Munich is one of the biggest centres of innovation in Germany, and starting in the 2000s the city has invested even more in its biotech and life sciences industry. If we’re talking about numbers, the face that 21% of all biotech companies in the country have their headquarters in the city speaks to its importance as a leader in this fast-growing field. The sector employs 33,400 people across 373 companies, with nearly 19,000 jobs specifically in biotechnology. In a span of just a decade, for each biotech job already existing, a new position has opened. This growth isn’t confined to employment. In the same time period, biotech startups have multiplied by five, and today over a fifth of all new biotech companies in Germany are calling Munich their home. The city’s innovation infrastructure is anchored by a network of eight leading research institutions, among which are including two elite universities, three Max Planck Institutes, and the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Health. A critical factor behind Munich’s success is the tight integration between academia and industry. Organizations such as BioM, which oversees the Munich Biotechnology Cluster, have played a key role in fostering collaboration, securing funding, and supporting innovation for over 25 years. BioM was also behind the prestigious M4 Cluster, which focused on personalized medicine and helped position Munich as a global player in drug development. In 2022 alone, 12 new drug approvals originated from companies in the Munich area—an impressive figure that highlights the region’s impact on global healthcare. Meanwhile, 25% of all clinical trials in Germany are conducted here. Future entrepreneurs are also well-supported. BioM’s inQlab virtual incubator provides tailored coaching, training, and mentoring, while the m4 Award, backed by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, incentivizes biomedicine innovation with pre-seed funding and guidance.