# Startup Autobahn

Startup Autobahn is a Private Equity based in Stuttgart, Germany.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** Stuttgart, Germany
- **Region:** Europe
- **Address:** Stuttgart, Germany
- **Founded:** 2016
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** startup-autobahn.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/startupautobahn

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

STARTUP AUTOBAHN is an innovation platform that connects startups of all development stages with industry-leading corporates to pilot their technology.

## Sectors

- Mobility & Transportation
- Enterprise Software
- Industrial Tech
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- AI/ML

## People

- 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

## 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).

## Related profiles

- [Startup Angels Network](https://altss.com/profile/startup-angels-network)
- [Startup Bangladesh](https://altss.com/profile/startup-bangladesh)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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