Kickoff Cities: Berlin vs Wien | brutkasten

“I have an apartment in Berlin, I’ve always wanted to go here.” “No one likes Faustmann” sang twelve years ago. Have you thought about the best place to start your own? maybe not.

However, he does that Series founder Saad with a good name. On LinkedIn he summarizes the two starting cities after his first year in Berlin. The former founder of Coinpanion is currently thinking about the benefits of cities for startup founders. His comparison of the two startup cities shows, not surprisingly, that there is already a clear difference for startups between the German capitals.

Starting Cities: Vienna is just smaller and therefore impressive!

Many things are based in Vienna, the city is small and bright. Therefore, as a starting city, Vienna makes it easy to get to know the city relatively quickly. The startup scene is smaller compared to Berlin and many find it easier to be famous. Wohlgenannt writes: “It is relatively easy to stand out as a good startup in Vienna and thus attract young talent.”

In addition, Vienna’s closeness also opens opportunities for founders to soon meet the right contacts for their own startups in person. Austria’s economic, media and political hubs are based in Vienna, so people with relevant knowledge and responsibility are usually found in the city. For Wohlgenannt, this is an advantage for the city on the Danube “It is very easy to make contacts with important decision-makers such as journalists, entrepreneurs and politicians. In Austria, influential people are either in Vienna or visit the city often,” wrote the founder of Coinpanion.

Berlin is more – the market, the people, the capital

In Berlin, founders find a more international environment and better access to the capital market and investments, says Saad Wohlgenannt. The starting situation in Germany is more divided than in Austria. There are simply more bigger cities in Germany and therefore more start-up cities developing, but the scene in Berlin offers a lot of opportunities for opportunities. “Being a startup doesn’t make you special here, because there are so many founders and entrepreneurs,” Wohlgenannt summarizes.

The Access to capital easier in Berlin because the city offers more opportunities for larger funding rounds, there are several business angels and VCs who, compared to Vienna, often have a start-up background. Wohlgenannt sees better access to finance as a clear benefit for the German capital.

Movement is only an issue in Vienna

He drew this conclusion about startup cities because the question of Berlin or Vienna arises more often in the Viennese startup scene. Especially in Vienna, many people are thinking about settling in the larger German market, taking advantage of the advantages of the German capital and starting their own business in Berlin .

On the contrary – Wohlgenannt does not believe that the starting point of Berlin would think of moving to Vienna. “In Berlin this is not a problem at all. No one is really interested in Vienna or Austria 😅,” wrote Wohlgenannt.

Overall, due to its financing options, the internationality of the city and the size of the market, Berlin offers an attractive environment for start-ups, especially those looking for greater growth opportunities and faster. Vienna, on the other hand, scores with a supportive and less commercial investor community and the city’s closeness, which allows founders to get to know each other quickly and make connections.