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Startup Autobahn
STARTUP AUTOBAHN is an innovation platform that connects startups of all development stages with industry-leading corporates to pilot their technology.
Startup Autobahn
STARTUP AUTOBAHN is an innovation platform that connects startups of all development stages with industry-leading corporates to pilot their technology.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
2016
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Germany
City
Stuttgart
Corporate office
Stuttgart, Germany
Principals
Sascha Karimpour
Partner at Plug and Play Germany GmbH
Theodora Preda
Ventures Director at Plug & Play Germany GmbH
Peter Froeschle
Managing Director at ARENA2036
Alexander Brem
Endowed Chaired Professor & Institute Director at University of Stuttgart
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Is Startup Autobahn a venture capital fund?
No. Startup Autobahn operates as a corporate innovation platform, not a fund. It runs twice-yearly accelerator programs that connect startups with business units inside 30 partner corporations. The program facilitates pilot projects, proofs of concept, and implementation agreements, but does not take equity by default. Post-program collaboration can lead to long-term supplier relationships, licensing deals, or direct corporate venturing investment by individual partners, but the platform itself does not maintain a fund vehicle.
How does Startup Autobahn source startups?
The platform uses Plug and Play's global scouting infrastructure—covering 28 offices across the U.S., Europe, and Asia—to identify early- to growth-stage startups in mobility, production, and enterprise software. Corporate partners then host tech-themed deep-dive sessions to evaluate commercial and technical fit before voting startups into the six-month program. This hybrid model blends Plug and Play's sourcing database with Stuttgart-based ARENA2036 prototyping resources and direct access to OEM and Tier 1 engineering teams.
Which corporate partners are actively involved?
The consortium includes Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Hyundai, ZF Friedrichshafen, Schaeffler, Bosch, NXP Semiconductors, Forvia, Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, OPmobility, Novelis, STMicroelectronics, Cummins, Eberspaecher, Maxion, Togg, and others. Founding partners are Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), Plug and Play, the University of Stuttgart, and ARENA2036, with anchor partners Porsche, ZF, DXC Technology, and BASF joining early on (per firm website).
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