Berlin is a dynamic business location with a diverse corporate landscape – this is the conclusion reached by the latest winter edition of the Location Ranking of the German Economy (DDW). Berlin once again ranks third behind Hamburg and Munich.
The study, which is published twice a year, assesses how attractive German cities are for businesses – based, among other things, on their corporate strength and the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises, family businesses, international companies, investors, and – for the first time – hidden champions. A total of 4,030 locations were analyzed for this purpose.
Results of selected sub-rankings
In the sub-ranking of top companies at the location, Berlin ranks second with 862 of Germany's top companies. The German capital also comes in second in the "SME 10,000" sub-ranking: it is home to 269 of Germany's 10,000 most important SMEs.
The capital city is also strongly represented among global market leaders: 27 companies based in Berlin are among the leaders in their respective industries, including Knick Elektronische Messgeräte GmbH & Co. KG, a leading manufacturer of process-integrated measuring instruments for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Berlin also attracts international investors. A total of 363 companies are foreign-owned, placing Berlin in third place in a nationwide comparison. One example is TotalEnergies Holdings Deutschland GmbH, which has a French parent company.
Investors from the DACH region are also active in Berlin: 147 of the 2,500 most important investors are based here, putting Berlin in fourth place in Germany. These include Sladek Vermögensberatung GmbH, among others.
Last but not least, Berlin is a hub for future-oriented industries. 132 companies are active in trend and innovation markets, including Advanced Blockchain AG, which operates in the emerging blockchain industry.
Thirty companies from Berlin were classified as hidden champions.
DDW Location Ranking Summer 2025