Startup capital Berlin
Berlin is Germany’s hotspot for founders and also capital for tech-investments. Entrepreneurs – and also potential entrepreneurs – find exactly the right environment here to implement and scale their business.
With around 40,000 business registrations per year and more than 500 startup companies per year, Berlin is undisputedly Germany's founder capital and is expanding its nationwide lead. The capital is particularly attractive to potential entrepreneurs in the creative and technology industries.
(Sources: Berlin-Brandenburg Statistics Office; German Startups Association, 2023)
Favourable conditions for startups: Berlin attracts young, highly qualified people from all over the world. A high standard of living at a comparatively low cost, lively local communities with lots of networking opportunities, the active venture capital scene, and an international ambiance are just good reasons why young entrepreneurs would want to come to Berlin to turn their business ideas into realities.
Numerous national and international studies have identified Berlin as a leading global location for startups with extremely high growth potential.
Why Berlin?
„As an international, fast-growing Internet company, we believe that Berlin has precisely what we at Babbel are looking for: talented professionals from all over the world, a striving, startup community with excellent contacts along with a creative, future-orientated tech scene. Together with other companies, we have also benefited from Berlin’s global attraction as a charismatic metropolis because the city has triggered considerable attention among the international press and investors.“
What does Berlin offer entrepreneurs?
- International talent pool
Urban diversity, high life quality and creative atmosphere attract excellently trained, multilingual professionals from all over the world. - Comprehensive consulting and funding
Potential founders in Berlin can look forward to various funding and consulting possibilities. - Outstanding infrastructure
Numerous business incubators and technology centers as well as the most co-working spaces in Germany - Positive investment climate
Diversified sources of financing from a number of business angels, venture capital companies, and government funding instruments. - Strong networks and technology transfer centers
Berlin’s unique scientific landscape ensures cooperation opportunities with more than 100 institutions of higher education and non-university research facilities. - Creative environment
Hotspots, sector meet-ups and events enable an uncomplicated vital exchange within the startup scene. - Attractive living environment
Reasonable rents and living costs in an international metropolis
Berlin is the German leader in investments in startups: Of the six billion euros of venture capital that flowed into German startups in 2023, 39% (2.4 billion euros) went to startups in Berlin. Promising and well-established startups have emerged in recent years, such as Soundcloud, Mister Spex, Zalando, Helpling, Delivery Hero, Home24 and HelloFresh.
(Source: EY Startup-Barometer, January 2024)
The state of Berlin initiated the Berlin Startup Unit together with partners from business, science and the startup scene. Seven initiatives are working together for the advancement of the startup capital Berlin.
