Startup ecosystems can be fragmented, competitive, and hidden to newcomers, which is detrimental for local startups and community growth. The Startup Ecosystem Canvas seeks to provide local entrepreneurs with a clear list of resources for every stage of their startup journey, and outline a basic framework for communities to map their ecosystem.
With applications for the Berlin Founder Institute coming to a close, we are excited to release the new Berlin Startup Ecosystem Canvas v1 below! It was developed by the Berlin Founder Institute and local leaders Amanda Fornal, Berlin Admin (., ex-Googler, ex-IBMer), Eva Dimitrova (Inventor, Go-To-Market Canvas), Ferdinand Muehlhaeuser (Lead Director Berlin, Founder Institute Berlin), Kai Malkwitz (Impact Director, Founder Institute Berlin / Germany), Mohammad Hossein Tavangar (Director, Founder Institute), Nathan Evans (Co-Founder fulfin / Local Leader FI Munich, fulfin - financing ecommerce), Rikke Klitskov (CMO, YellowX OU), Sara Maki (Director, Barclays).
This is just a draft, and while we spent many hours on this research, more input is needed. Please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document to help us complete the list. There are definitely omissions on this current version.
Are you looking to build a startup in Berlin? Then apply to the Berlin Founder Institute today!
Text version included below, for ease of searching:
Startup Stages
There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.
1. Idea Stage
This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.
A. Inspire
- Berlin Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters)
- Inspirational Berlin Startup Events: Open, inclusive startup events that often focus on ideation. (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
- #witas - Women in Tech and Startups Berlin
- B2B Berlin
- BCGDV Startup Talks
- Berlin Future Mobility Meetup
- Bitcoin Lab Berlin
- Disrupt Berlin 2018
- Geek Girls Carrots Germany
- German Tech Entrepreneurship Center (GTEC) Meetup
- Lean Startup Summit Berlin
- Product Crunch
- Silicon Allee Events
- Startup EUvolution Berlin
- Startupnight
- Startup Safari
- Startup Weekend Berlin
- TechMeetups Berlin
- The Family Berlin
- Women Techmakers Berlin
- Women Who Code Berlin
- Tech Open Air (TOA)
B. Educate
- Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing tech events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire).
- Berlin.JS
- Berlin Ethereum Meetup
- Berlin Mobile Marketing & Growth Meetup
- Berlin Startup Program for Emerging Entrepreneurs
- Big Data Berlin
- Blockchain, peaq and Beyond
- Cryptotank Meetup
- Data Science Community Day
- Decentralised Tech Berlin
- Die Berlin C++ Meetup Gruppe
- GOTO Nights Berlin
- IoT Brunch
- InnovationLabs.Berlin
- Java Usergroup Berlin-Brandenburg
- Kotlin Berlin
- LEAD Academy
- Microservices Meetup Berlin
- PyData Berlin
- PyLadies Berlin
- Rust Berlin
- Software Craftsmanship Berlin
- Startup Crash Course
- Startup Founder 101 Berlin
- Startup Grind Berlin
- ThoughtWorks Berlin
- Virtual Reality Berlin
- Vue.js Berlin
- Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development events and startup bootcamps for entrepeneurs. (Includes comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, General Assembly, Lean Startup Machine, code camps, etc)
- AngularJS Meetup Berlin
- Berlin AWS User Group
- Berlin DevOps
- Berlin Lean Startup
- Berlin Machine Learning Group
- Berlin NLP
- Berlin Startup: Idea to IPO
- Big Data Developers in Berlin
- Bots Berlin
- CareerFoundry
- Cocoaheads Berlin
- CODE
- Corkscrew
- Data Science Retreat
- Data Visualization Berlin
- Design Lab Berlin
- Docker Berlin
- Founder Institute
- GDG Berlin
- GDG Berlin Android
- Ironhack
- Ironhack Berlin - Coding Bootcamp Meetup
- iXperience
- Lean Startup Machine Berlin
- Le Wagon
- Le Wagon Berlin - Coding Bootcamp Meetup
- On Product
- OpenTechSchool Berlin Meetup
- PostgreSQL Meetup Group Berlin
- ProductCamp Berlin
- ProductTank Berlin
- Project Management Meetup Berlin
- Python Users Berlin
- React.js & React Native Berlin
- SPICED Academy
- Stackademy
- Startup Camp 2018
- Startup Class
- Startup Incubator Berlin Meetup
- STEM 4 Health Berlin
- The Family
- Ubiqum Code Academy
- Up.front
- Wearable Berlin
- WordPress Meetup Berlin
- Zalando Tech Events Berlin
C. Validate
- Team Formation: Events for Finding Co-founders in Berlin. (i.e. tech networking events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
- 12min.me
- Berlin Meetup for Innovative Technology and Business
- Berlin Startup Culture
- BerlinStartups
- Berlin UI/UX Designers Meetup
- Berlin UX Happy Hour
- Co-Found Berlin
- CoFoundersLab
- FilmTech Meetup Berlin
- FinTech Berlin
- Founder2be
- FounderDating
- Founders Nation
- Founders Network
- H2.co
- Hackers/Founders Berlin
- Hispanic Startup Berlin
- iBridges
- meetup.ai [Berlin]
- Silicon Drinkabout Berlin
- START Berlin
- Startup Berlin
- Startup Sucht
- TechCofounder
- Build First Product: Hackathons & product events in Berlin.
