Post by Daniel Henel

Yesterday, I had the honor of joining a Presidential Lunch with TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann. Alongside eight fellow students, we gathered around one table for an open discussion about TUM's challenges, strategy, and future direction. For me personally, it was also a chance to share my idea of establishing a Music Technology Chair at TUM, along with creating music technology programs and bringing more professors and researchers into this field, as more and more TUM students are interested in this area. Through Munich Music Labs, we are building a strong music technology ecosystem in Munich, already connecting startups, researchers, engineers, and creatives, and becoming a true hub where musicians and engineers can innovate together. Partners such as ElevenLabs, Audiotool, Wavelab, Cyanite, Klangio – AI for Musicians, Neural Frames, and Beat Shaper are already part of this emerging network. I believe the Technical University of Munich, as a University of Excellence, has the potential to play a leading role in this space, where many more startups could emerge and grow. Let’s not miss this opportunity! Thank you, President Thomas F. Hofmann, for your invitation and for ensuring that students’ voices are heard at the highest level of the university. Looking forward to future discussions!