Well, well, well. So you decided to go to/check out/move to Berlin, Germany, because of its vivid startup scene, he? Alright then, good for you, because there seriously is something going on here. And as I was helping quite a few people to settle in here in the startup scene over the last couple of years, I decided to put all this into this little guide. If you have anything to add: please feel free to make a pull request or use the comments section below.
This is totally personally and opinionated and as such doesn't even try to be complete. At all. Don't try this argument on me. This is what I personally recommend everyone, who asks me about. I'll try to keep it up to date, but you better look at the timestamp before going anywhere ;) .
The first thing you need to do, is to subscribe to the two most important tech-startup-newsletters for Berlin:
- The Startup Digest Berlin - a list of all important events in the tech startup scene in your inbox every tuesday
- The Fetch Berlin - everything that is going on and you need to know about as a monthly digest to your inbox (including hot blog-articles and stuff)
There are plenty of coworking-spaces in Berlin, check Deskwanted for a long listing, but there are two I'd like to point out; you need to know them as they are very active in the community and are hosts of many user groups and tech-events:
- Co.Up isn't only a great place to work and home of the OpenTechSchool but created with the crowdfunding money they raised last year an amazing space to host all kinds of events, from workshops over user-group meetings up to parties. Check their calendar there is something going on every other evening.
- Betahaus not far from co.up you can find the other amazing coworking space. And if I say space, I mean spaaaaace, like ... it is really huge and as such has been host of many big events and conferences as well. While Co.Up is very software- and digital-creative heavy betahaus also incorporates makers, a café and huge space to move your whole 10-people company there and still grow.
You want to know whether there is a hackerspace? In Berlin? Dude, here is THE hackerspace, the blueprint of them all, the one and only c-base. Foundation run by the community host of plenty of amazing events, but very technical and hacker-heavy. And whether you like it or not, you should have been there during your time in Berlin and learnt more about the spaceship they are trying to lift there...
When you are new in the city, you should move stone and montains to get to the silicon allee breakfast at least twice. It takes place on the first tuesday of the month from 9 am (yeah, I know) at St. Oberholz (see cafés) and is full of tech expacts, who are new to Berlin as well as plenty of existing Founders (less Developers, just to early). Aside from that, more and more events are organised through meetup.com, so you can always find something to go to. Two I'd like to point out, first the OpenTechSchool Initiative and then Hack'n'Tell.
So there are a few names you definetly don't want to stumble upon when mentioned in a conversation and have to ask what/who they are. Not that anyone would mind, but that can easily become a heated discussion between people, which you actually don't want to be part of. So those are on need to know bases:
Also known as the agressive german copy-cats, became famous for their very own business tactis: making big bloated copy-cat of upcoming internet businesses with a lot of marketing money that any expanding company then has to buy to get into the German market. They made their intial money selling cell phone ring tones in the early 2000th (company called Jamba), then build StudiVZ a Facebook Clone and their so far biggest exit when selling MyCityDeal to Groupon in mid 2010. Because of their lack in innovation and some moraly shady business tactics. Still, they are until today the most famous and richest Internet-Startup-Germans.
You don't know soundcloud? Why did you come here? Not for the startup scene, I can tell. But alright, one of the most prestigous of all Berlin startups, because it is a real internet-, tech- business and combines it with another of Berlins passions: culture - music in particular. As such it has deep roots in the Berlin music scene and is an almost default sponsor for hackathons and many tech events. Though not founded by Germans (but Scandinavians, who moved here, you'll find that it is a pattern), it is the number one example stated when talking about the "Berlin startup scene" in media. Which probably serves them.
Earlybirds are a early investment fund originally from munich and one of the first international investors to open an office in Berlin with a team located here full-time. Because of that you'll find Ciarán on many events and meetups, they are deep rooted in the Berlin scene by now. He is also blogging as berlinvc.com.
Whenever you don't know what to talk about anymore, just select any of those well-known (because very hyped) startups, name them and add "what's up with them, right?" and you got your conversation topic. Either because they again got hyped recently or you haven't heard much about them, but people know their names. So click on their name and get familiar with the layout, you'll find them here and there again (no particular order):
6Wunderkinder, MyTaxi, EyeEm, Gidsy, Amen, Readmill, Moviepilot, LoopCam, Delivery Hero, Klash
There are plenty of nice little places with really great coffee in Berlin, so please don't waste money and time in Starbucks or McCafé. In many smaller café, you'll find modern Espresso machines and a decent coffee. Sadly many Germans still drink their coffee with plenty of sugar and milk, which also makes it easy to mask a not so good taste. Even if you don't drink coffee, there are still a few places you should know about because they always come up in the tech-startup-scene in Berlin:
- The Barn, Mitte - great coffee, even better früchtebrot and NY-style cheesecake
- St. Oberholz, Mitte - not good coffee, but take a cuppocino, sit down and observe all those people working on their laptops. That what this place is famous for.
- Five Elephant, Kreuzberg - if you want a good coffee around Kottbusser Tor, walk over here. It is a bit but worth every step.
- Il Syndicato, Mitte - one out of two Slayer machines in Berlin. Taste the pure espresso and you'll know why that is so important.
- Bonanza Coffee Hero, Prenzlauer Berg, the one and only.
How the hack should I know? Ah, oh.. you mean parties and stuff? Well, so there is a really great Team in Berlin for the local unlike edition - get the App. If you have a recommendation from there, you can be sure, it is very decent, but also not always the cheapest. And if you are into electro, the only almost complete listing you'll find on beatguide.me.
- There is a pretty big berlin startup map. Sometimes we like to print the list and play "Find the dead ones". Kidding. But we should, it isn't very accurate at times. Another long (and not at all more accurate) list can be found as made in berlin
- I already mentioned unlike.net
- German Startup Focussed Press: Gründerszene, Deutsche Startups, I already mentioned Silicon Allee
Quick way to get here and get to know where and what to do. One thing will lead to another from the things listed here Very useful rundown. Thank you!