Berlin continues to develop positively

The capital’s economy continues to develop positively. This is shown by the 2024 annual report figures from Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH, which works on behalf of the state of Berlin: In 315 projects in the areas of relocation, portfolio development and innovation projects, the business development agency has successfully supported companies that have created a total of 6715 new jobs in Berlin. A record sum of around 1.1 billion Euro is being invested. The industries of the future therefore remain attractive, even if the overall environment is difficult and the economy is weakening nationwide. This is demonstrated by the high level of investment in the future-oriented ICT, media and creative industries (437 million Euro) and transport, mobility and logistics (403 million Euro), which is well ahead of the other clusters and sectors.

The projects supported by Berlin Partner also provide important economic impetus for the entire Berlin economy: According to calculations by the economists at Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB), the additional investment and employment effects triggered by Berlin Partner will support gross domestic product by a total of 1.9 billion Euro in the period 2024 to 2026. Public revenue will increase by a total of 230 million Euro in the same period due to the additional value creation effects.

As a business promoter, Berlin Partner accompanies companies across all sectors, both when settling in Berlin and while growing there, networks them in the region, provides information about funding opportunities and advises them on the search for suitable personnel. Last year, 84 companies settled in Berlin, 51 of them from abroad. The UK and Turkey were the most strongly represented countries with eight settlements each, followed by the US, France and Ukraine with three each. This means that most companies come from Europe (38 per cent, excluding the proportion of companies from Germany), followed by companies from Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania with 15 per cent. The share for North, Latin and South America is around seven per cent.

Examples of companies that have moved into the area in the past year include the Japanese company Yamaha, which wants to establish a new business with electric vehicles such as e-bikes, having replaceable batteries and battery exchange stations available throughout Berlin. HoloMedix.AI has had its headquarters in Berlin since January 2024 and develops wearables and AI-based software for a holistic approach to maintaining health and accompanying people in need of care. The existing games cluster was convincing for the Finnish games development studio Metacore to open its location in Berlin. The German robotics start-up N Robotics GmbH, which develops its innovative and customised solutions entirely in-house, also opted for Berlin.

Franziska Giffey, Mayor of Berlin and Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises: “Berlin’s economy is growing. In 2024, we recorded better economic growth than the federal government for the eleventh time in a row and also further increased the number of employees subject to social insurance contributions to a total of 1,686,597. The balance sheet of our business development company Berlin Partner is an important part of this success story. Of course, success does not come about on its own, but is the result of the work of many dedicated employees who promote Berlin worldwide and provide expert support to companies setting up or expanding in the city. We are supporting this work again this year with 14.3 million Euro, which is money well spent for the whole of Berlin. At the same time, we are consistently investing in the industries of the future, for example with lighthouses such as the House of Finance and Tech or the House of Games, and are driving forward the expansion of state-of-the-art infrastructure. This includes nationwide 5G and fibre optic networks, fast and digital administration for Berlin’s economy and a clean and secure energy supply. In this way, we are positioning Berlin as the number one centre of innovation in Europe and ensuring further economic growth.”

Dr. Stefan Franzke, Managing Director of Berlin Partner: “In order to continue to score points in international competition, we also travelled a lot in 2024. That proved successful: More than 60 percent of the settlements last year came from abroad. We also see that the digital sector continues to drive growth in Berlin. This applies in particular to areas such as Fintech, Green tech, Health tech and Games. As business promoters, we want to be there for Berlin’s economy with good ideas, with our services and with help and advice. This is especially true for innovation-driven companies that rely heavily on research and development and thus invest in the future. The goal is still to become the number 1 innovation location in Europe.”

Research and development

The science region of Berlin with its internationally renowned universities and research institutions is one of the largest in Europe and a source of inspiration for Berlin’s innovative economy. This is also reflected in the high number of innovation projects that Berlin Partner supported last year. A total of around 144 million Euro was raised for research and development in the 107 successful projects. Of this amount, 63 million Euro were raised from federal programmes and almost 9 million Euro from European funds for Berlin. Berlin provided the second largest share with 36 million.

Further information and graphics on Berlin Partner’s 2024 annual report can be found at https://www.berlin-partner.de/presse/detail/berlin-entwickelt-sich-weiter-positiv

Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie – We work for innovation and growth!

The business development agency Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie is Berlin’s service provider for growth and innovation. Berlin Partner supports companies and investors in their move to Berlin and in their development in this city. Berlin Partner’s experts provide information on financing options, advise on finding suitable premises or qualified personnel and help build networks with partners from the world of science. The State of Berlin and more than 250 companies committed to promoting their city stand behind Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie as a unique public/private partnership. Berlin Partner is also responsible for marketing the German capital worldwide. www.berlin-partner.de