Key lessons from the Inaugural Startup Ecosystem Summit

Not long ago, the European Startup Initiative had the opportunity to take part in the inaugural Startup Ecosystem Summit in Cologne. Hosted by Pirate Global, directly preceding their flagship Pirate Summit, the Ecosystem Summit brought together startup community organizers, movers and shakers from over 30 different startup ecosystems across the world. Here, participants discussed the

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Beyond Berlin: Why not startup in Hamburg?

When people think about the German startup landscape, most minds immediately go to the hype of Berlin, or the technical excellence of Munich. However, Hamburg, a coastal city in the north of Germany is distinguishing itself as an incredible destination for startups. Here are ten serious reasons why you might want to consider Hamburg for your startup (and

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New ranking confirms Nordic cities among top 10 startup hubs in Europe

An intriguing new survey on 700+ founders reinforces the notion that hotspots in the Nordic countries are increasingly gaining reputation as best places to startup in Europe. The study called Startup Heatmap Europe asked entrepreneurs to choose which cities they would locate their startups if they could begin again. Interestingly, the Nordic region brings two

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7 theses on the future of cities

If you want to understand what is happening in the world today, I strongly believe, you need to study the evolution of global cities. In particular, the writings of Saskia Sassen, author of “The Global City” and “Territory, Authority, Rights: From Medieval to Global Assemblages” have opened my eyes to a fascinating phenomenon, one which the

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Startup Germany and the fight for talent

There is a fierce tussle among startup hotspots to see who can attract the best entrepreneurial minds. Already, 1 in 5 European founders have started a company abroad. That is 5 times the likelihood of cross-country mobility of an average European citizen! Querying their motivations, Startup Heatmap Europe reveals that talent, more than capital, is

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