafter Wolfgang Ischinger werden Hunderte Entscheidungsträger aus verschiedenen Regionen der Welt sicherheitspolitische Herausforderungen diskutieren.
Munich as a leading hub for Security Tech
Munich is home to one of the strongest and most mature deep-tech ecosystems, developed over many years. Thanks to the intersection of innovation, politics, research, and industry, Munich offers ideal conditions for international players in the security tech sector. The network of established industrial companies, leading research institutions, public-sector actors, and internationally successful startups and scaleups makes the location truly unique on a global scale.
Benedikt Franke, Vice-Chairman & CEO of the Munich Security Conference, says: “Diplomacy and entrepreneurship have more in common than one might think at first glance. Both strengthen global stability and prosperity—and both thrive on excellent minds and strong networks. At a time when the global security environment is changing and technological innovation is advancing rapidly, these two worlds are increasingly converging. Against this backdrop, we have joined forces with UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s leading center for innovation and entrepreneurship, to create a special platform on the margins of the Munich Security Conference 2026: a place where political decision-makers and technological innovators can engage in dialogue. We are convinced that this new Hub will ideally complement our existing formats and help to significantly advance key debates on issues such as resilience, economic security, and defense technologies.”
MSC Startup Hub: Focus on Dialogue
At the MSC Startup Hub, global security policy decision-makers meet directly with founders, investors, and industry representatives from the European deep-tech ecosystem. The goal is an open exchange about needs, opportunities, and limitations of new technologies—and about how innovation can be effectively translated into security policy strategies. With the MSC Startup Hub, the participating organizations send a clear signal: effective security policy solutions emerge where technological excellence, entrepreneurial courage, and international dialogue come together.
“With the MSC Startup Hub, we are bringing founders, investors, and industry together to tackle critical challenges. By translating Europe’s strengths in deep tech into scalable solutions, we strengthen resilience, prosperity, and freedom,” says Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger, CEO and Co-Founder of UnternehmerTUM. “As TUM Venture Labs, our startups form Europe’s innovation engine for all deep-tech topics, including AI, cyber, autonomous systems, quantum, microelectronics, space, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Within the framework of the Munich Defense Tech Hub, we are also increasingly cooperating more closely with the armed forces and police in these areas,” adds Dr. Philipp Gerbert, CEO and Founder of TUM Venture Labs.
The MSC Startup Hub will take place on February 14 starting at 8:00 a.m. at the premises of the Munich Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) for Munich and Upper Bavaria. Further information is available at:
https://www.unternehmertum.de/en/landingpages/msc-startup-hub
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UnternehmerTUM – Europe’s Leading Center for Innovation and Business Creation
UnternehmerTUM – Europe’s Leading Center for Innovation and Business Creation UnternehmerTUM is a unique platform for the development of innovations. UnternehmerTUM actively identifies innovative technologies and initiates new business through the systematic networking of talents, technologies, capital and customers. UnternehmerTUM offers founders and startups a complete service from the initial idea to IPO. A team of over 500 experienced entrepreneurs, including scientists and investors, supports start-ups with business creation, market entry and financing – also with venture capital. For established companies, a team of experienced consultants offers access to the UnternehmerTUM ecosystem. UnternehmerTUM has many years of expertise in the development of innovation strategies and the implementation of technology-driven business ideas. Founded in 2002 by the entrepreneur Susanne Klatten, the non-profit oriented UnternehmerTUM GmbH is the leading center for innovation and business creation in Europe with more than 100 high-growth technology startups every year - including Celonis, Konux and Isar Aerospace.