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 about 500 startup companies per year, Berlin is Germany's founder capital. The capital is particularly attractive to potential entrepreneurs in the creative and technology industries.
(Sources: Berlin-Brandenburg Statistics Office; German Startups Association, 2025)
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 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 talents from all over the world. - Comprehensive consulting and funding
Potential founders can look forward to various funding and consulting possibilities. - Outstanding infrastructure
Numerous startup and technology centers and a wide range of co-working spaces - Positive investment climate
Diversified sources of financing from business angels, venture capital companies, and government funding instruments - Strong networks and technology transfer centers
Cooperation opportunities with more than 100 institutions of higher education and research facilities - Creative environment
Hotspots, sector meet-ups and events enable an vital exchange within the startup scene.
Berlin is Germany’s leader in the number of financing rounds: of the 716 successful deals nationwide, 218 were in Berlin. This puts Berlin clearly ahead of second‑placed Bavaria with 149 deals In recent years, this has given rise to promising and established start-ups such as Soundcloud, Mister Spex, Zalando, Helpling, Delivery Hero, Home24, and HelloFresh.
(Source: EY Startup-Barometer, January 2026)
Consulting and support
Entrepreneurs in Berlin can draw on a wide range of public advisory and information services to help them overcome organizational and legal hurdles. Support in team building, capital raising and site selection is provided by Berlin Partner for Business and Technology as well as the Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) with a wide range of funding programs and startup assistance.
The state of Berlin has also teamed up with partners from business, science, and the startup scene to launch the Berlin Startup Unit. Together, they are working on the further development of Berlin as a hub for startups.
Infrastructure
Anyone who wants to start a business needs the right infrastructure and flexible office space. Berlin offers a dense network of co-working spaces as well as technology and startup centers. These are ideal alternatives for young startups and enable exchange, networking, and consulting. The offering is complemented by numerous labs, incubators, maker spaces, and open workshops where ideas can be tested at low cost and technical expertise can be built up. An overview is provided by the Berlin Startup Map and the state initiative Project Future.
Training, networks, and events
A successful startup location thrives on close networking between universities, start-ups, investors, politicians, and established companies. In Berlin, numerous networks, events, and hot spots throughout the city facilitate lively exchange.
Startup entrepreneurs will also find optimal training and continuing education opportunities for all phases of business development here. Berlin's universities and colleges operate their own start-up centers and network via the Science & Startups portal.
