Funding and support

Robot football, exports, fish fingers and sundials – here are nine examples where Bremen is often at the top of the podium.

Old and new, work and home, culture and leisure – modern, urban living spaces are being created in Bremen on 20 hectares of the company grounds of a former cigarette and tobacco factory.

Who are Bremen's hidden champions? Hidden champions are small and medium-sized businesses that are among the global market leaders in their niche industry; they are usually owner-managed and highly influential in shaping the market with their products – but few people have heard of them. A number of these hidden champions can be found in Bremen. They come from all areas of business, including the maritime, aerospace and digital industries. They show that Bremen is regarded as one of the most innovative locations for industry in Germany – and rightly so. The city has the highest export quota of all Germany's federal states – products that are manufactured here are in demand all over the world.

The pandemic has proven it: When supply routes do not work and production facilities are at a standstill, urgently needed construction and spare parts can often be a long time coming. The Bremen-based start-up WeserCAD has developed an innovative and fast solution.

Go international! Here is our guide to creating an international start-up. It has tips for very young teams and also for experienced start-ups that now want to take the next decisive step.

Navigating the administrative jungle can be a challenge, no matter whether you've only just decided to set up your own company or you already have an established business. By providing a "Single point of contact" and a Welcome Service, Unternehmensservice Bremen supports entrepreneurs and businesses alike by answering questions and helping them overcome the challenges they face.

Turbo economy Vietnam: Hardly any other country in the world is growing so fast. Is it worthwhile for German companies to do business there? An overview of the economy and trade as well as the advantages and disadvantages of doing business in Vietnam.

Additive manufacturing without any support structures, minimizing distortion and efficient - these characteristics can significantly improve metal 3D printing. The start-up AMSIS is creating the basis for this - and thus getting a hearing in additive manufacturing.

Established in Bremen with the help of WFB: The medical technology manufacturer ECO is setting up its first European branch in the Hanseatic city. Doctors can use the Chinese manufacturer's instruments to gently treat tumours, thyroid nodules or varicose veins.

In 2021, more than 90,000 trade marks were filed at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office. Find out here how applying for a trade mark can help even very young companies to get ahead, what to consider during the prior trade mark search and how the application actually works.

Trade and industry are Bremen's economic heavyweights. This is an infographic of the sectors, revenues and products involved.

Prosthetic extremities a speciality: GehProTec, the company run by Peter Wehmeyer and Birgit Greubel, manufactures around 400 tailor-made prosthetic arms and legs per year. Patients from all over Europe come to Bremen to receive help.

Online trade is booming, and not only since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. We present 11 e-commerce companies from Bremen that are market leaders in their niche areas.

A year ago, hsag ON relocated to Bremen. For company co-owner Matthias Schmidt, the move has paid off: more than 100 employees will soon be working in the new offices in the Tabakquartier. How did this rapid growth happen?

Products made in Bremen can be found in many everyday objects, and most of us are likely to come into contact with one or more on a daily basis. Read on to find out what they are.

This robot's job doesn't start until the last member of staff leaves the store at the end of the working day: Roaming through the shelves, he helps physical stores to compete with online retailers.

Cargo bikes are truly multitalented – they are not just appreciated by private individuals, but also those in business. Bremen is supporting the cargo bike in business and trade with a wider range of initiatives. Here is an overview.

The cargo bike business is booming, as is the Bremen bike manufacturer Velo Lab. With a new production facility in the New Harbour District, and innovative bike designs, its founder Stathis Stasinopoulos is truly in tune with the times. A "test drive".

Bremen is primarily known as an industrial city and a trading centre. However, many companies in the biotech and medical technology sector have chosen Bremen as their high-tech location. Here are ten examples.

The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen is composed of two cities, namely the city of Bremen itself (population approx. 568,000) and the port city of Bremerhaven (population approx. 114,000). The two cities are 53 km apart, but together they comprise the German federal state that carries the official designation “Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.”

Bremen's Überseestadt (New Harbour District) is one of the largest urban development projects in Europe. Here is a selection of some of the large-scale construction projects that are currently in progress and will bring even more diversity to this area.

How do new, innovative companies come into being? Sometimes with a start-up directly out of the university or college. Eight Bremen companies that have outgrown the nursery of science.

Today Tamim Fannoush is an enthusiastic Bremen citizen. The Libyan originally came to the Hanseatic city to do business here. Now he lives here - and with his growing business he helps to take advantage of business opportunities in a rather unknown African country.

David Zhou first came to Bremen seven years ago. The Corona crisis has given the lighting manufacturer undreamt-of tailwind - and virtually swept his warehouse empty. This is not the only reason why he feels right at home in Bremen.

Kathrin and Mark Patel from Bremen are among the most successful designers in their chosen field. Their carpet and wallpaper collections have received numerous awards and the two collaborate with leading manufacturers. The secret of their success? All of their work tells a story.

Bremen is one of Germany's major industrial hubs, and many international companies base their headquarters and main offices in the city. Here are ten examples that may not be familiar to everyone.

Setting up your own business is never easy, but Bremen offers the perfect environment for budding entrepreneurs. A unique start-up scene has taken root in the region that will help you access the expertise, contacts and funding that you'll need to succeed. So what are you waiting for?

Experts speak of Bremen and Bremerhaven as the "food capitals of Germany", and this hardly seems an exaggeration for the second strongest manufacturing sector in the federal state. What would you like? Coffee or fish?

At the end of May 2020, JDE Peets followed in the footsteps of other successful businesses from Bremen and made its initial public offering. We have put together a brief introduction to exchange-traded companies from the region and their business models.

Social distancing, masks and hygiene – a variety of different measures help to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Bremen company Statex has developed another tool to add to the armoury. Its copper tape ensures that viruses on door handles and other surfaces are deactivated faster.

