By Tim Rowe, Founder & CEO, CIC
I am thrilled to share with you our latest milestone in expanding CIC’s global footprint: our strategic entry into Berlin, Germany. At CIC, we have a 25-year history of taking a deliberate approach in selecting new locations and partners to create vibrant innovation communities. Our venture into Berlin embodies this commitment.
Our journey into Berlin begins with the historic Lohmühlenstraße 65 factory, which served as the first large innovation hub in Germany when Factory Berlin turned the facility into a shared workspace in 2018. We appreciate the Factory Berlin team’s assistance as we sought a smooth transition to take over the space and to support the many companies based in the space. We are excited to build on the legacy of innovation in this building and to call this building home for CIC in Berlin.
At CIC, we choose to operate in “future focused” cities with thriving startup ecosystems and robust support for innovation. Berlin is a pivotal city in the global innovation landscape, ranking as #1 in Germany and #2 in the EU. What’s more, Berlin is home to approximately 36% of Germany’s startups, a testament to its status as a magnet for entrepreneurial talent.
One of the reasons behind Berlin’s rise as a startup hub lies in the proactive support from the local government. Initiatives like the Berlin Startup Unit and the Investitionsbank Berlin provide invaluable resources and financial assistance to startups, creating an environment conducive to innovation and growth.
But Berlin’s appeal extends beyond just government support; it offers a wealth of opportunities for startups across various industries. Berlin excels in sectors like fintech, AI, big data & analytics, and cleantech, attracting top international talent and significant investment. For instance, Berlin’s fintech scene received 94% of total funding invested in the fintech/insurtech sub-sector in Germany in 2022, amounting to €1.3 billion.
Berlin’s strategic location in the heart of Europe provides startups with unparalleled market access. With a dense transport network and high purchasing power, Berlin serves as a gateway to the European market, offering endless opportunities for expansion and collaboration.
CIC built from scratch what are today the largest startup hubs in the US, Japan, the Netherlands and Poland. This expansion to Berlin gives us an opportunity to bring that expertise to the largest facility in Germany dedicated to housing startups and innovation teams of larger corporations. We and our partners will be investing in upgrades to this historic building, and introducing our newest approaches to supporting and fostering innovation.
Importantly, members of our new CIC Berlin facility will have access to our global network of innovation campuses, and will be able to literally walk in and work at our other facilities, from Boston to Warsaw to Tokyo. Our network of 2,500+ startups and corporations worldwide stands open to them as they seek to bring their innovations to the world.
As we embark on this new chapter in Berlin, I am filled with excitement for the possibilities ahead. I look forward to getting to know our partners in the public and private sectors in Berlin, and our neighbors in Berlin’s historic Kreuzberg district where we are located. Together with our partners and the vibrant community of innovators in Berlin, we will continue to push the boundaries of innovation and shape the future worldwide.
