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Berlin

Entrepreneur First Berlin brings together high-potential individuals to build the next generation of tech companies.

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Next cohort begins Autumn 2023 Sign up to be notified when applications open

Mixing creative energy, a growing technical talent base and great investors, Berlin has become a thriving startup ecosystem.

The startups built by EF Berlin cohorts span a wide range of technologies and industries, including automotives, manufacturing, logistic SaaS, Fintech and Insurtech.

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Read the latest updates from our Berlin platform and companies.

EF Berlin in the Press

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Our Network

On our Berlin platform, you’ll be introduced to a pool of talented people all of whom are looking for a co-founder to build a company with.

These are the challengers; the driven; the leaders; the ones with the potential to found globally important companies.

Meet our Berlin community
“If you also have the ambition to build an impactful technology-driven venture from scratch, EF is the perfect environment to find a co-founder and start it.”
Clemens Tepel CEO, Deepspin
Our team

In-house expertise to support you to build your company from the ground up.

Our Berlin team bring experience as investors, consultants and advisors to help you and your co-founder to maximise your impact.

Philipp Herkelmann

Partner and General Manager, Berlin
Leads EF Germany, experience global leading tech companies in Europe and the Valley, Angel Investor

Georgia Dienst

Venture Partner, Entrepreneur First
Angel investor and advisor. Previously worked in startups and the corporate world
Our companies

Companies that push the boundaries of their industries.

Companies from EF Berlin are making cement production more environmentally friendly; making self driving cars safer; and improving the lives of those living with genetic diseases.

View all Berlin companies

Featured Companies

Alcemy
Enabling cement and concrete producers to cut costs and carbon emissions.
Series A Manufacturing or Industrial
Feather
Feather gives personalised insurance advice.
Seed Finance
Donut
Providing the easiest and most trusted way to access decentralised finance yields
Seed Finance
Phantasma
Simulation as a Service to generate data-sets at scale for training self-driving cars.
Seed Automotive
Nostos Genomics
Improving the lives of the 400 million people around the world who have a genetic disease.
Seed Healthcare
HIER Foods
An end-to-end procurement tool for regional food.
Seed Food, Agriculture or Farming

Berlin FAQs

Q
Do I need to be able to speak a particular language?
A

The platform is run in English, and English is the common language used by participants amongst each other. Therefore, you will need to be comfortable speaking and working in English.

You therefore do not need to be able to speak German in order to take part – however, it’s always helpful to have some proficiency as you’ll be living and working in Berlin for the duration of the platform and likely beyond if you launch your company here.

Q
Can I take part if I don't currently have the right to work in Germany?
A

Unfortunately we will only accept candidates for our platform that hold the right to work and/or run a company in Germany.

If you do not have the right to work in any of the countries Entrepreneur First operates in, some of our other locations are able to support successful applicants to apply for a visa in order to take part. Please see our visa information to find out more.

Q
Do I need to stay in Berlin?
A

No, though many companies choose to stay in Berlin. For any company the most important thing is to be close to its customers and sometimes this means relocating to where these customers are. We have companies based in the US, South Africa, Netherlands and China as well as many other locations.

Q
How does financial support during Form work in Berlin?
A

Entrepreneur First funds you as an individual from Day 1, and if you form a company, we are your first investor. To start, we will pay you €2,000 a month for 3 months during Form. If you leave Entrepreneur First at the end of Form or Launch the stipend is yours to keep.

Q
How does investment during Launch work?
A

If you are successful at the Investment Committee, at the start of Launch, we will make our first investment in your company. We invest £80,000, along with the stipends paid in the first part of the platform, for 10% of your company.