Startup Garage

From Idea to Impact: 10 Years of the BMW GROUP Startup Garage.

Explore the milestones, technologies, and people that defined our journey.

A red second-generation BMW, built between 1982 and 1994, approaches us on a country road with a double solid yellow centre line.

Major Milestones.

A decade of visionary collaboration: shaping the future at the BMW Group Startup Garage.

Launch of the BMW Group Startup Garage.

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

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.

Establishment of BMW Group Startup Garage 2.0 with startup leads across various departments.

Expanding program (BMW Group 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.

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 Group Startup Garage Office in Garching / Munich.

Our BMW Group 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.

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.

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.

First startup solution implemented in BMW vehicles.

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

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.

Scouted over 5000 startups.

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

A glimpse into the BMW Startup Garage, a meeting place designed with lots of wood and metal.

Wall of fame.

Discover some of the startups we worked with.

BMW production line with dark vehicles lined up one behind the other, slowly moving towards the viewer.

Embotech.
Revolutionizing manufacturing with autonomous technology integration.

Smartphone in one hand above a blue BMW bonnet

MrS.ai.
AI-driven conversational tools for customer service.

Frontal view of the blades of a white wind turbine from a bird's eye perspective with a hilly background.

Plan A.
Tailored sustainability planning and CO2 management.

Drivers and passengers controlling a game on the curved display of a modern BMW using their smartphones.

AirConsole.
AirConsole enables cloud-based in-car gaming with 150+ games, letting passengers use mobile phones as controllers.

A BMW employee sits on an ergonomic car seat with his laptop open on his knees in the production area and enters data.

Upstream.
Advanced cybersecurity for connected and autonomous vehicles.

BMW employee with long brown hair, safety goggles, safety helmet and high-visibility vest enters data hands-free on a laptop.

Objectbox.
Optimized database for mobile and IoT data management.

Test bench on which a disc resembling a brake disc is clamped onto a thick shaft.

DeepDrive.
DeepDrive's dual-rotor tech boosts EV efficiency and performance, solving key challenges in the industry.

Shot from the back seat of a BMW driver who has just picked up his mobile phone to retrieve information.

...and many more.
This is just a glimpse of our journey – other collaborations are already shaping the future.

Above an outstretched hand with its fingertips pointing towards the viewer, a blue light bulb floats, half of which symbolises a brain.

This spot is waiting for you.
We’re always looking for groundbreaking solutions – let’s build the next story together.

Page Overview: 10 Years