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Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

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Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#11

Post by graup »

I'm from Berlin, so I naturally enjoy the kind of hype that's being created since one or two years ago. However, I'd like to stress what someone in the video said: It's just budding and really not yet comparable to New York or London. There are quite a couple of cool start-ups here now, but still few with innovative breakthrough technology and also few large investors. But I see it coming, too.

I guess this will also become a self-fulfilling prophecy. For ten years people have been telling how cool Berlin is and a lot creative people were attracted. Now everyone's telling about the new tech start-up scene and that will attract even more talented people - hopefully also large investors.

Interesting times ahead!

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#12

Post by zxcdw »

iconfinder wrote: post #8
jfaucett wrote: post #6

I'm a young developer living in Germany. Here's my perspective. Berlin is cheap, affordable, has an international culture (I'm an emmigrant) and pretty much something to offer to everyone, so the city itself just has a good attraction for young people. I don't know why the startup scene has started booming here but just type in "web start-up" at indeed ( http://www.indeed.de/Jobs?q=web+start-up&l=berlin ) and you'll…

"which no one studies in school" In Denmark we can select German classes in both elementary and high school.

Sure, here in Finland too, but who bothers at that age? Most people couldn't care less about "learning stuff that could be useful in future", and even less ever actually start thinking that taking optional classes could be benefitical. And even less of them think so at high school, let alone elementary school. So, in essence, no one studies German in school.

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#13

Post by mekwall »

iconfinder wrote: post #8
jfaucett wrote: post #6

I'm a young developer living in Germany. Here's my perspective. Berlin is cheap, affordable, has an international culture (I'm an emmigrant) and pretty much something to offer to everyone, so the city itself just has a good attraction for young people. I don't know why the startup scene has started booming here but just type in "web start-up" at indeed ( http://www.indeed.de/Jobs?q=web+start-up&l=berlin ) and you'll…

"which no one studies in school" In Denmark we can select German classes in both elementary and high school.

Same goes in Sweden. It's quite easy for us Scandinavians to learn German since our languages are closely related (all except Finnish are Germanic languages). In fact, its the same with English, which is also a Germanic language.

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#14

Post by alexro »

In the UK there is no consent among the investors where the action should go. I was quite surprised to learn than basically every credible accelerator has it's own view of where my start-up should be based.

Oxygen - Birmingham

Ignite100 - New Castle

Seedcamp - London

I get their desire to improve local culture but hey this is just ridiculous to ask me to settle somewhere because you gave me some money. Also, start-ups thrive in a tech-savvy areas only.

This all adds to the problem and Berlin has all the odds to become the answer.

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#15

Post by hastur »

cageface wrote: post #9

I enjoyed the time I spent in Berlin last year and I've considered going back there but this seems imprudent with the Euro on the verge of implosion.

That's funny. ;)

Some Euro countries (Greece) might be on the verge of implosion, but there's no way the general currency could suffer any significant damage and Germany is the very reason for that.

The German economy is among the most powerful in the world and quite frankly you're more likely to experience an economic collapse in the US than in Germany. (Albeit that's pretty unlikely too, obviously. At least for now.)

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#16

Post by mekwall »

zxcdw wrote: post #12
iconfinder wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"which no one studies in school" In Denmark we can select German classes in both elementary and high school.

Sure, here in Finland too, but who bothers at that age? Most people couldn't care less about "learning stuff that could be useful in future", and even less ever actually start thinking that taking optional classes could be benefitical. And even less of them think so at high school, let alone elementary school. So, in essence, no one studies German in school.

Wow! Is that the kind of attitude you have over there? ... I feel bad for you, my neighbour :(

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#17

Post by hastur »

alexro wrote: post #14

In the UK there is no consent among the investors where the action should go. I was quite surprised to learn than basically every credible accelerator has it's own view of where my start-up should be based. Oxygen - Birmingham Ignite100 - New Castle Seedcamp - London I get their desire to improve local culture but hey this is just ridiculous to ask me to settle somewhere because you gave me some money. Also, start-up…

Yeah, but the UK, for all intents and purposes, is a 51st US state, in terms of legal and privacy concerns.

If you want to protect your startup's users, you should base your company in a country that won't extradite people on charges that aren't even applicable in said country. (O'Dwyer casus)

And where police won't sell you location and other assorted private data to the highest bidder. (NotW casus)

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#18

Post by mekwall »

hastur wrote: post #15
cageface wrote: post #9

I enjoyed the time I spent in Berlin last year and I've considered going back there but this seems imprudent with the Euro on the verge of implosion.

That's funny. ;) Some Euro countries (Greece) might be on the verge of implosion, but there's no way the general currency could suffer any significant damage and Germany is the very reason for that. The German economy is among the most powerful in the world and quite frankly you're more likely to experience an economic collapse in the US than in Germany. (Albeit that's pretty unlikely too, obviously. At least for now…

Actually, an economic collapse in the US is one of the most likely things to occur during this century. If you can't see that coming you must be very naive.

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#19

Post by wondering »

On the 'fake it,till you make it' path,Berlin seems to be right in the 'fake it' part.You guys write about low costs of living,however there are cheaper places in Eastern Europe with better tech talent availability overall.You mention the nightlife and a couple of the clubs are indeed world class,but I'd doubt it that you go there more than 5 times a year.The internet in Germany is borderline third world quality,in Bulgaria and Romania you get some of the fastest internet in the world for a fraction of the price you'd pay in Germany.The women are better than in the UK,but far from the best looking in the world.

What I'm trying to say with this point is,I don't really see the advantage of being in Berlin in the early stages of your business too,when you're just a 3 people shop,busting your asses all day to move things forward

Having written all that,I loved Berlin during my few months stay.

Re: Is Berlin the new home for tech start-up business? [video]

#20

Post by hobin »

jfaucett wrote: post #6

I'm a young developer living in Germany. Here's my perspective. Berlin is cheap, affordable, has an international culture (I'm an emmigrant) and pretty much something to offer to everyone, so the city itself just has a good attraction for young people. I don't know why the startup scene has started booming here but just type in "web start-up" at indeed ( http://www.indeed.de/Jobs?q=web+start-up&l=berlin ) and you'll…

"which no one studies in school"

In the Netherlands, German is compulsory in high school at the HAVO and VWO levels. Regrettably, I've pretty much forgotten all of it. That being said, the Dutch people are already half German.

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