Leading German startup cities strengthen their joint efforts
To increase Germany’s visibility as a startup location, the four largest German cities – Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich – are taking their cooperation to the next level: on 5 October 2023, the management of the relevant four business development organisations have signed the 'Startup Champs Germany Cooperation Agreement' at Expo Real, the leading real estate fair in Munich. With this, they have created a solid framework for future collaborations.
The goal: even more visibility for Germany as a startup location
Launched in 2020 under the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, Startup Champs started as a national pitch competition. Since then, the format has been able to establish itself as a prestigious live event. The project’s expansion demonstrates the previous success of these joint efforts and is aimed at promoting Germany’s startup economy, while at the same time strengthening its international presence. A mayor part of Germany’s startup community is based in Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and Munich – Germany’s largest cities with over 1 million inhabitants and more.
Together, the four most populous cities in Germany also make up a significant share of the national startup ecosystem, with around 9,000 startups and an investment volume of almost €8 billion, according to Dealroom, a startup database. The agreement between the participating cities includes a roadmap for future joint projects and initiatives to utilise the great potential of startups both nationally and internationally. The main goals of the Startup Champs Germany cooperation include the following:
Initiate joint projects to market the four largest startup locations in Germany
Increase the visibility of the participating startup locations at national and international levels
Support the local startup ecosystems, e.g. through networking and information sharing
Foster initiatives aimed at stimulating the startup scene, e.g. by promoting female entrepreneurship.
At Expo Real, the four Startup Champs cities are demonstrating with selected prop-tech startups how large companies from the real estate sector can benefit from innovative solutions provided by startups. And the first international activities of the Startup Champs are also scheduled for 2023: at the joint German stands of prolific European startup events, such as the Web Summit in Lisbon and Slush in Helsinki, the four cities will be presenting themselves as part of the Startup Champs project. In the forerun to these events, new enterprises from the four cities were given the chance to apply and present their business models on-site to an international expert audience.
