Notable Features of the Entrepreneurial Metropolis
In the vibrant world of German startups, the first half of 2025 has proven to be a significant period of growth and innovation. Here are some of the key highlights that have caught our attention.
Investment Opportunities Abound
Startup-Champs Germany is offering a €300,000 investment for founders hailing from Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, or Cologne. This investment is a testament to the growing potential of startups in these cities.
Startups Making a Difference
One such startup is Novocarbo, which produces biochar from plant residues such as fruit kernels. This eco-friendly product finds applications in animal feed and landscape construction, demonstrating the power of sustainable innovation. Novocarbo operates in its own laboratory in the TecHHub in the Science City.
Another notable startup is Conductr.io, which aims to accelerate approval procedures for energy transition projects and networks companies with suitable partners. Their work is crucial in driving the green revolution forward.
Fintech on the Rise
The fintech sector has also seen significant growth. Finstep, a fintech startup, has been integrated into the family banking app Bling and acquired by the Berlin-based startup of the same name.
Nect, another fintech startup, has acquired Acadias, an automated platform for anti-money laundering checks. This move is expected to strengthen Nect's position in the financial technology landscape.
Supporting the Startup Ecosystem
The Startup City Hamburg is the central digital hub for the startup ecosystem in Hamburg. It provides an overview of the startups, jobs, funding opportunities, and networking possibilities based in Hamburg. Startup City Hamburg also offers a newsletter for updates on Hamburg's startup scene.
Growth Across Regions
The report "Next Generation", published by the German Startups Association and startupdetector, reveals that a total of 1,500 startups were newly founded nationwide in the first half of 2025, marking an increase of 9% compared to the second half of 2024.
Berlin showed the highest startup growth rate in the first half of 2025, leading with 132 financing rounds and significant investment volume, representing about one-third of all German startup investment during this period. Saxony has the highest growth with 71%, followed by Bavaria (23%) and North Rhine-Westphalia (16%).
Supporting Rural Startups
For those considering starting a business in a rural area, information can be found in a separate article.
Innovative Startups to Watch
Stackgini has completed its earliest funding phase and is supported by various business angels, xdeckVentures, and the High-Tech Gründerfonds. Rabot Energy is supported by Busch Ventures to bring dynamic electricity tariffs to private individuals and companies. Zemmi builds large cargo bike trailers as an alternative to small delivery vans, and Zellerfeld R&D produces shoes with a 3D printer.
Looking Ahead
In the realm of artificial intelligence, the application deadline for startups dealing with this topic is September 14. The best result since the first half of 2022 was achieved in the first half of 2025, signaling a promising future for the German startup scene.
Lastly, it's worth noting that Hamburg remains stable with 84 new startups at the level of the previous half-year. The city is in second place with a value of 4.5, behind Berlin (6.7), in the ranking of federal states by foundations per 100,000 inhabitants.
The Future Hamburg Talks met Paulo Kalkhake from GovTecHH, as reported in a separate article, and tecHHub Hamburg is a research facility for the future, as reported elsewhere. Mutly provides seniors with a platform for social activities including pick-up and delivery service, rounding off our list of notable startups from the first half of 2025.
