📋 Tender Overview
July 21, 2026
In the current hour of the Bavarian State Parliament on the topic Bavaria as a digital location: making administration, economy and society fit for the AI age! Bavarias Digital Minister Dr. Fabian Mehring highlighted the contribution of his digital policy to state modernization. The minister also traced Bavarias successful path to the top of the European digital locations. Mehring made it clear how his ministry is shaping the digital change in administration, business and society:
After taking office, I formulated a clear vision: Our Bavaria should be a modern digital state with an innovative administration that improves the quality of life for people and provides a location advantage for the economy in the Free State. I also set out the goal that Bavaria should become Europes best digital location in order to lead our economy out of the crisis with fresh ideas in new markets.
In the second year of my term, my team and I turned this ambitious vision into a concrete mission. Today we can therefore demonstrate measurable successes.
Bavaria is now the German champion of administrative digitalization and Europes leading digital location. There is no other federal state in Germany and no other political field in which someone is making such successful progress as Bavaria in the area of digital transformation of administration and the economy, explained Mehring, pointing to a long series of Bavarian top positions in all relevant rankings.
According to Mehring, the Digital Ministry has developed from the youngest department of the state government into a real ministry of the future for transformation and innovation. According to the minister, a holistic approach is being pursued. The aim is a modern state that makes everyday life easier for people, a strong digital location that creates prosperity, and a society that confidently uses the opportunities of digitalization and has its risks under control.
A pioneer in the digital state throughout Germany
Bavaria is now setting the standards nationwide in the area of administrative digitalization. The federal dashboard confirms Bavarias leading position: 75 of the 100 most digital municipalities in Germany are in the Free State. Together with the federal government, Bavaria is developing the blueprint for the modern digital state as part of the National Digital Offensive. The resulting solutions will be developed in Bavaria in the future and rolled out nationwide.
At the same time, the Digital Ministry ensures that digitalization reaches people directly in cities and communities. With the BayernPackages, municipalities receive standardized digital solutions that make complex in-house developments unnecessary and set uniform national standards. Programs like Kommunal?Digital! and TwinBy - Digital Twins for Bavaria show how modern technologies can solve very specific challenges on site: whether AI-supported flood protection, digital citizen participation or intelligent, resource-efficient tree watering - digitalization improves the everyday lives of citizens where it is directly noticeable. By piloting the Germany app, Mehrings ministry is also working on making the smartphone a modern town hall in your pocket in the future.
Mehring: Our claim is clear: Modern administration must function conveniently and digitally at any time and from anywhere. Our state must arrive at the same digital level that people are used to in their everyday life outside of the world of authorities. We are still far from reaching our goal. But the fact that Bavaria is now Germanys pacesetter in administrative digitalization is no coincidence. It is the result of our consistent policy, which does not manage innovations, but rather enables them and brings them into the area in close cooperation with the municipal family. So the direction is finally right and we are noticeably taking action Pick up the pace, says Mehring.
Home for high-tech and Europes leading digital location
Mehring also sees Bavaria in an excellent position in international competition. The renowned Financial Times ranks four Bavarian organizations among the ten strongest start-up ecosystems in Europe. Places one to three even go to the Free State. At the same time, other global players such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia and TikTok Shop have settled in Bavaria alongside Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft.
A current dealroom study also confirms this development. Munich is once again one of Europes leading technology and innovation locations and ranks 11th worldwide in the field of artificial intelligence, ahead of metropolises such as Shanghai, Tokyo and Seattle. The Digital Ministry is supporting this success with a variety of targeted programs:
KI-Transfer Plus supports medium-sized companies in successfully integrating artificial intelligence into their business models.
The AI innovation accelerator supports companies in implementing the European AI regulation and supports them with training, networking and concrete assistance in the legally compliant use of AI.
NextGen4Bavaria supports the next generation of entrepreneurs in using company succession as an opportunity for digitalization and innovation.
Bavaria is Germanys top location for games. The ecosystem in the Free State now includes more than 320 companies with over 2,080 employees. By doubling the games funding level, the Digital Ministry will strengthen the Bavarian development studios from 2026 and give the dynamically growing industry additional tailwind.
BayFiD specifically supports women in digital careers and future leadership roles in the tech industry. The program creates networks, teaches digital skills and connects talent with companies and role models.
Mehring: It didnt happen from heaven that our Bavaria is single-handedly occupying the top three places among Europes digital locations today. Theres a clear strategy behind this: We dont want to stand idly by in this country as players from the USA and Asia divide up
