Kai Wegner from the CDU no longer wants to remain mayor. What does Berlin need? We asked the scene.
Suddenly it happened very quickly. After Kai Wegner, CDU mayor of Berlin, tried to withstand criticism of his crisis management for a long time, the surprise came on Friday: Wegner announced that he no longer wanted to be the top candidate. Stefan Evers, the current Finance Senator, took over as the CDU’s top candidate. He now only has a good two months left for the election campaign.
Everything points to an exciting election. The CDU was ahead in surveys for a long time. Most recently, it only came in fourth place behind the Left, the Greens and the AfD. In Berlin there is the unique situation in which four parties are scraping by twenty percent.
By the way, the CDU slogan continues: “Berlin will” – sounds a bit like a fill-in-the-blank. We asked startup people what they think Berlin should become. And what do founders want from the person who will succeed Kai Wegner?
Approach the scene
Christian Mieleheadline investor and himself a Berlin CDU member as well as a prominent Wegner critic, says to Gründerszene: “Stefan Evers now has the historic opportunity to join the Berlin startup scene. Berlin founders are among the city’s most important employers, attracting capital and talent. The new CDU candidate can mobilize the scene for himself if he approaches them cleverly and decisively. A conversation with Verena Pausder should be scheduled at short notice.”
Verena Pausder line up
Anna Alexfounder of Outfittery and Planetly, agrees and says: “No matter who is nominated, Verena Pausder would be the better candidate.”
Scaling with public contracts
Anna Alex Yunus founded Social Innovation and Carbon Equity. She thinks Berlin doesn’t have too little climate tech innovation, but it doesn’t have enough scaling. “Berlin and its companies should use their billion-dollar investment needs to test innovative solutions openly and competitively and to align successful pilots with follow-up procurement right from the start. This reduces risks, mobilizes private capital and turns Berlin innovation into industrial value creation. Climate Tech is not just climate policy – it is one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time.”
Emphasize creativity as a strength
DJ and entrepreneur (CEO Green City Development) Martin Eyerer would like less polarization and more optimism. “I also wish that we would talk more about the economy again and a little less about all the social issues. Because that’s what Berlin needs a little more at the moment. We’re already on the right track, but that needs to be put more in focus. Because only if we have a strong economy can we also address the other topics. I would also personally like to bring the topics of creativity, the creative economy, the start-up scene and startups to the fore, because that is one of the absolute strengths of this city.”
Opportunities regardless of gender or origin
Berlin has the potential to be Europe’s leading startup location, says Christine Rittnerco-chair of the investor network Encourageventures. “We would like to see three things above all from the next governing mayor: less bureaucracy and faster, digital processes, better framework conditions for private venture capital and targeted promotion of diversity in the startup ecosystem. Innovation occurs where talent, regardless of gender or origin, has the chance to build and scale companies.”
Ambitious basic research
Oliver Pabst is general partner at VC Redalpine and says: “A VC expects the new mayor of Berlin to have the courage to excel instead of leveling up: cutting-edge research, excellent universities and ambitious basic research must have top priority. The next global technology companies will only emerge from cutting-edge research.” Berlin needs to claim to be Europe’s leading tech location, with clear goals, reliable implementation and a policy that rewards performance instead of managing mediocrity. “This also includes facing national, European and non-European competition, including the USA, instead of being satisfied with the status quo.”
Moritz Holländerfounder of Almedia: “As an entrepreneur, my biggest recurring problem is access to the best talent – and retaining them in the long term. Anything that Berlin and the governing mayor can do to support us in this will benefit the tech and startup industry.”
Radically digital
The founder of Wefox and The Delta, Julian Teickehas put together a whole list:
1. Speed in administration: radically digital. Setting up a GmbH shouldn’t take weeks. Citizens’ office appointments, business registration, residence permits – everything online, in days instead of months. Berlin is not losing founders and talent because of a lack of ideas, but because of queues.
2. Welcoming talent from all over the world. The biggest bottleneck for any startup is talent. I want an immigration office that allows international developers and founders to enter the country in days, not quarters. Berlin should be the fast lane for European tech talent.
3. Attract capital instead of driving it away. The location needs more venture capital – including institutional money. The mayor should actively market Berlin as a capital hub and talk to funds, family offices and international VCs on an equal footing.
4. Mindset: Celebrate entrepreneurship. I want a mayor who doesn’t treat founders as supplicants, but as what they are – the people who create jobs, taxes and the future. Less skepticism, more ambition.”
Doner prices down
Nikita Fahrenholzco-founder of Delivery Hero and Fahrengold, keeps it much more succinct: “The first demand is to remove all bollards. 2. Expand Berlin as a research location for AI. 3. Lower kebab prices.” Nobody can object to that, right?