How does a promising technology become a real application? We explored this question with our co-host Kearney at a Startup-Corporate Exchange in Munich. AI and deep tech startups, industry representatives, and innovation leaders came together for an evening of startup pitches, Q&A, and networking.

The event focused on what happens after the pilot. Elisa Roth, Co-Founder and CEO of Augmented Industries, Dominik Feiden, Head of Acceleration at UnternehmerTUM, and Dieter Gerdemann, Partner and Managing Director at Kearney, shared practical perspectives from both sides.

The founders emphasized the importance of understanding customer needs and involving the right people early. Industry participants explained what they need in order to trust and adopt new technology. Together, they discussed what makes a solution ready for wider adoption.

“The strength of this exchange was the quality of the conversations. Bringing founders and industry leaders together around real business challenges created meaningful connections and a strong basis for collaboration.”
Sebastian Drescher, Partner at Kearney

After the panel, the conversations continued. Guests talked about real business challenges, compared perspectives, and exchanged contact details.

Thank you to all founders and corporate participants who joined, and to Kearney for the great partnership.