When you think of Baden-Württemberg, your mind might wander to Black Forest cakes, high-performance cars from Stuttgart, or the Swabian love for efficiency. But let’s set the record straight: Baden-Württemberg is a powerhouse for start-ups, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
By investing 5.6% of its GDP in research and development (2021) and filing 137 patents per 100,000 inhabitants last year, Baden-Württemberg underlines its status as the No. 1 innovation region in Europe. Clearly, THE LÄND is not just playing the start-up game – it’s setting the rules. Welcome to THE Start-up LÄND, where ideas turn into businesses, and businesses turn into global success stories.
A Thriving Start-up Ecosystem
Your success story in Baden-Württemberg is boosted by one of the most diverse start-up ecosystems in Germany. Twelve regional start-up hubs offer individual industry focus and suitable networks. Whether you’re in Freiburg, Tuttlingen, or Heilbronn, you’ll find well-connected start-up networks, business incubators, and venture capital opportunities that will help you bring your vision to life.
In the following overview, you can find out which region suits your business model best:
- Ecosystem Lake Constance (Bodensee): A dynamic cross-border start-up region known for IT, biotechnology, and aerospace technology. Its proximity to Switzerland and Austria creates excellent networking opportunities.
- Ecosystem Freiburg: A leading hub for sustainability, renewable energy, and life sciences. Freiburg is Germany’s "Green Tech" capital and ideal for eco-friendly innovations.
- Ecosystem Heilbronn-Franken: A rapidly growing ecosystem specializing in artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation. With strong government support, this region is a magnet for AI-driven start-ups.
- Ecosystem Karlsruhe: Known as "Germany’s Silicon Valley," Karlsruhe excels in cybersecurity, IT, and deep tech. The city has one of the highest concentrations of tech talent in the country.
- Ecosystem Mannheim-Heidelberg-Walldorf: A powerhouse for medtech, biotech, and software solutions. SAP based in Walldorf makes this region a global leader in business software.
- Ecosystem Neckar-Alb: A hub for textile innovation, medical technology, and smart fabrics. Research institutions here push boundaries in wearable tech and material sciences.
- Ecosystem Northern Black Forest (Nordschwarzwald): Historically strong in watchmaking and jewelry, this region now leads in precision engineering and medtech, making it a hidden gem for hardware start-ups.
- Ecosystem Ortenau: A rising start-up hub for automation, logistics, and digitalization. Positioned near the French border, it offers international business advantages.
- Ecosystem Eastern Württemberg (Ostwürttemberg): Renowned for mechanical engineering, manufacturing, and industrial automation. Start-ups in Industry 4.0 find excellent infrastructure here.
- Ecosystem Stuttgart Region: As the economic powerhouse of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart excels in mobility, automotive, fintech, and high-tech start-ups. It’s home to major global players like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Bosch.
- Ecosystem Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg: This region is a center for fine mechanics, medtech, and industrial engineering - perfect for precision-driven start-ups.
- Ecosystem Ulm-Biberach: A major hub for aerospace technology, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology. With strong ties to research institutions, it’s ideal for science-driven start-ups.
Get started in THE LÄND!
Would you like to become part of this unique ecosystem? Then take advantage of our special start-up support. Starting in April, BW_i is offering a soft-landing program for international start-ups who want to find out more about expanding into THE LÄND. If you are interested in participating in this program, please feel free to sign up here.
→ Our tip: Further information on the vibrant ecosystem and the individual contact persons for each start-up hub can be found on the website of the Start-up BW initiative.
We are looking forward to welcoming you in THE Start-up LÄND!
