I love Leipzig. I wanted to start this article with those three powerful words, because they are indeed true. The city is vibrant, it’s lovely, and it can offer anyone, not just startups, an unforgettable experience. I still have yet to meet someone in this country, that when presented with the word Leipzig, had something negative to say about this city. It brings an even bigger smile to my face when I am outside of Germany’s borders, and the word Leipzig lights up someone’s face as they begin to share a story with me, as they too, were once here.
It’s a great city indeed. There’s been many catch phrases coming up in recent years to describe the city, ”Hypezig” is one of the most commonly heard ones, as well as ”The hottest thing to come out of the former DDR.” Some native Leipzigers are even going as bold to address our quaint city as, ”The next Berlin.” Now, I’m not here to start a war with any of our good friends up North in the German Capital, but no one, even the most die-hard Berliner, can deny that there are some great things starting to form down here.
Leipzig as a home for your Startup?
There is no shortage of good resources out there on the net telling you all about the intricacies of this city and what makes it great. The city of Leipzig even has its own entirely English Webzine, so regardless of what your skills are with the German Language, you can certainly find good information online to inform yourself on the city and its ever-changing landscape and history.
But today I want to talk about one of the hottest aspects currently flourishing right now in the city - Leipzig’s Startup Scene. A relatively new player on the European Startup Scene, Leipzig’s got some serious advantages for startups who decide to move here. Whether it’s public grants, an extensive research and university network, easy access to Berlin but less competition amongst fellow startups, finding a first class startup accelerator program, cheap rent and living costs, lots of nature, or calling one of Europe’s most monumental battlefields your home, there is certainly a ton of advantages that the city of Leipzig has to offer startups.
But of the myriad of advantages available, if your startup is coming from the fields of Smart City, InsurTech, Energy, or eHealth, the biggest perk you can get right now is taking advantage of the Smart Infrastructure Hub program currently being developed in the city. In short, we’re working very closely with Germany’s Digital Hub Initiative and some of the most prominent companies in the world to give startups from these areas a great chance to really grow and become remarkable.
Therefore, we took it upon ourselves to talk to two Leipzig-based founders with eHealth startups, to get their own thoughts on Leipzig as a whole.
Words of wisdom from two eHealth founders who call Leipzig their home
The first fouder we spoke with goes by the name of Dr. med. Paul Brandenburg, he’s the founder and CEO of the Leipzig-based startup, DIPAT. DIPAT is a German play on words, and abbreviates the term Die Patientenverfügung.” In English this most closely translates to a living will, but to make things even more interesting, DIPAT has developed a completely online-based living will. Why is this a great solution? Because maintaining a legally valid traditional living will in Germany requires a great deal of effort, and there’s a good chance that that document will not be valid when you need it. DIPAT has developed a system that creates the living wills online, and in a way that is entirely foolproof. Once you’ve set it up, you’re covered.
We’ve asked Paul some questions about his experiences here in Leipzig, and here’s what he’s got to say:
Paul, if you had to choose, what’s the single biggest advantage your startup has had in Leipzig?
Paul Brandenburg: One word: SpinLab. But even without that, Leipzig is a great city where both the local and state governments are spending serious tax money to help support the startup scene here. The founders scene here is also alive and well, with many various events happening each week, you’re always meeting someone you can learn from. Beyond that, the city is affordable for a newly formed company, and offers a really great quality of life.
As an eHealth startup, what specifically do you love about being in Leipzig?
During our time at the SpinLab, the team there did (and continues to do) awesome things for us while we were still in the early phases of solidifying our company. The coaching in marketing and business development for us, combined with the intensive networking opportunities provided to us, have been invaluable to our development.
OK cool, but as an individual (not speaking for your startup), can you tell us a bit more about what you love about the city itself?
The openness and the artsy vibe here are something I’ve come to grow completely fond of, as well as the abundance as of parks and water. However, as a born and bred Berliner, I can say that it wouldn’t hurt if Leipzig had a couple more parties here and there ;-)
What advice would you give to any other early stage eHealth startups out there, who have no idea about what Leipzig can offer them?
A great chance awaits you here! For us Leipzig brought the possibility to recruit highly skilled and motivated team members, find some affordable (and VERY cool) office space, and connect with like minded founders and businesses. I honestly recommend considering Leipzig as a base to anybody planning to start an innovative business.
As already mentioned Leipzig is a great place for eHealth startups currently, so we also took the opportunity to ask Florian Bontrup, CEO of DOCYET, another Leipzig-based eHealth startup, a round of questions as well. DOCYET’s mission is simple, they’ve created an app that can help you get the medical assistance you need when you’re abroad. I mean picture this, you’re in a foreign country on holiday and suddenly you’ve got a pretty bad stomach ache. It’s not so intense where you want to bother going into an emergency room, but at the same time, your holiday is rapidly getting ruined. You’ve got no idea how insurance works, how to call a doctor, and maybe you’re not even be a able to communicate in the local language at all. DOCYET’s app completely mitigates this situation, and can help you find medical care without any of the aforementioned hassle. Oh technology, you are indeed a wonderful thing.
Florian, for your eHealth startup, what’s been the single biggest advantage in Leipzig?
Florian Bontrup: Access to skilled and motivated talent. There’s a great international presence that is continuing to grow and thrive in Leipzig, that combined with the abundance of top-notch schools, we’ve been able to find a lot of great people who are willing to take the dive and come work for an early stage startup.
Ok, so the talent pool is a big advantage for sure, but what are the things you adore about Leipzig for eHealth startups?
Definitely the harmony of everything coming together to support digital healthcare. And when I say everything, I truly mean everything. There’s not been another place in Germany where I have seen government entities, corporate partners, and startups working together in one cohesive ecosystem. It’s awesome, and it really helps young companies push forward.
Let’s talk about you for a bit, as a person what are your favorite things about the city?
I’m gonna have to agree with Paul on this one, but it’s definitely a combination of various things. From my side, the housing (and how affordable it is) is amazing, and the parks and cultural scene keep everything fresh and interesting. There is always something to do here, and it’s all combined into one nice little package.
Best bit of advice you could give to other eHealth startups out there who don’t know about Leipzig’s advantages?
Just come down for a few days and check it out yourself, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll fall in love with the city and everything it can offer your company. Swing by, have a beer and a kicker match with us, and let’s spin up some new ideas and projects. Innovators and entrepreneurs can really help each other here, and have a lot of fun at the same time.
So what are you waiting for? Come check out our lovely city for a bit and see the thriving startup scene here for yourself As we’ve already reiterated many times, Leipzig is truly a great to call home for startups, especially if you’re in the eHealth sector. If you’re overloading and need some guidance, you can also definitely check out the SpinLab’s current application process. They’re a great gateway into Leipzig, and can really help new companies get settled and get scaling fast. We hope we’ve awoken your interest in checking out a new city. We’re always looking to meet some new faces, and see what cool new things are being developed. We hope to see you down here soon!
