About Startup Autobahn
Startup Autobahn, an accelerator and incubator program founded in 2016, is based in Stuttgart, Germany. With a presence in 21 countries, it has supported around 168 startups in sectors like High Tech, Enterprise Applications. As of Oct 2026, Startup Autobahn has 2 unicorns under its belt and has witnessed 40 portfolio exits. Most notable companies in
its portfolio include RealWear, Luminar Technologies and Celonis. The program is backed by a team of 9 people who primarily support startups based in Germany, United States.
Key Metrics
Founded Year
2016
Location
Stuttgart, Germany
Portfolio Companies
Sectors of Investment
Locations of Investment
Startup Autobahn's List of Top Investments
Startup Autobahn has a portfolio of 168 companies, including 2 unicorns. Their most notable investments include RealWear and Luminar Technologies.Their portfolio spans across Germany, United States, Israel and 18 more locations. They have invested in High Tech, Enterprise Applications, Auto Tech and 23 other sectors. Here is the list of top investments by Startup Autobahn:
1. RealWear
Manufacturer of AI-voice-powered smart glasses for frontline industrial workforces. The company's smart glasses are purpose-built to increase productivity, safety, and efficiency across multiple industries. The glasses integrate with software solutions to address challenges faced by industrial workers. The company offers intrinsically safe devices certified for use in combustible areas.
Key facts about RealWear
- Founded Year: 2016
- Location: Vancouver (United States)
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $136M
- Employee Count: 78 as on Aug 31, 2026
- Investors: Qualcomm Ventures, LionRock Capital and 13 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Jul 23, 2026, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
Developer of LiDAR-based sensors for autonomous vehicles. It develops hardware and proprietary software-enabled LiDARs, which can be configured with multiple sensors for autonomous driving. It comprises fiber lasers, scanners, receivers, and processing electronics. It offers a slim designed roofline attached to customized sensors. It provides hardware-integrated perception software for object detection. It offers features like the detection and classification of objects in a long-range, and the detection of the velocity of an object in 3D.
Key facts about Luminar Technologies
- Founded Year: 2012
- Location: Orlando (United States)
- Annual Revenue: $50M - $100M as on Dec 31, 2025
- Last Known Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Acquired
- Total Funding till date: $306M
- Employee Count: 273 as on Sep 30, 2026
- Investors: 10x Group, G2 Venture Partners and 31 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Jan 17, 2022, $*****
- Highlight: Acquired
3. Celonis
Cloud-based process mining and execution management software. The company provides a platform for real-time data ingestion, process and task mining, planning and simulation, action flow management, and visual and daily management tools. Platform uses predictive capabilities to forecast process outcomes. It collects data by recording user activities through an app.
Key facts about Celonis
- Founded Year: 2011
- Location: Munich (Germany)
- Valuation: $*****
- Stage: Series D
- Total Funding till date: $1.77B
- Employee Count: 4,405 as on Aug 31, 2026
- Investors: Silver Lake, T. Rowe Price and 36 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Conventional Debt, Aug 23, 2022, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick

4. IOTA
Developer of a decentralized infrastructure for building and securing digital applications. It provides tools for creating verifiable on-chain records and representing real-world assets. The infrastructure supports secure digital interactions and the delegation of trust in digital ecosystems. It offers resources, support, and funding to help innovators bring their visions to life.
Key facts about IOTA
- Founded Year: 2016
- Location: Berlin (Germany)
- Stage: Seed
- Employee Count: 130 as on Aug 31, 2026
- Investors: Rhapsody Ventures, Blockchain R&I and 11 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Grant (prize money), Dec 20, 2021, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick

5. Foretellix
Developer of data automation platform for AI-powered autonomous vehicle stacks. The platform maximizes and enriches data for efficient and safe development. It offers tools for training AI systems with real-world and synthetic data. The platform also validates performance, quality, and safety through data unification and scenario generation. It supports automotive, trucking, and mining applications with safety-driven verification and validation.
Key facts about Foretellix
- Founded Year: 2018
- Location: Ramat Gan (Israel)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $135M
- Employee Count: 119 as on Aug 31, 2026
- Investors: Volvo Group, Temasek and 23 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series C, Dec 05, 2023, $*****
- Highlight: Editors' Pick
Unicorns in Startup Autobahn's Portfolio
Startup Autobahn has 2 unicorns in its portfolio - Synthesia and Dataiku. The most recent unicorn in their portfolio is Synthesia. It became a unicorn in 2023, 3 years before Startup Autobahn first invested in it.Here is a list of unicorns in Startup Autobahn's portfolio:
Tracxn Score | Company | Short Description | Founded year | Sector | Location | Company Stage | First Investment/ Acquisition Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
64 | Provider of software for generating professional videos using artificial intelligence | 2017 | London | Series E | oexrkgp | ||
65 | Provider of a platform for end-to-end enterprise AI and analytics | 2013 | New York | Series F | phvxbtk |
IPOs and Publicly Listed companies in Startup Autobahn's Portfolio
4 of Startup Autobahn's portfolio companies have become public. Alchemy Nano got listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange - Venture Exchange (TSX-V), in Jul 2026 at marketcap of $38.7M and Molekule got listed on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) at marketcap of undefined.Here are Startup Autobahn's portfolio companies that went public:
Company | IPO Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jul 09, 2026 | - | - | 5948 | |
Nov 24, 2021 | - | - | 4024 | |
- | - | - | 8371 | |
- | - | - | 6589 |
Acquired companies in Startup Autobahn's Portfolio
36 companies from Startup Autobahn's portfolio have been acquired. The most recent acquisition was WorkFusion in Feb 2026 by UiPath for $*****.Here are Startup Autobahn's portfolio companies that got acquired most recently:
Company | Acquisition Date | First Invested on | First Round of Investment | Round Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Feb 06, 2026 | - | - | 2339 | |
Dec 15, 2025 | - | - | 9413 | |
Dec 09, 2025 | - | - | 8700 | |
Oct 06, 2025 | - | - | 3021 | |
Jul 28, 2025 | - | - | 7556 |
Team profile of Startup Autobahn
Startup Autobahn has a team of 9 members including 2 Partners and 6 Principals located in Germany. Startup Autobahn's team does not sit on the board of any company as of now.Here is a list of all team members in Startup Autobahn:
Name | Designation | Location | Board Memberships | Contact Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Partner | Stuttgart | - | - | |
Partner | Germany | - | - | |
Principal | Stuttgart | - | - | |
Principal | Stuttgart | - | - | |
Principal | Germany | - | - | |
Principal | Tubingen | - | - | |
Principal | Stuttgart | - | - | |
Principal | Germany | - | - |
Recent News related to Startup Autobahn
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Bridgestone Mobility Solutions joins Startup Autobahn as ‘anchor partner’Tyrepress•Mar 29, 2022•Bridgestone, Startup Autobahn
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Terranet introduces new advances with its sensor technology on the Startup AutobahnGlobeNewswire•Jul 21, 2021•Terranet, Startup Autobahn
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Terranet Is Once Again Participating In Startup AutobahnGlobeNewswire•Jul 01, 2021•Terranet, Startup Autobahn
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Terranet To Showcase Breakthrough Voxelflow™ Technology At Startup AutobahnGlobeNewswire•Feb 09, 2021•Terranet, Startup Autobahn
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Eberspaecher cooperates with Startup AutobahnNew Mobility•Nov 14, 2019•Eberspaecher, Startup Autobahn
