5 reasons Berlin is one of the best cities for entrepreneurs & digital nomads
Considering moving to Berlin? These 5 reasons will make you fall in love with Berlin, especially if you’re a digital nomad!
As Germany’s capital and largest city, it’s easy to see why Berlin is a haven for people with ambition. But these facts alone don’t explain the popularity of this European capital with entrepreneurs and digital nomads.
Part of what makes Berlin such an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and digital nomads is the number of angel investors and venture capital firms. In terms of European countries, only London ranks behind Berlin in terms of available funding and infrastructure.
Of course, this is only one of the reasons why Berlin is one of the best cities for entrepreneurs and digital nomads. In this guide we will walk you through the advantages of moving to Berlin to grow your start-up or pursue life as a digital nomad.
Here are 5 reasons why Berlin is one of the best cities for entrepreneurs and digital nomads.
Berlin is home to big businesses and is a startup hub
Germany’s capital is home to the global headquarters for major companies like Siemens and Axel Springer, and the German or European headquarters of Bombardier Transportation, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, and Sony.
However, Berlin is even more recognized as a startup hub. Hundreds of apps, delivery services, SaaS companies, and more call the capital home. Berlin has a number of unique advantages that make it the perfect place to start or grow a digital business. In fact, according to The Startup Guide, a new business is born every 20 minutes in Berlin.
Given that it’s home to so many big businesses and high-tech new ventures, living in Berlin is ideal for entrepreneurs and digital nomads.
There’s no local language roadblock in Berlin
Whether or not you’re a native speaker, there is no denying that English is the lingua fraca of the fast-growing tech world. Many cities and countries offer temptingly low costs when it comes to rent and everyday expenses, but a language barrier prevents founders from growing their businesses in these localities.
Since English is widely taught to German citizens beginning when they are in elementary school, no such local language roadblock exists in Berlin. Founders can find new team members by advertising both locally and internationally – especially since Berlin’s many attractions and relatively low cost of living means it is home to many expats with a wide variety of tech skills.
In short, as English is widely spoken throughout Germany, there’s no language barrier to contend with when you start a business in Berlin, or move your growing startup to the capital. This is just another reason why Berlin is ideal for entrepreneurs and digital nomads.
Berlin offers great quality of life
Berlin is one of the most exciting cities in Europe, if not the entire world. Germany’s capital has an amazing cultural scene. Berlin is home to excellent museums and performance spaces. There’s cool street art and a fantastic dining scene, ranging from cheap eats at outdoor markets to five-star restaurants.
Berlin offers great quality of life to residents at a comparatively lower cost than in other European and North American major cities. Rent, groceries, utilities, and transportation are more affordable in Berlin than in other cities of a comparable size, which means that not only you but your employees will live will for less money.
In addition to cost benefits, Berlin is extremely convenient ideal for entrepreneurs and digital nomads. The city’s public transportation is affordable and gives newcomers the ability to travel far and wide – not just within Berlin, but throughout the country.
It’s easy to relocate and stay in Berlin
Housing options are plentiful in Germany’s capital, making relocation a relatively simple and straightforward process. Renting a furnished apartment in Berlin is the easiest way to move, since you do not need to purchase furniture or spend time setting up utilities.
Although furnished apartments cost more each month than unfurnished apartments, you may save money in the long run. After all, you won’t need to purchase furniture, linens, kitchenware, electronics, and other costly items. It’s also easier to choose a move-in ready apartment as a foreigner, since there can be a great deal of paperwork involved before signing a year-long lease in Berlin.
Whether you choose a move-in ready apartment, decide to live with flat mates, or find an unfurnished apartment, it’s easy for entrepreneurs and digital nomads to relocate and stay in Berlin.
Berlin has perfect spaces to connect and work
It should come as no surprise that Berlin has an abundance of cool coworking spaces and tech offices. After all, Germany’s capital is home to more startups per capita than almost any other city.
In addition to the heavy concentration of startups, Berlin is a city of freelancers. In 2019, some 260,000 city residents were self-employed, and that number has only grown. As more and more companies adopt “work from anywhere” policies, there are also more people with corporate positions who are choosing to work from coworking spaces.
Bearing all these facts in mind, it should come as no surprise that Berlin is home to hundreds of coworking spaces of all sizes. Companies like WeWork make up much of the coworking real estate, but there are also many independent coworking facilities.
If you’re a digital nomad, you should be able to find an office away from your apartment that suits your needs. Some office space providers offer “hot desks,” where you can pay by the day or even by the hour to work. Other coworking spaces have monthly memberships, and some assign you a permanent workstation.
Are you thinking about moving your startup to Berlin? You have a number of options when it comes to office space. You can go the coworking route, signing up with WeWork or a different out-of-the-box provider, or you could rent an office. The advantage of coworking spaces is that, like furnished apartments in Berlin, they come with furniture, artwork, and utilities ready to go. Of course, if you choose empty office space you can decorate it to your liking and can shop for furniture as you hire more employees.
In conclusion, moving to Berlin could be the perfect way to add new talent and energy to your start-up enterprise, or enjoy the independent life of a digital nomad. Germany’s capital has a high concentration of startups, English is nearly universal as a second language, and the quality of life is excellent. It’s also easy to relocate to stay in Berlin, especially if you choose a flexible-term furnished apartment, and you will have a choice of excellent coworking spaces and offices.