The Startup Ecosystem of Berlin

Berlin has 1055 startups in our sample database. This represents about 38% of Germany’s startups. Berlin is the highest-ranked startup ecosystem in Germany.

CITY RANKING

In 2023, the startup scene of Berlin shows much promise after advancing in the Global Ecosystem Index by 1 spot.

National Ranking

1st
0
In Germany

Regional Ranking

3rd
0
In Western Europe

Global Ranking

11th
+
1
Worldwide

In Partnership with

Berlin Ecosystem Partner logo

Ecosystem

Startup Ecosystem Overview

city buildings near body of water during daytime


Berlin’s startup ecosystem has gained remarkable momentum, establishing itself as one of Europe’s premier startup hubs. The city’s dynamic culture, affordable cost of living, access to talent, and robust support infrastructure have all contributed to the thriving entrepreneurial scene.


Renowned for its open-mindedness and creative atmosphere, Berlin attracts a diverse range of entrepreneurs and innovators. The city fosters a collaborative environment that encourages risk-taking and empowers startups to flourish.


Berlin’s startup ecosystem covers a wide range of industries, with a particular emphasis on fintech, e-commerce, digital media, health tech, and mobility solutions. The city’s diverse ecosystem encourages innovation and cross-industry collaboration.


Venture capital and angel investments flow into Berlin, both from local and international investors who actively seek opportunities within the city’s startup ecosystem. Prominent investment firms such as Earlybird, Point Nine Capital, and Rocket Internet have a strong presence in Berlin, further fueling its growth.


Berlin houses several incubators and accelerators that offer startups mentorship, workspace, and access to funding. Notable examples include The Family, Berlin Startup Incubator, and Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator. As well, organizations like Berlin Partners provide support to startups and tech talent looking to relocate to the city.


The city hosts a plethora of networking events, conferences, and meetups that facilitate connections, knowledge-sharing, and learning opportunities for entrepreneurs. Events such as Tech Open Air, Berlin Startup Night, and the NOAH Conference enjoy immense popularity within the vibrant startup community.


The Berlin government has taken proactive steps to support the startup ecosystem by implementing various initiatives and policies. For instance, the Berlin Startup Unit, a dedicated government agency, serves as a central point of contact for entrepreneurs, offering information, resources, and assistance on all aspects of starting and scaling a business. Additionally, the Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), a state-owned development bank, provides financial support to startups and small businesses. Through programs like ProFIT, IBB offers grants and low-interest loans to innovative startups in their early stages.

Startups

Berlin Top Startup Industries

Fintech icon
Fintech
#7 worldwide

140 startups

Transportation icon
Transportation
#8 worldwide

33 startups

Ecommerce & Retail icon
Ecommerce & Retail
#9 worldwide

127 startups

Ecosystem HealthCheck

Berlin Ecosystem Health Check

The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Berlin has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...

  • Overperformance
  • Performance equal to global ranking
  • Underperformance
ParameterParameter Global rankParameter rank change since 2022ResultContribution to total scoreRank gain / loss due to parameter
Total Score11148.356100%0
Quantity Score1525.30410.97%1
Sample size of startups1349936.85%1
Sample size of accelerators22-2471330.68%1
Sample size of coworking spaces22-41942.41%0
Community Score1-3600.30.62%0

ECOSYSTEM

Browse the startup ecosystem database of Berlin

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Ecosystem

The Startup Ecosystem in Berlin

Our startup ecosystem map for Berlin includes a sample of 1055 tech companies. We have identified as unicorns 21 startups that have passed the USD 1 billion valuations. Contributing to the vitality of this startup ecosystem are the 4 pantheon member entities. Get the Pro account for unrestricted insights on this ecosystem.

Global Rank

Berlin is ranked within the top 20 startup ecosystems globally.

Top Industries

Berlin’s startups excel particularly in Fintech where it ranks 7 and in Transportation, and Ecommerce & Retail. Find out more

Top Cities for Startups in Germany - Ranked by StartupBlink
StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
Rows:
2023 National Rank & Change ▲
2023 National Rank & Change City
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Global Rank & ChangeTotal Score
Access subscores for 1000 cities and 100 countries
Quantity Score
Quality ScoreBusiness Score
1st
0
11th
+
1
48.356
00.00
00.00
00.00
2nd
0
34th
+
5
21.485
00.00
00.00
00.00
3rd
0
90th
-
15
7.848
00.00
00.00
00.00
4th
+
2
148th
+
4
4.397
00.00
00.00
00.00
5th
0
160th
-
14
3.970
00.00
00.00
00.00
6th
-
2
166th
-
31
3.830
00.00
00.00
00.00
7th
+
1
182nd
+
17
3.434
00.00
00.00
00.00
8th
-
1
188th
-
20
3.228
00.00
00.00
00.00
9th
+
1
204th
+
10
2.718
00.00
00.00
00.00
10th
+
1
205th
+
19
2.645
00.00
00.00
00.00
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Startups

Notable Startups in Berlin
Research Gate startup icon
Research Gate
Zeotap startup icon
Zeotap
Inkitt startup icon
Inkitt

Startups

Successful Fintech startups in Berlin
Raisin startup icon
Raisin
Elopage startup icon
Elopage
Moss startup icon
Moss

ECOSYSTEM

Why should you join Berlin's Startup Ecosystem?

Overview

Within Berlin there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Fintech, Transportation, Ecommerce & Retail. These three industries represent about 28% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Berlin.

1st

National Rank

3rd

Regional Rank

Overview

Berlin is Germany's 1st best startup ecosystem and is ranked 3rd in Western Europe. With a population of 2M - 10M people, Berlin is ranked 11th in the world. The city has some notable startup success stories including Research Gate and its startup ecosystem infrastructure is strengthened by organizations such as Zalando and Regus - Berlin, Brandenburg Airport.

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