- 3D Berlin
- AFRA Berlin
- Berlin: DCI Hackathon
- Berlin Hack and Tell
- Berlin Hacker News Meetup
- Berlin Science Hacking
- C-Base
- Code4Green: 1st BMU Sustainability Hack
- Data Deep Dive Hackathon
- DoraHacks Dapp Dev & Crypto Games Hack
- ETHBerlin Hackathon
- Fab Lab Berlin
- Game Developers Berlin
- Hacker Games!
- Hacking Female Health HACKATHON
- Hacking Health Berlin
- Hacks/Hackers Berlin
- Happylab Berlin
- HLAG 2018 - FinTech & Blockchain Hackathon
- NASA - Space App Challenge Hackathon
- NEO Camp: NEO Blockchain Hackathon
- SmartCountry Hacks
- SysAdmin Hackathon - The Student Edition
- The ESMT Hacknight Education
2. Launch Stage
In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.
A. Start
- Establish: Berlin law firms & banks for startups
- Berlin Workspaces: Co-working and flexible workspaces for startups in Berlin.
B. Develop
- Formalize: Berlin accounting, development and HR tools for early-stage startups.
- Berlin Incubators: Groups that prepare companies for seed investment and provide advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources)
C. Launch
- Berlin Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)
- APX Axel Springer Porsche GmbH & Co.
- Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator
- Berlin Startup Academy
- Beyond1435
- Climate-KIC Accelerator
- DB mindbox
- EO Accelerator
- EyeFocus Accelerator
- G4A Accelerator
- German Accelerator Tech
- Hardware.co Accelerator
- leAD Sports Accelerator
- InnoEnergy
- METRO Accelerator
- Microsoft Accelerator
- Project Flying Elephant
- ProSiebenSat.1 Accelerator
- Startupbootcamp Digital Health
- Startupbootcamp Smart Transportation & Energy
- Techstars Berlin Accelerator
- Pitch & Demo Events: Tech events that showcase Berlin startups for investment.
- APX Axel Springer Porsche GmbH & Co. KG - Pitch Tuesday
- Berlin Demo Day
- Betapitch Berlin
- Blockchain Startup Pitch
- Climate-KIC Accelerator Demo Day
- Factory Berlin Demo Day
- Innovators' Pitch
- Leapfunder Investor Readiness Session Berlin
- Le Wagon Berlin Demo Day
- New Work Pitch Night
- Startupbootcamp Digital Health Demo Day
- Startup Camp Pitch Marathon
- Startup City Pitch
- Startup Sprint Berlin
- Techstars Berlin Accelerator Demo Day
3. Growth Stage
Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.
A. Recognition
- Berlin Investor Networking: Events and groups that connect professional investors with founders.
- Major Media: Mainstream local business press that often showcase local startups.
B. Funding
- Berlin Angel Investors: Seed-stage investors and micro-vcs.
