Build your company in Berlin #1: Nightlife
For the first installment of the Build your company in Berlin series, we are covering the mythical Berlin nightlife (yes, including Sisyphos & Berghain).
Welcome to Berlin
Berlin — the engine of the startup ecosystem in Germany and the greater continental European region. In the last ten years, a steadily growing number of startups from Berlin have reached unicorn status. First, came the E-commerce wave with Zalando, Delivery Hero, and HelloFresh. Then Berlin had its FinTech unicorns with N26, Solarisbank, and Trade Republic. And more recently, a third unicorn wave was brought by Quick-commerce, led by Gorillas and Flink. Beyond these waves, Berlin continues to be the cradle of more and more successful startups in various industries, such as Infarm (AgTech), Choco (FoodTech), and Grover (Circular economy).
This is no coincidence. The German capital hosts a vibrant international tech community, a well-established Venture Capital ecosystem, and several highly-regarded universities such as Humboldt, TU Berlin, and Freie Universität.
Antler Berlin’s new series
Last but not least, Berlin is attracting an enormous amount of young professionals, from all over the world. Whether they come to join an inspiring venture or found their own business, more and more young people choose to do so here. Naturally, the above-mentioned ecosystem factors have a major contribution to the influx of talent to the city. What cannot be neglected, however, are the outside-of-work reasons that make people move to Berlin.
In the new “Build your company in Berlin” series, we would like to show aspiring founders why Berlin is just the right place to found a company, not only due to the rocketship ecosystem but also because of the personal life aspects the city brings.
We will cover different areas of Berlin life, such as nightlife, arts, history, sports, and more.
World’s nightlife capital
Why shy away from the most obvious reason for Berlin’s legendary status among the young (and old)? We are going at it right away, starting out with the Berlin nightlife scene.
To figure out where the cool kids go, we have asked all Antler founders and alumni here in Berlin for their recommendations and added an entrepreneur/VC angle to each of the places. This list goes to all the aspiring founders, who know that working sleepless nights to build your venture also requires some sleepless nights to feel the rhythm and music.
Zur wilden Renate
- Frequented by founders in: ClimateTech & CleanTech
- Best for: celebrating finding your co-founder
Renate, as it is usually called, is one of Berlin’s most welcoming clubs. It is based in an old apartment-block building, with several floors which allow for a diverse mix of music genres in a cozy atmosphere. Thanks to its setup, Renate can offer plenty of areas for relaxation as well as an outside yard which opens once spring arrives. Music genres vary from disco to deep house and trance to more industrial-style techno (downstairs). Renate is conveniently located near the Spree river at the Elsenbrücke.
Prince Charles
- Frequented by founders in: Marketplaces & ConsumerTech
- Best for: debuting your venture at the Portfolio Reveal Day
Well, as you can see in the “Best for” description above, the Antler founders do have a special connection to this venue. Why? Antler hosted its first-ever Portfolio Reveal Day in Berlin at Prince Charles. But that was during daytime. Located right at Moritzplatz in Kreuzberg, the nights start early as Prince Charles is also a bar, and things change as the night progresses. Prince Charles is mostly famous for its house parties, especially when it comes to the sub-genres of disco and tropical house.
Sisyphos
- Frequented by founders in: HealthTech, Mental Health & MedTech
- Best for: signing your first term sheet
Widely considered Berlin’s #2 club, Sisyphos tends to get increasingly more crowded as spring and summer approach. The club has a one-of-a-kind colorful interior and arguably its most popular stage is the outside one, fittingly called the Beach. Sisy is not a place for a few hours, but more a venue where one could spend days. It is even equipped with its own pizza stand! The crowd here is always cheerful and colorful attire is more than welcome. Sisyphos is definitely worth the rather long journey, east of Berlin’s Ostkreuz!
Berghain
- Frequented by founders in: All industries
- Best for: completing your Pre-Seed financing round
The one and only, the myth, the legend. Most call it “the best club in the world”. Some have tried to get in and see for themselves. However, few have actually seen the inside walls of Berghain. They live to tell the stories of a wild crowd that is enchanted by the music, of a sound-system quality never heard before, and of a once-in-a-lifetime clubbing experience. When walking around the Friedrichshain neighborhood, Berghain is difficult to miss as it is hosted in an imposing building that, in its former life, was a power plant. To address the timeless question about getting into Berghain: ask those who have been in Berlin longer for the guest list and pick your queuing times carefully.
Honorable mentions: Heideglühen, Club der Visionäre, Kit Kat, Kater Blau.
Of course, this list is far from exhaustive. But covering all that Berlin has to offer to music fans is beyond the point of this article. One thing is sure: you need to visit and see for yourself.
What’s next in the series?
The nightlife is not the only aspect of Berlin that makes individuals move to the city and make it their home. A buzzing arts and concerts scene, important historical events, museums with endless corridors, and many more factors make Berlin the place to be. This is only the start, join us in Berlin to discover it all!
- Are you an aspiring founder who wants to find the best balance between work and life?
- Do you wish to connect with other like-minded individuals and form a strong co-founding team?
- Would you like to leverage one of Europe’s best startup ecosystems all while having the opportunity to properly let steam off when you need to?
If this sounds like you, then apply for Antler’s upcoming cohort in Berlin and start your journey as a new founder. We can’t wait to meet you.
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This article was written by: Rashko Angelinov, Visiting Investment Associate at Antler, a startup enthusiast, and a Berlin nightlife “Genießer”
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About Antler
By joining one of our cohorts, you will have the chance to make your venture part of the global Antler portfolio, encompassing more than 450 companies with 35% of these being founded by women. Antler is backing ventures across 30 different industries and it remains true to its global image by supporting founders from more than 70 nationalities. The founders themselves join an aspiring group of over 3,000 founders, spread across 21 office locations and six continents.
Feeling inspired? Learn more about Antler here and become part of our worldwide founder network.
