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In 2014, an idea began at the Technical University of Munich that would grow into one of Germany's best-known companies in interactive AR and AI brand experiences. Ten years later, Sensape works with brands like FC Bayern München, Paris Saint-Germain, Disney, Porsche and Swarovski, is active in over 40 countries, and has been recognized by German federal ministries, the European Union, Bitkom, DFKI, and most recently by the City of Leipzig. This is the story of those ten years.
2014–2015: From Research Project to Funded Startup
Founders Matthias Freysoldt and Artur Lohrer developed the first concepts at TU Munich: an interactive display that recognizes people and addresses them in a tailored way – a computer that can see and understand. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs recognized the potential early and awarded Sensape the EXIST Founder Scholarship of €125,000 to bring the technology to market readiness. The official announcement documents this first milestone.
The founders deliberately chose Leipzig as their headquarters – attracted by the dynamic startup scene, strong research landscape, and ideal conditions in the Baumwollspinnerei creative quarter.
September 2015: IKT Innovativ – Federal Recognition
In September 2015, Matthias Freysoldt traveled to Berlin to receive the IKT Innovativ Prize from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs – Germany's most important startup competition for innovative information and communication technology. Dr. Andreas Goerdeler presented the prize and an additional €30,000 in funding. For a company just nine months old at the time, this was a strong signal from the federal level. Source: idw-online.de
2015–2016: EU FINODEX – Sensape Goes European
Under the EU programme FINODEX (Future Internet Open Data Expansion), co-funded by the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme, more than 1,600 European startups applied for funding across two open calls. Sensape was selected as one of only 100 funded companies – with the project “Interactive Shop Windows.” The solution was later listed as a developed solution in the official EU Interreg North-West Europe BE-GOOD State-of-the-Art Report. The project is still documented today in the official CORDIS database of the European Commission.
2017: Fujitsu Award and the Bitkom/DFKI Position Paper
2017 brought double recognition. At the Fujitsu World Tour Start-up Award in Berlin, Sensape beat all competitors to take 1st place as the most innovative IT and software startup. Source: spinlab.co
That same year, Sensape was mentioned in a much more politically weighted context: in the official position paper “Entscheidungsunterstützung mit Künstlicher Intelligenz” (Decision Support with Artificial Intelligence), published by Bitkom e.V. and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) for the Federal Government's Digital Summit in Ludwigshafen on 13 June 2017. Sensape was referenced there as an example of German AI innovation in a paper addressed directly to German federal ministries and shaping national AI policy. Source: bitkom.org
September 2018: TechCrunch Disrupt SF – Sensape Goes to San Francisco
With international visibility came the step into the United States. In September 2018, co-founder Artur Lohrer and the Sensape team attended TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2018 – one of the world's most important startup conferences. The Silicon Valley presence sustainably strengthened Sensape's network in the U.S. tech market. Source: techcrunch.com
2019–2024: Growing with Global Brands
In the following years, Sensape grew with client projects worldwide. The product portfolio evolved continuously: from the interactive Phantastic Promoter, to the Recognition Box for retail integration, to the browser-based WebAR platform. Sensape Allstars became a dedicated fan engagement product now used by FC Bayern München and Paris Saint-Germain, among others. Other brands include Disney, Porsche, Swarovski, Toyota, OLYMP, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Mercedes-Benz, and Deutsche Bahn. All client projects are listed here.
2024–2027: ESF Plus Innovation Assistant – The Next Growth Stage
2024 marked the beginning of a new chapter: Sensape received funding from the Free State of Saxony under the “Innovationsassistent:in” programme, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus). The funding runs until 2027 and advances three core areas: new revenue models for stationary Sensape systems, the expansion of the WebAR platform, and the digitalization of the sales process – to make Sensape solutions accessible to a broader customer spectrum. Source: europa-fördert-sachsen.de
2025: City of Leipzig Honorary Award on the 10th Anniversary
On the 10th anniversary of the Leipziger Gründernacht (Leipzig Founders' Night), the City of Leipzig honored Sensape with its Ehrenpreis in 2025 – for 10 years of innovation, job creation, and contribution to the Leipzig startup ecosystem. A recognition that leads back to the company's roots: to Leipzig, to the Baumwollspinnerei, where it all began. Source: leipzig.de
Ten Years. One Journey. One Vision.
What began as a research project at TU Munich in 2014 is today a company with offices in Leipzig, client projects in over 40 countries, and a clear vision: to bridge the gap between the physical and digital world – with interactive AR and AI as its core technology.
The full list of awards and recognitions is available on the About Sensape page. And we are grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey – customers, partners, employees, and funders.
Want to learn how Sensape can bring your brand into the next decade? Talk to us.
