10 Years BMW Startup Garage

From Idea to Impact:
10 Years of BMW Startup Garage

Our success story.

A Decade of Visionary Collaboration:
Shaping the Future at the
BMW Startup Garage

Ten years of empowering visionaries, driving progress, and shaping the BMW experience.

Major Milestones

  • 2015

    Launch of the BMW Startup Garage

    The BMW Startup Garage was founded and initiated at the BMW headquarters in Munich.

  • 2017

    First Startup integrated into the BMW Group Ecosystem

    The startup Mahlzeit was the first startup to be integrated into the processes of the BMW Group and has established itself well over the years.

  • 2018

    Establishment of BMW Startup Garage 2.0 with Startup Leads Across Various Departments

    Expanding program (BMW Startup Garage 2.0) through hiring dedicated Startup Leads in various business units, with the goal of scaling the startup engagement and tapping into new business areas beyond just the development departments at BMW Group.

    Launch Tech Office South Korea

    Expanding the program through support South Korea, and tapping into the vibrant Korean startup ecosystem. In the coming years we added Israel, China and Japan.

  • 2019

    Launch of Tech Office Region Americas

    The program continues to expand, opening an office in Mountain View with additional locations across North America in the following years.

    Red Dot Design Award for BMW Startup Garage Office in Garching / Munich

    Our BMW Startup Garage's office space was awarded the prestigious Red Dot Design Award, recognizing the exceptional design and functionality of its workspace.

    Evaluated Over 1000 Startups

    Through our extensive scouting efforts, we identified and evaluated over a thousand startups, showcasing our commitment to discovering innovative and emerging startups.

  • 2021

    360 Degree Sustainability Challenge

    We launched the "360 Degree Sustainability Challenge", to achieve our goal to increase our sustainability impact in the automotive sector. The winners were able to present their products at BMW booth at IAA.

  • 2022

    First Startup Integrates into BMW Groups’ Production Department

    The startup Embotech successfully completed the pilot project and has now been rolled out into the production process of the BMW Group.

  • 2023

    First startup solution implemented in BMW vehicles

    The startup AirConsole successfully completed the pilot project and was implented in millions of BMW cars.

  • 2024

    Executed 50 Pilot Projects in a Single Year

    We set a new benchmark by launching 50 pilot projects, involving 30 different departments within a single year.

  • 2025

    Scouted Over 5000 Startups

    Due to the expansion of the scouting program, we surpassed analyzing more than 5000 Startups in the past ten years.

Wall of Fame

Discover some of the startups we worked with