Analysis

February 23, 2022

Could Görlitz be Germany’s next startup hub?

The picturesque former mining town of 56,000 is reinventing itself as a startup hub. Could it be a model for post-industrial cities across Europe?


Tim Mergelsberg’s Berlin office couldn’t have been in a better spot. A stone’s throw away from the canal in the trendy district of Kreuzkölln, it was surrounded by dozens of other fast-growing startups. 

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Anne Döring and Tim Mergelsberg holding Nevi's birch bark material, which will be made into handmade boxes, door handles and surfaces.
Anne Döring and Tim Mergelsberg holding Nevi's birch bark material, which will be made into handmade boxes, door handles and surfaces
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Görlitz is known for its beautiful baroque buildings that have served as the backdrop to many Hollywood films.
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The outdoor terrace at the Kühlhaus on a warm summer evening.
The outdoor terrace at the Kühlhaus on a warm summer evening.
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Miriam Partington

Miriam Partington was a senior reporter at Sifted, based in Berlin. She covered the DACH region and the future of work, and wrote Startup Life , a weekly newsletter on what it takes to build a startup.

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