The rise of startup hubs in Europe: a qualitative study on the factors contributing to Berlin’s rise as a european startup hub

Abstract

This research study aims to analyze and provide insight into the rise of Berlin as a hub and destination for startups. An extensive literature review was conducted to understand and identify the concepts of entrepreneurship, startups, and the conditions and environments that make up the startup ecosystem. In addition, particular attention was paid to entrepreneurship and startups in Berlin, specifically, and Germany in general. A qualitative study was conducted through interviews with five startups that were located in Berlin with the questionnaire designed and formulated from the literature review. The tiered entrepreneurial ecosystem domain framework was adopted to analyze and interpret the results. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative interviews to gather in-depth understanding, trends and insights into the startup ecosystem in Berlin. The research suggests that some improvements are still needed in Berlin’s startup ecosystem, but that it is currently an attractive destination not only for people looking to work at startups but also for entrepreneurs looking to start their own.