Berlin’s Tech Scene Launches Bold Initiative to Redal Global Perception and Accelerate Startup Growth

Berlin’s startup ecosystem has long been a powerhouse of innovation, yet it continues to battle outdated stereotypes and structural challenges that hinder its global competitiveness. This week marked a pivotal moment for the German capital’s tech community with the launch of Berlin auf die Eins (BAD1), a grassroots movement determined to transform Berlin into Europe’s most builder-friendly tech city within the next 12 to 24 months.

The initiative emerges from a coalition of local founders, startup builders, investors, and ecosystem players who are tired of seeing their city misunderstood and undervalued on the global stage. When Berlin-based entrepreneurs attend international startup events, they often face dismissive reactions from investors who still associate the city primarily with its Rocket Internet legacy or reduce it to clichéd images of techno clubs and nightlife.

This perception gap is precisely what BAD1 aims to address—not through policy mandates, but through community-driven action focused on tangible improvements that can deliver measurable impact in the near term.

The Hidden Strength of Berlin’s Startup Ecosystem

Despite the persistent misconceptions, Berlin’s startup ecosystem represents a formidable economic force that deserves far greater recognition. The numbers tell a compelling story that rarely makes international headlines.

Berlin’s startup ecosystem contributes between 10 and 12 percent of the city’s gross domestic product, serving as a major engine of economic growth. The sector creates over 150,000 jobs both directly and indirectly, demonstrating its role as a critical employment generator for the German capital.

In 2024 alone, Berlin attracted €2.2 billion in venture capital investment, representing 31 percent of all German venture capital volume. This funding concentration establishes Berlin as Germany’s undisputed funding hub and underscores its central role in the country’s innovation economy.

The city has also emerged as Germany’s leading artificial intelligence cluster, home to 283 AI startups that span applications from machine learning infrastructure to specialized industry solutions. This concentration of AI talent and innovation positions Berlin at the forefront of one of the most transformative technological trends of our era.

Berlin’s entrepreneurial dynamism shows no signs of slowing. In 2024, the city saw 498 new startups launched, maintaining its reputation as a fertile ground for new ventures across diverse sectors. This founding velocity reflects both the city’s attractiveness to international talent and the robustness of its support infrastructure for early-stage companies.

The ecosystem has produced notable success stories and innovative ventures including EWOR, which recently launched Amara to generate full 3D worlds from simple prompts; Cinsoil, pioneering soil carbon sequestration for a greener agrifood sector; and Deep Tech Momentum, which secured €1 million to accelerate Europe’s sovereign tech ambitions.

The Structural Barriers Holding Berlin Back

Despite these impressive metrics, Berlin faces several structural challenges that limit its ability to compete with global tech hubs like London, Paris, or emerging centers in Eastern Europe and the Nordics.

Germany’s reputation for bureaucratic complexity is well-earned, and Berlin is no exception. The administrative processes that startups must navigate remain slow, complex, and often paper-based in an era when digital-first solutions have become standard elsewhere. This friction creates unnecessary barriers for entrepreneurs who need to move quickly to capitalize on market opportunities.

For international founders and talent—including those from outside the European Union—the practical challenges of relocating to Berlin can be daunting. Severe housing shortages drive up costs and create uncertainty for newcomers trying to establish themselves in the city. The decentralized nature of administrative systems means that tasks that might take hours in other tech hubs can stretch into weeks or months in Berlin.

Perhaps most critically, Berlin still lacks a systematic pipeline connecting its world-class universities to its startup ecosystem. While the city boasts excellent academic institutions producing cutting-edge research, the translation of this academic work into commercial ventures remains inconsistent. This gap limits the steady flow of talent and innovation from academia into the startup sector, constraining the ecosystem’s growth potential.

A Community-Driven Approach to Transformation

What makes Berlin auf die Eins distinctive is its commitment to being a community-led movement rather than another top-down policy initiative. The founders—Bela Wiertz, Julian Teicke, Linda Büscher, Benedict Kurz, Leonard Darsow, Max Linden, and Bastian Meyer—recognized that meaningful change requires ownership from those closest to the challenges.