Bremen and Taiwan share a long-standing friendship. The Hanseatic city has been in close contact with the Asian island for more than 30 years. New opportunities in Far Eastern markets are opening up for Bremen-based companies despite the coronavirus crisis.

Co-working spaces are very much in vogue. Especially in large cities, more and more people are renting space in modern office communities - for hours, days or months. We take a look at the co-working spaces in Überseestadt and answer key questions: How much is the rent? What do I get in return? And of course: Where do I get my coffee?

The three young founders of Yurudesign have already caused quite a stir in the Turkish furniture market. Now they’ve got their sights set on Europe. To get the ball rolling, one of them has moved to Bremen – and we accompanied him during his first few days.

Fibre composites have become a permanent fixture in everyday life. The Bremen Fibre Institute (FIBRE) has been working on these materials for five decades, and has gained another strong partner this year in the form of the ECOMAT research centre.

Storage batteries are an increasingly popular way of making energy generated by PV systems available around the clock. That is good for the environment and helps to keep costs down. Storage battery manufacturer Powertrust is looking to tried and trusted technology and giving it a new lease of life.

Not many people could name a manufacturer of metrology and testing equipment, but without their products we would not have space probes, aircraft or medical equipment. And Bremen is home to a whole host of these specialist companies.

Bremen-based start-up cellumation has already won various awards for its invention, but now the company is really taking off. It has developed a new conveyor system called Celluveyor, whose modular construction makes it significantly more flexible and means it requires less space than conventional systems.

Lots of room in the heart of the city – when it comes to coworking, Spaces now rules the roost. Stefanie Lürken, Country Manager of Spaces in Germany, tells us what brings the company to Bremen, and why coworking is increasingly replacing teleworking from home.

The ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) Northern Germany is a new beacon project for the aerospace sector in Bremen.

In 2019, many people are seeing their energy costs rising yet again. Intelligent energy solutions that use solar panels and storage batteries can save quite a bit on electricity. And ADLER Solar from Bremen know how.

A company founder lives for his or her idea – no distance is too far and no obstacle too high. Four foreign entrepreneurs in Bremen share their passion for their vision.

Since 2011, economic relations with Turkish partners have been strengthened through the Bremeninvest office in Izmir. Kolja Umland, Project Manager for International Settlements and Erol Tüfekҫi, Director of the Bremeninvest Office in Izmir, report on the current situation.

Jiani Chen recently moved to Bremen. The energetic young Chinese woman founded the start-up App CN in the Hanseatic city and is now looking to kick-start her international business. She loves things about Bremen that many locals would take for granted.

Bremen-based Flyline can look back on two decades of success and expansion. The British Airways (BA) subsidiary began as a call centre with a 30-strong workforce. Today, Flyline employs around 400 people at Bremen airport.

Orthopaedic shoe manufacturers Indorf Orthopädie-Schuhtechnik GmbH & Co. KG in Bremerhaven successfully combine traditional products and processes with the latest advances in 3D printing.

Free electric-powered transport – Bremen set to become incubator for UZE Mobility. On behalf of its partner UZE Mobility, Bremeninvest announces the following: Bremen, 19 November 2018 – Start-up firm UZE Mobility has decided to relocate to Bremen at the beginning of 2019.

Extreme precision is the norm at Eickworth Modellbau. Major automotive companies and aerospace manufacturers rely on the services of this Bremen company whenever something needs to be accurate down to a hundredth of a millimetre.

Bremen is Germany’s sixth-largest industrial hub in terms of revenue. Whether the sector is aerospace, food, automotive, shipping or steel production, Bremen has always been a major player.

Esteban Bayro-Kaiser has big plans for his start-up, WearHealth. And he has no doubt that Bremen can become a leading hub for artificial intelligence technology. But what made this globetrotter choose Bremen?

The best of both worlds. A young Indian from Bremen is helping German engineering to benefit from India’s factory capacities and vice versa. And everything is completely digitalised – with one click in real time, an order can be sent straight to the Indian factory. The benefit for manufacturers is huge.

Bremen is expanding. Several construction projects will reshape the city centre. The 2018 Bremen property market report – an overview of office, logistics and retail properties, and of investment market trends – confirms that the city is an attractive location for investors and developers.

We don’t normally get to see Littelfuse’s products. And yet there’s hardly any electronic device that doesn’t require components from this global market leader. The European headquarters of the US firm are located in Bremen. And they’re far more than just a sales office.

It was a cold February evening when Paramjit Kohli first came to Bremen from India – and he loved it immediately. Read on to find out why he founded a company here and what lessons he has learned over the past year.

Fish fingers have been made in Bremerhaven for almost 60 years. Over this period, they have withstood all food trends and are more popular today than ever before. On average, each German consumer eats 24 of them a year. And they were probably made in Bremerhaven, the fish finger capital.

The depths of the ocean remain one of the last great mysteries on Earth. What is the precise composition of the seafloor? What flora and fauna inhabit it? Where has the delicate balance of the ecosystem been seriously disrupted? We still don’t have complete answers to any of these questions, but four young scientists from Bremen are aiming to change that.

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a matter of computer programming. It’s a challenging question: how can a robot successfully deal with real, unpredictable surroundings? For 30 years, solutions to this problem have been developed at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). This Bremen-based facility has been so successful that its employees are now founding their own company.

In April 2018, Team Beverage AG moved its headquarters from Wildeshausen in Lower Saxony to Bremen. The company provides services to the drinks industry in wholesale, retail and the catering and convenience sectors. Now, its success story is set to continue at Bremen Airport-Stadt with the relocation of its head office and 90 or so employees.