Munich founder prize 2026 goes to a care-staffing startup and two scaleups
What's the deal? Stadtsparkasse München has awarded the Münchner Gründerpreis 2026 to three companies. On7 won the public-voted "Startup" category, while Mybacs and Julius Brantner Brothandwerk shared first place in the "Aufsteiger" (scaleup) category.
How it works: The savings bank has handed out the prize since 1997 to young companies pursuing new ideas. A jury shortlisted five finalists for the public vote in the startup category, open to companies founded between early 2023 and the end of 2025. An expert jury chose the scaleup winners via a pitch, for companies founded between early 2018 and the end of 2022.
Meet the winners: On7 targets the shortage of care workers by matching nursing facilities with skilled staff and trainees from abroad. It handles the full process — candidate selection, visas, qualification recognition, and integration in Germany — combining its own language schools overseas with a digital platform.
Mybacs develops probiotic supplements focused on gut and microbiome health. Julius Brantner Brothandwerk is an organic bakery built on traditional craft, regional ingredients, and transparent production.
In their words: "The award gives the care shortage and solutions more visibility and shows that fair care migration from Munich can set new standards," said On7 managing director Maximilian Angerer (translated from German).
Mybacs founder Carl-Philipp von Polheim called the prize "a great recognition for our entire team and the work of the last few years" (translated from German).
The signal: Stefan Hattenkofer, deputy chairman of Stadtsparkasse München, framed the trio around a shared theme. "All three winners are connected by care for people and their well-being, albeit with very different approaches," he said (translated from German). The mix — healthcare logistics, consumer health, and food craft — shows Munich's founder scene rewarding businesses beyond pure tech.
Read more: munich-startup.de
Image credit: agilemktg1