The initiative is powered by The Delta, a Berlin-based organization focused on ecosystem development, and supported by founding partners UNITE and Dentsu Creative. This combination of grassroots energy and institutional support creates a unique model for driving change.

Rather than producing an exhaustive wishlist of desired improvements, BAD1 has adopted a focused approach. The goal is to identify five to ten high-impact changes that could meaningfully improve conditions for startups and founders within a 12 to 24-month timeframe. This prioritization ensures that efforts remain concentrated and achievable rather than scattered across too many initiatives.

The implementation model relies on working groups drawn from the community itself. These groups will develop concrete, owned solutions to the prioritized challenges, ensuring that those closest to the problems are also closest to the solutions. This distributed ownership model increases the likelihood of successful implementation and sustainable change.

Reshaping Berlin’s Narrative Through Facts

A crucial component of BAD1’s mission involves actively reshaping how Berlin is perceived internationally. The initiative recognizes that changing reality requires changing narrative, and that the two efforts must proceed in parallel.

By highlighting the city’s already substantial economic contributions—the 10-12 percent GDP share, the 150,000+ jobs created, the €2.2 billion in annual venture capital—BAD1 aims to establish Berlin’s credentials as a serious tech hub that deserves global recognition commensurate with its actual impact.

This narrative work extends beyond mere cheerleading. It involves presenting factual evidence of Berlin’s strengths while honestly acknowledging the challenges that need addressing. This balanced approach lends credibility to the initiative and helps build trust with both local stakeholders and international observers.

High-Profile Support from Ecosystem Leaders

The launch of BAD1 has already attracted support from influential figures across Berlin’s tech ecosystem, demonstrating broad-based buy-in for the initiative’s mission.

Kai Wegner, the Mayor of Berlin, has endorsed the campaign, signaling political support for the ecosystem’s growth ambitions. This high-level backing could prove crucial for addressing regulatory and bureaucratic challenges that require government action.

Jan Oberhauser, founder of n8n—a company that recently expressed ambitions for a European listing—brings experience from scaling a successful Berlin-born company with global ambitions. His involvement connects BAD1 to the practical realities of building internationally competitive businesses from Berlin.

Daniel Khachab, founder of Choco, represents the success stories that Berlin has already produced. His participation underscores the initiative’s connection to proven entrepreneurs who understand both the opportunities and obstacles in the local ecosystem.

Marius Meiners of Peec AI, which recently raised $21 million in Series A funding to help brands win in AI search, brings insights from one of Berlin’s rising AI companies. His involvement highlights the city’s strength in emerging technology sectors.

Filip Dames, founding partner at Cherry, represents the investor perspective crucial for ecosystem development. His participation ensures that the initiative considers the needs and concerns of capital providers who are essential for startup scaling.

Florian Heinemann, founding partner at Project A, brings experience from one of Berlin’s most established venture capital firms. His involvement connects BAD1 to deep expertise in company building and scaling.

Dr. Gesa Miczaika, co-founder and partner at Auxxo and the Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund, brings a focus on diversity and inclusion that is increasingly recognized as essential for building robust, innovative ecosystems. Her participation ensures that BAD1 considers how to make Berlin’s tech scene more inclusive and representative.

The Path Forward: Building Momentum for Global Competitiveness

While Berlin auf die Eins is still in its early stages, the initiative represents a significant step toward making Berlin more competitive on the global stage. The combination of community ownership, focused prioritization, and high-profile support creates a foundation for meaningful change.

The initiative’s success will ultimately depend on its ability to deliver tangible improvements within the ambitious 12 to 24-month timeframe. This requires not just identifying the right priorities but also executing effectively on solutions, building coalitions for change, and maintaining momentum through inevitable challenges.

For Berlin’s startup ecosystem, BAD1 offers a path to realizing its full potential—transforming from a city known primarily for its nightlife and past internet boom into a recognized global leader in technology innovation and company building. For the broader European tech landscape, a more competitive Berlin strengthens the continent’s position in the global technology race.

The launch of Berlin auf die Eins marks not just the beginning of a new initiative, but potentially the start of a new chapter for one of Europe’s most dynamic and misunderstood tech ecosystems. As the community comes together to address its challenges and build on its strengths, Berlin may finally receive the global recognition its startup scene has long deserved.

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