In 2020, Startup-Champs was launched under the conditions of the Corona pandemic as a joint national Pitch competition, which has also established itself as a live event in recent years. The expansion of this cooperation confirms the previous successes of the collaboration and aims to further promote the startup economy in Germany and strengthen its international presence.
According to the Dealroom database, the four megacities of Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, and Munich together represent a significant portion of the national startup ecosystem, with around 9,000 startups and an investment volume of almost eight billion euros. Since each city contributes a unique ecosystem with specific strengths, cooperation offers diverse opportunities for all to further expand existing connections.
Startup Champs cooperation aims to promote internationalization
The agreement between the participating cities sets out a roadmap for future joint projects and initiatives to further leverage the national and international potential of startups. The main goals of the "Startup Champs Germany" collaboration include:
- Joint projects to market Germany's four largest startup locations
- Increasing the national and international visibility of the participating startup locations
- Supporting local startup ecosystems through mutual networking and information exchange
- Initiatives to further stimulate startup creation, for example by promoting female entrepreneurship
By signing this cooperation agreement at the real estate trade fair, the four cities underline their commitment to the startup scene and send a strong signal for the future of the German startup ecosystem and its internationalization.
Clemens Baumgärtner, Minister for Labor and Economic Affairs of the City of Munich, commented:
"No other German city registers as many patents or founds as many companies per capita as Munich. Innovative business ideas find an ideal environment for growth here thanks to the interaction of top universities and research institutions, extensive funding opportunities and investor networks, and strong ties to industry. National competition with the three other German startup capitals of Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne is important and fruitful, but we can benefit even more from a partnership between the locations. The Startup Champs program lays the foundation for this. In the coming years, we will further expand this cooperation, in which each city can contribute its individual strengths."
While the economic development agencies of the four Startup Champs cities will be showcasing selected prop-tech startups at this year's Expo Real, demonstrating the innovative solutions startups can offer even for large companies in the real estate sector, the Startup Champs' first international activities will follow in 2023: The four cities will already be visible as Startup Champs at the German joint stands of European startup events such as the Web Summit in Lisbon or Slush in Helsinki. Founders from the four cities were able to apply for participation and then present their business models to an international expert audience at the Startup Champs event.
Further information about Startup Champs Germany can be found on the associated website.