- Alexander Bruehl
- Christian Thaler-Wolski
- Christian Vollmann
- Christopher Muenchhoff
- Eoghan Jennings
- Eric Wahlforss
- Felix Jahn
- Filip Felician Dames
- Guenter Kraft
- Impact 51
- Ingo Juraske
- Jag Singh
- Jan Borgstädt
- Jonathan Becker
- Lukasz Gadowski
- Michael Sidler
- Mikko Alasaarela
- Nicolas Wittenborn
- Pawel Chudzinski
- Philipp Moehring
- Ron Hillmann
- Rouven Dresselhaus
- Sebastian Pollok
- Shaun Abrahamson
- Simon Schaefer
- Stephan Wirries
- Thomas Hessler
- Berlin Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
- Avala Capital
- b10
- BCG Digital Ventures
- Berlin Metropolitan Ventures
- Berlin Venture Partners
- BlueYard Capital
- bmp Ventures
- btov Partners
- Capnamic Ventures
- Cavalry Ventures
- Cooperativa
- CREANDUM
- DN Capital
- e.ventures
- Earlybird
- EQT Ventures
- Fraunhofer Ventures
- IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft
- K - Invest
- Lakestar
- Partech Partners
- Paua Ventures
- Peppermint VenturePartners
- Point Nine Capital
- Project A
- Redstone VC
- RedAlpine
- System. One
- Target Global
- WestTech Ventures
C. Growth
- Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
- Expansion: Berlin Growth accelerators and consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
- A.T. Kearney
- Accenture
- Aon
- Bain & Company
- BearingPoint
- Boston Consulting Group
- BPI
- Capgemini
- Company Consulting Team
- Deloitte
- Egon Zehnder
- Ernst & Young
- FTI Consulting
- Gallup
- Grant Thornton
- Hill+Knowlton Strategies
- Korn Ferry
- KPMG
- McKinsey & Company
- Mercer
- Navigant
- North Highland
- PwC
- Roland Berger
- SapientRazorfish
- SAP Startup Accelerator
4. Berlin Startup Success Stories
Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.
- 8fit
- Asana Rebel
- Auto1
- Blinkist
- Book A Tiger
- Clue
- CrossLend
- Delivery Hero
- DOJO Madness
- EyeEm
- finleap
- Foodpanda
- GetYourGuide
- HelloFresh Group
- Helpling
- Home24
- IDAGIO
- Juniqe
- LIQID
- Marley Spoon
- Mister Spex
- Movinga
- N26
- Outfittery
- relayr
- ResearchGate
- Rocket Internet
- solarisBank
- SoundCloud
- Thermondo
- TwentyBN
- Uberall
- Wooga
- Wunderlist
- Zalando
- ZEOTAP
Supporters
To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.
1. Berlin Startup Leaders
Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.
- Andreas Schwarzkopf
- Benjamin Rohé
- Danny Holtschke
- Darius Moeini
- David Higgins
- Dirk Lehmann
- Dirk Muller-Dornieden
- Dr. Anne Seebach
- Dr. Richard Süselbeck
- Dr. Thomas Poeppe
- Edward Taylor
- Elad Verbin
- Ferdinand Mühlhäuser
- Florian Noell
- Hasan Ozdemir
- Jack Owen
- Jackson Bond
- Jens Woloszczak
- Kai Malkwitz
- Kathleen Fritzsche
- Klaus G. Kammermeier
- Lena Katharina Bödeker
- Lisa Wehden
- Lutz Haase
- Mali M. Baum
- Marc C. Lange
- Mario Paladini
- Mario Steinbuch
- Markus Sauerhammer
- Meera Innes
- Mor Eini
- Olivia Czetwertynski
- Prof. Dr. Lutz Göcke
- Rowan Barnett
- Samanta Boero
- Sandeep Bajjuri
- Sascha Karstaedt
- Steven Renwick
- Zefi Hennessy Holland
2. Berlin Government Startup Resources
Public organizations that facilitate local economic development
- AiF Projekt GmbH
- American Chamber of Commerce in Germany
- Berlin Innovation
- Berlin Partner
- British Chamber of Commerce in Germany
- Deutsche Startups e.V.
- Germany Trade and Invest
- IHK Berlin
- Invest in Berlin
- National Innovation Programme
- Reason Why Berlin
- Science and Innovation - Berlin
- Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises - Berlin
3. Talent
Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.
- Local Berlin Tech Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)
- bbw Hochschule Berlin
- Berlin School of Business and Innovation
- Berlin School of Economics and Law
- Berlin University of the Arts
- Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin
- BSP Business School Berlin
- BTK
- EMBA-Medienakademie
- ESCP Europe
- ESMT Berlin
- Freie Universität Berlin
- GISMA Business School
- Haensch Business School Berlin
- Hertie School of Governance
- HMKW
- HTW Berlin
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- HWTK
- IUBH
- Mediadesign Hochschule
- Quadriga University
- SRH Hochschule Berlin
- Steinbeis University Berlin
- Technische Universität Berlin
- Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin
- Berlin Tech Employers
Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on the Berlin Canvas on this collaborative Google document (This is just a draft, and more input is needed!)